The AWHN has identified a number of priorities for wildlife health work in Australia. These include:
1) The AWHN’s highest priority is to support development of a real-time wildlife health surveillance system for Australia, which includes the ability to detect emerging diseases.
2) Categories of diseases of highest priority for surveillance include:
- Mass or unexpected mortalities/ morbidities of unknown causes
- Significant clusters of deaths
- Suspect livestock associated notifiable diseases
- Undiagnosed syndromes
- Suspected human/ zoonotic connection
- Diseases likely to spread and be difficult to eradicate if they become established
- Suspected exotic and OIE list diseases
- Diseases with overseas events or international drivers
- Diseases listed as key threatening processes by DEWR
Negative results are also a high priority.
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A mechanism for notification and response to emerging and emergency wildlife diseases in Australia.
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1) A series of specific workshops to identify current level of knowledge, prioritise research questions and identify policy shortfalls for specific diseases with wildlife as part of their ecology that may impact on Australia.
2) Specific projects exploring ecology, epidemiology and management for selected diseases that include, or may include Australian wildlife as part of their ecology (e.g. avian influenza, West Nile virus, Australian bat Lyssavirus).
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1) Development and provision of wildlife health communication and education packages for Australia.
2) A research Masters and quality assurance program in wildlife pathology, wildlife necropsy and investigation course, and wildlife exotic disease recognition/ identification and management course for Australia.
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1) Support a feasibility study examining development of a National Wildlife Research Centre.
2) Support development and implementation of a management strategy and succession plan for the Australian parasitology catalogue and database and the National Insect collection.
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