WHA has coordinated a Sentinel Clinic Wildlife Disease Surveillance Program since 2014, following the success of the Zoo Based Wildlife Disease Surveillance Program.
The program captures information from wildlife disease surveillance conducted by ‘sentinel clinics’ – veterinary hospitals with a high wildlife caseload, or that expand the geographic or species coverage of the general wildlife health surveillance system. Ten clinics are currently participating in the program: Adelaide Koala & Wildlife Centre, Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital, Lort Smith Animal Hospital in Melbourne, RSPCA QLD Wildlife Hospital in Brisbane, Boongarry Veterinary Services in Cairns, Bonorong Wildlife Hospital and Kingston Animal Hospital in Hobart, Broome Veterinary Hospital, Kimberley Vet Centre in Kununurra, and WA Wildlife in Perth. The sentinel clinics report on wildlife disease events that meet the criteria of interest into the national electronic Wildlife Health Information System (eWHIS), and participate in teleconferences alongside participants of the Zoo Based Wildlife Disease Surveillance Program.
For more information please contact admin@wildlifehealthaustralia.com.au.
News and media releases:
National network of specialised medical facilities expanded for Australia’s wildlife - 7 Apr 2022
Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary helping to detect emerging diseases in wildlife across the country - ABC News - 01 Apr 2022
Australia’s largest mobile wildlife hospital joins national surveillance program - Vet Practice Magazine - 11 Apr 2022
Wildlife cases pose challenge for Australia’s veterinarians - VIN News Service - Mar 2019
Kimberley covered for wildlife health - 15 Feb 2018
Tassie vet clinics join national program for wildlife health - 19 Jun 2017
Far North Queensland vet clinic joins national program for wildlife health - 2 Jun 2016
Image Courtesy of Ákos Lumnitzer - amatteroflight.com
