In Australia, animal health issues are managed at both state and territory level as well as at a national level. Wildlife health surveillance is similar.
The Wildlife Health Australia Coordinator Group provides a framework for reporting wildlife disease information for the country.
Each state and territory has a ‘WHA Coordinator’ based in the animal health agency, who is appointed by their Chief Veterinary Officer. The WHA Coordinators represent their jurisdiction and are part of Australia’s animal health framework. They are a point of contact for reports of wildlife disease events in their jurisdiction, coordinate disease investigations and report wildlife disease events into the national electronic Wildlife Health Information System (eWHIS).
Each WHA Coordinator is supported by a WHA Environment Representative from their jurisdiction’s environment / conservation agency.
In addition to the WHA Coordinators, the WHA Coordinator Group includes representatives from the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), the DAFF Northern Australian Quarantine Strategy, Animal Health Australia, CSIRO Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, and the Australian Registry of Wildlife Health. Additional representatives are included as needed e.g. the Australian Department of Health and Aged Care, DAFF Aquatic Animal Health, and the Zoo and Aquarium Association.