This year marks a significant milestone for the Wildlife Health Australia Bat Health Focus Group (BHFG), as it celebrates two decades of dedicated efforts to ensure the health and wellbeing of bats in Australia. Since its inception, the group has played a crucial role in fostering collaboration and providing valuable information on bat health, to help address the emerging challenges faced by these remarkable creatures.
A Journey of Collaboration and Expertise
The Bat Health Focus Group initially comprised of around nine members from government agencies and was chaired by Rupert Woods, who went on to become our long-serving and current Wildlife Health Australia CEO. The group’s creation in 2004 was prompted by the need for a coordinated response to emerging zoonotic diseases associated with bats, and the founding members recognised the importance of sharing knowledge and resources to better understand and manage the health of bat populations.
Wildlife Health Australia (WHA) has been instrumental in the group's longevity. Over the past 20 years, WHA – known as Australian Wildlife Health Network at the BHFG’s inception and until 2014 – has organised and chaired 80 meetings, including 11 face-to-face gathering to ensure that members can engage meaningfully. This commitment to collaboration has helped build a diverse membership, fostering trust and information sharing.
Reflecting on the importance of the BHFG, Rupert Woods said that bat health and conservation has, in many ways, been central to the formation and development of Australia’s wildlife health system.
“From emerging diseases in the 1990s and 2000s, their importance as keystone species, and more recently suffering the impacts of changing climate, bats have been at the centre of an integrated and wholistic approach to One Health in Australia,” he said.
“Congratulations on 20 years to all those past and present members of the BHFG, and to Keren Cox-Witton (WHA Program Manager – Surveillance) and her team who have so ably supported and brought members together to work on issues crossing human and animal health, biodiversity, biosecurity and conservation.
“Australia’s wildlife health, and Australia, its systems, people and processes, are better off for it.”
A Passion for Bats
As BHFG members will attest to, bats are not only vital to our ecosystems as pollinators and insect pest controllers, but they also capture the hearts of many. Their intelligence, social nature and the endearing sight of flying-fox pups have inspired passion in many wildlife enthusiasts. Along with a dedication to good science, this passion is reflected in the level of engagement and commitment shown by BHFG members over the years.
Recognising Long-Serving Members
The Bat Health Focus Group has been fortunate to have dedicated individuals who have significantly contributed to its work over its 20-year history.
- Jenny McLean is one of the longest-serving current members, having joined in 2010 as a bat rehabilitator representative. Jenny runs the award-winning Tolga Bat Hospital and has been recognised with an Order of Australia for her tireless advocacy and commitment to bats and their welfare.
Jenny said that the BHFG today “is an important voice for bat rehabilitators with scientists and government.”
- Lance Sanders, formerly of the Commonwealth Department of Health, was a founding member in 2004 and brought a One Health approach to the group until his retirement in June 2015.
Lance said that as around 60% of emerging human communicable diseases are zoonoses and the majority of those arise from wildlife, “the BHFG has been very valuable in forging a link between animal health scientists and public health authorities in Australia.”
- John Bingham, formerly with CSIRO-AAHL/ACDP, contributed scientific expertise on ABLV to the group from its inception in 2004 until June 2023.
“I appreciated very much working with WHA staff and other members of the group to bring together information and expertise at a national level for national policy,” he said.
- Hume Field, a former Queensland government representative who led the Queensland Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases, is well known internationally for his work with emerging diseases epidemiology in bats, and was part of the group from the start, until September 2022.
Hume congratulated the BHFG on the milestone: “Happy Birthday Bat Health Focus Group. Twenty years... wow! I loved my time as part of the group; such a broad inclusive membership, from scientists to carers to cavers, and everyone was so positive and passionate – as I’m sure they still are.”
- Janine Barrett, as Biosecurity Queensland's animal disease surveillance officer and member of the group from 2007 to 2023, was the principal architect of Australia's novel post-exposure vaccination protocol for ABLV and rabies.
Key Achievements Over Two Decades
The Bat Health Focus Group has made significant contributions to bat health management and policy development. Some of its key achievements include:
- National data: For over 15 years, the group has managed a comprehensive national dataset of bats tested for Australian Bat Lyssavirus (ABLV), which informs public health responses as well as wildlife health professionals and members of the public.
- Valuable resources: The BHFG has developed guidance information on a range of topics including personal protective equipment for bat handlers, white-nose syndrome preparedness, and communication strategies for public health agencies. The group has also provided expert input for national guidelines on a range of diseases and issues.
- Information sharing: Through over 120 editions of the monthly newsletter “Bat News,” the group has kept more than 280 subscribers informed on developments in bat health.
Looking Ahead
As the group sets its sights on the next 20 years, its focus will continue to include critical diseases such as ABLV and HeV, while addressing the environmental impacts of climate change and habitat loss on bat populations. The BHFG continues its work to enhance collaboration across sectors to achieve better outcomes for bats, humans, and the environment.
Thank you BHFG!
We acknowledge the commitment and collaboration of all those who have been part of the Bat Health Focus Group, past and present.
There’s no doubt the key success of the BHFG has been its passionate members. Throughout the years, there’s been no shortage of expert volunteers willing to join, and all members are active, engaged and generous with their time.
We look forward to supporting another 20 years of the BHFG and sharing knowledge and collaboration for better outcomes for our bats and people. Congratulations Bat Health Focus Group on 20 years!
Photo Courtesy of Rene Riegal (Unsplash)