Washington D.C. (May
4, 2017) - The Association of Fish
& Wildlife Agencies is pleased to announce a partnership focused on fish
and wildlife health, in collaboration with Bat Conservation International, the Amphibian
Survival Alliance, the Amphibian and Reptile Conservancy, the Center for
Invasive Species Prevention, and five universities in the United States.
Disease is rapidly emerging as a major threat to wildlife
globally. While wildlife diseases are not new, human actions are dramatically
increasing their spread and impact. The partnership between the BAND Foundation
and the Association will lead to more effective responses to emerging wildlife
diseases. Three specific emerging
pathogens that affect bats (White-nose
syndrome (WNS)), salamanders (Batrachochytrium
salamandrivorans (Bsal)) and sea stars (Sea
Star Wasting Disease (SSWD)) are of immediate concern in the United States.
These families of animals play vital roles as ecosystem engineers across a
range of habitats from agricultural landscapes to forests to intertidal zones.
This project provides funding for critical research and monitoring to better
understand the diseases that threaten them, aims to catalyze a public policy
framework for tackling wildlife disease more broadly and strategically, and
seeks to leverage additional dollars to address this critical issue.
“State fish & wildlife agencies are on the front lines
of wildlife disease prevention. This much needed funding will go a long way to
prevent and prepare for disease outbreaks through the United States,” said Nick
Wiley, President of the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies.
A conference to bring together experts in science and
management of various wildlife diseases will be convened in 2018, to help
further identify needs and improve communication and responses.
Funding for this collaborative effort was provided by the BAND Foundation, a charitable foundation whose
mission includes conservation of wildlife and plant species and combatting
wildlife diseases.
For more information about this new partnership, please
contact Priya Nanjappa (202.838.3463/pnanjappa@fishwildlife.org) or Jonathan
Mawdsley (202.838.3462/jmawdsley@fishwildlife.org).
