Healthy Wildlife, Healthy People

According to the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada, there are currently 543 plant and animal species at risk in Canada

When wild animals make people sick, it spells trouble for both people and wildlife. The CCWHC is dedicated to keeping a close eye on these dangers and managing these risks and conflicts.

Work Done So Far

For Lyme Disease, West Nile Virus, Avian Influenza, Tularemia, Tuberculosis, Brucellosis and Plague, among many others, the CCWHC has been there with field investigations and research to shine light on the problems and work with stakeholders to reduce the risks to people and wildlife alike.

Through surveillance, publications, presentations and provision of sound information to government and to the public, the CCWHC has reduced animal-human conflicts, empowered communities to manage health risks themselves and advocated for health management practices friendly to wildlife.

There is still work to do

The movement of disease-causing organisms from wild animals to people is occurring at ever-increasing rates around the world, referred to by health authorities as “emerging diseases.”

There are dangers to people from these events but also to wildlife when they are demonized as vectors of human illness. Such demonization is seldom justified – but the the growing pressure of emerging diseases requires greater vigilance for emerging issues as well as rapid scientific appraisal to find the best way forward for wildlife and people alike.

Canada’s capacity for vigilance and response must grow with the rising number and scale of wildlife-human health issues which now confront us.

Diseases affect one of Canada’s most valuable natural resources – wildlife. The Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre (CCWHC) applies the veterinary medical sciences to wildlife conservation and management in Canada.

You can help to continue the success story.

Canada has been remarkably successful in bringing together its wildlife and veterinary expertise and institutions to track and solve wildlife health issues, uniting wildlife conservation with the health sciences as never before.

We now need to expand our capacity to meet national needs and obligations for stewardship. We need better vigilance for wildlife health problems and better ways to measure wildlife health. We need stronger investigative teams with the resources to respond quickly. We need better communications to inform Canadians and recruit citizen scientists to participate.

The CCWHC is uniquely placed in Canada to bring together vigilance, science, analysis, communication and outreach to address wildlife-human health issues. To keep ahead of the issues, we need greater capacity for:

• Laboratory analysis: $ 800,000
• Forecasting with scientific models and projections: $ 250,000
• Information technology: $ 200,000

Donate

Your donation to the CCWHC will ensure that Canada is able to find, evaluate and manage its wildlife-human health issues as well as maintain its place as a global leader in wildlife health. Your support will:

• Assure the highest level of vigilance for wildlife health threats
• Assure fast and thorough investigations of wildlife health problems
• Find for the best solutions to wildlife health issues