Abstract Title
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in wildlife: the conservation consequences and urgent response needs
Abstract
It has been 20 years since the significant spillover of the goose/Guangdong/96 H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus into wild birds at Lake Qinghai, China, which killed ~10% of the global bar-headed goose (Anser indicus) population. Since then, we originally witnessed faltering viral maintenance within wild populations; however, the emergence of clade 2.3.4.4b has dramatically shifted the epidemiology of the disease in wildlife, leading to near-global spread and significant mortality in both bird and marine mammal populations.
In a dynamic situation, characterised by inadequate reporting and monitoring data, we are yet to fully understand how wild populations are being impacted in both the short and long term. What we do know is that this significant additional mortality is set against the backdrop of the biodiversity crisis driven by unsustainable resource exploitation, pollution, disease, and climate change, all of which compromise ecosystem resilience.
This disease has shown that wildlife health cannot afford to be the ‘poor relation’ in One Health thinking. Allowing escape of HPAI from livestock to wildlife has both created a conservation threat and contributed significantly to widespread risks to livestock and people.
The presentation will explore the role of the CMS FAO Scientific Task Force on Avian Influenza and Wildlife and how we can translate policy mandates, such as those under the Convention on Migratory Species, into action. It will discuss mitigation strategies and outline the roles that various stakeholders must play to address the conservation implications of this critical One Health issue.
In a dynamic situation, characterised by inadequate reporting and monitoring data, we are yet to fully understand how wild populations are being impacted in both the short and long term. What we do know is that this significant additional mortality is set against the backdrop of the biodiversity crisis driven by unsustainable resource exploitation, pollution, disease, and climate change, all of which compromise ecosystem resilience.
This disease has shown that wildlife health cannot afford to be the ‘poor relation’ in One Health thinking. Allowing escape of HPAI from livestock to wildlife has both created a conservation threat and contributed significantly to widespread risks to livestock and people.
The presentation will explore the role of the CMS FAO Scientific Task Force on Avian Influenza and Wildlife and how we can translate policy mandates, such as those under the Convention on Migratory Species, into action. It will discuss mitigation strategies and outline the roles that various stakeholders must play to address the conservation implications of this critical One Health issue.
Co-Author(s)
Ruth Cromie, CMS FAO Co-convenor of Scientific Task Force on Avian Influenza and Wildlife
Abstract Category
Mortality estimations, impacts on harvest, conservation considerations, and potential mitigation strategies in wild birds