Australian Wildlife Health Network

Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
 

 
Disease Incident Reports

This section of the site contains brief, summary information on selected disease events occurring around Australia. Detailed information is available in the Wildlife Health Information System.

CURRENT INCIDENTS
Information on disease events involving wildlife in each of Australia's jurisdictions is available from the Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) appointed Wildlife Coordinator for that jurisdiction. Wildlife Coordinator contact details can be found by following the link below.

Related link:
http://www.wildlifehealth.org.au/AWHN/ProgramsProjects/Programs.aspx?id=9
 
Paramyxovirus in Pigeons
Pigeon paramyxovirus has been detected in hobby & racing pigeons in Victoria, & as of early Oct in free-ranging feral pigeons. The Victorian Department of Primary Industries is undertaking further investigations (1800 675 888). There are currently no reported unusual disease events in Australian commercial or backyard poultry flocks associated with this disease. Please be alert to any signs of disease that are unusual or clusters of deaths in wild birds & report to your Wildlife Coordinator.

Related link:
http://new.dpi.vic.gov.au/agriculture/pests-diseases-and-weeds/animal-diseases/pigeon-virus
 
Hendra Virus
A number of further incidents of Hendra virus infection in horses have been identified by veterinary authorities in Queensland & NSW in 2011. Information on the incidents in these states, on how to minimise the risk of horses becoming infected with Hendra virus and ongoing research into this virus are available from the following website.

Related link:
http://www.outbreak.gov.au/pests_diseases/pests_diseases_animals/hendra/index.html
 
Mass abandonments or unusual mass deaths of flying foxes
There have been a number of events this year (2011) in Queensland involving mass abandonment of flying fox young. The Queensland Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases (QCEID) [http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/4791_18617.htm] is proposing to collate, review and analyse the apparent increasing number of unexplained mass abandonment/ morbidity/mortality events in flying foxes. Click on the link to find out more.

More information: 2011 Mass Abandonments - Mortalities in Bats (Website posting).doc


 
ONGOING DISEASE INVESTIGATIONS
There are many wildlife health investigation and management programs occurring in Australia at the moment. Two of the bigger, and more long-standing programs that involve native wildlife are the Save the Tasmanian Devil (STTD) Program and the Woylie Conservation Research Project.


 
Save the Tasmanian Devil (STTD) Program
The Australian and Tasmanian governments, as well as many people within Tasmania, Australia and around the world are fighting to manage a disease that is decimating populations of Tasmanian Devils: Tasmanian Devil facial tumour disease or DFTD. This is a big, complex and difficult project. More information on the STTD program and the many people involved is available by following the link below. Image of a Tasmanian Devil with DFTD courtesy of Dr Menna Jones, DPIPWE.

Related link:
http://www.tassiedevil.com.au/
Save the Tasmanian Devil (STTD) Program image
 
Woylie Conservation Research Project
Another very difficult wildlife incident that the Western Australian and Australian governments are wrestling with is the decline in numbers of a small marsupial called the Woylie in Western Australia. The latest information on the Woylie Conservation Research Project is available by following the link below. Image courtesy Dr Sabrina Trocini, DEC WA.

Related link:
http://www.naturebase.net/content/view/3230/97/
Woylie Conservation Research Project image
 
HISTORICAL (PAST) INCIDENTS
Every three months information received from Australia's Wildlife Coordinators is collated and submitted by the Wildlife Health Network to a quarterly publication called Animal Health Surveillance Quarterly (AHSQ), which is produced by Animal Health Australia as part of Australia's national animal health information system or NAHIS. AHSQ contains a section on the main wildlife disease incidents that have occurred around the country for that quarter. Follow the link below to read these reports.

Related link:
http://www.animalhealthaustralia.com.au/programs/disease-surveillance/national-animal-health-information-system/animal-health-surveillance-quarterly-report/
 
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