The Species Conservation Planning Tools Library is coordinated by the IUCN SSC Conservation Planning Specialist Group (CPSG) in collaboration with the IUCN SSC Species Conservation Planning Sub-Committee.

The Species Conservation Planning Tools Library is a new resource to connect species conservation practitioners to well-tested planning tools suitable for use in a variety of planning situations. This tools library is intended for use by species conservation experts that seek a practical and accessible reference to the many tools and processes available for designing and implementing a detailed and effective conservation planning approach. This resource will continually respond to the needs of the community and the evolving state of the science in the field of endangered species conservation.

The tools library is the product of a CPSG workshop held in Abruzzi, Italy in 2010. The full report from the workshop is available here.

This seventh edition provides 69 case studies with some 78 species covering plants, mammals, birds, fish, amphibians, invertebrates and reptiles. The projects are ranked as Highly Successful, Successful, Partially Successful and Failure.

These guidelines are designed to be applicable to the full spectrum of conservation translocations. They are based on principle rather than example and are designed to provide guidance on the justification, design and implementation of any conservation translocation.

The Species Conservation Planning Tools Library is coordinated by the IUCN SSC Conservation Planning Specialist Group (CPSG) in collaboration with the IUCN SSC Species Conservation Planning Sub-Committee.

The Species Conservation Planning Tools Library is a new resource to connect species conservation practitioners to well-tested planning tools suitable for use in a variety of planning situations. This tools library is intended for use by species conservation experts that seek a practical and accessible reference to the many tools and processes available for designing and implementing a detailed and effective conservation planning approach. This resource will continually respond to the needs of the community and the evolving state of the science in the field of endangered species conservation.

The tools library is the product of a CPSG workshop held in Abruzzi, Italy in 2010. The full report from the workshop is available here.

This seventh edition provides 69 case studies with some 78 species covering plants, mammals, birds, fish, amphibians, invertebrates and reptiles. The projects are ranked as Highly Successful, Successful, Partially Successful and Failure.

These guidelines are designed to be applicable to the full spectrum of conservation translocations. They are based on principle rather than example and are designed to provide guidance on the justification, design and implementation of any conservation translocation.

The Species Conservation Planning Tools Library is coordinated by the IUCN SSC Conservation Planning Specialist Group (CPSG) in collaboration with the IUCN SSC Species Conservation Planning Sub-Committee.

The Species Conservation Planning Tools Library is a new resource to connect species conservation practitioners to well-tested planning tools suitable for use in a variety of planning situations. This tools library is intended for use by species conservation experts that seek a practical and accessible reference to the many tools and processes available for designing and implementing a detailed and effective conservation planning approach. This resource will continually respond to the needs of the community and the evolving state of the science in the field of endangered species conservation.

The tools library is the product of a CPSG workshop held in Abruzzi, Italy in 2010. The full report from the workshop is available here.

This seventh edition provides 69 case studies with some 78 species covering plants, mammals, birds, fish, amphibians, invertebrates and reptiles. The projects are ranked as Highly Successful, Successful, Partially Successful and Failure.

These guidelines are designed to be applicable to the full spectrum of conservation translocations. They are based on principle rather than example and are designed to provide guidance on the justification, design and implementation of any conservation translocation.

Through the investment of technologies, the effective enforcement strategy and engagement with the stakeholders in reducing illegal fishing activities within the Sugud Islands Marine Conservation Area (SIMCA) are effective.

Ol Pejeta is home to the largest population of critically endangered black rhinos in E. Africa. Protecting them and other wildlife is a great responsibility and we utilize technology where it adds value. In 2019 we rolled out EarthRanger (ER), a software platform that collects protected area activity information (the animals and assets being protected, the rangers protecting them, and threats of potential poaching) into a single, integrated, real-time visualized operational platform. It amalgamates data from different sources including animal GPS tracking collars, ranger digital radio systems/vehicle trackers, and ranger recorded observations. ER allows us to see key information in one place, enabling informed and faster conservation-related operational decisions.

ER was developed in collaboration with Vulcan Inc. through our Conservation Tech Lab. The Lab acts as a field-based space for technologists and scientists to test and deploy solutions, but also as a center for collaboration, learning and sharing knowledge.

Protected areas are faced with numerous ecological, social, and economic challenges both inside and outside their boundaries. Most of these challenges occur over vast spatial scales and are often magnified by a lack of resources to adequately monitor and respond to challenges. The ArcGIS Protected Area Solution (PAM) is an effective way to address these challenges holistically and at scale. PAM allows users to rapidly configure several workflows for effective area management.

M.A.P Scientific Services implemented PAM for the West Lunga Conservation Project (WLCP) in West Lunga National Park, Zambia. The Solution targeted workflows that improve monitoring of the area, these included remote sensing of deforestation and wildfires, law enforcement, wildlife sightings, and community outreach. Outcomes have allowed for improved monitoring and evidence-based management of the protected area that benefits conservation and communities whose livelihoods are intrinsically dependent on the West Lunga ecosystem and its services.

The Species Conservation Planning Tools Library is coordinated by the IUCN SSC Conservation Planning Specialist Group (CPSG) in collaboration with the IUCN SSC Species Conservation Planning Sub-Committee.

The Species Conservation Planning Tools Library is a new resource to connect species conservation practitioners to well-tested planning tools suitable for use in a variety of planning situations. This tools library is intended for use by species conservation experts that seek a practical and accessible reference to the many tools and processes available for designing and implementing a detailed and effective conservation planning approach. This resource will continually respond to the needs of the community and the evolving state of the science in the field of endangered species conservation.

The tools library is the product of a CPSG workshop held in Abruzzi, Italy in 2010. The full report from the workshop is available here.

This seventh edition provides 69 case studies with some 78 species covering plants, mammals, birds, fish, amphibians, invertebrates and reptiles. The projects are ranked as Highly Successful, Successful, Partially Successful and Failure.

These guidelines are designed to be applicable to the full spectrum of conservation translocations. They are based on principle rather than example and are designed to provide guidance on the justification, design and implementation of any conservation translocation.

Welcome to the GNUSLETTER Special Issue Number 2, which is exclusively dedicated to the Scimitar-horned Oryx. This Special Issue has been produced to celebrate the positive change in status of the Scimitar-horned Oryx on the IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesTM. Scimitar-horned Oryx became extinct in the wild by the end of the 1980s or early 1990s. Animals from the large ex situ population were re-established in fenced protected areas in Tunisia beginning in 1985 and in Senegal in 1998. The programme to reintroduce a fully free-living population in Ouadi Rime – Ouadi Achim Faunal Reserve (OROAFR, Réserve de faune de Ouadi Rimé – Ouadi Achim) in Chad began in the early 2000s. The first group of captive-bred Scimitar-horned Oryx was transferred from Abu Dhabi to Chad in March 2016 and placed in an acclimatisation enclosure. Twenty-one oryx were released into the wild in August 2016 and the first wild birth was recorded in September. Eight more releases have occurred and young oryx have been born every year since 2016.

Rosa arabica and Primula boveana is a perennial endemic to the high mountain area of St. Catherine Protected Area (SCPA) in Egypt and listed as one of the most 100 threatened plants in the world. Recently, they listed as Critically Endangered due to their small Extent of Occurrence and tiny population size (less than 90). The continuous decline in habitat quality for this species and the urgent need to carry out on-ground conservation actions were reported. Many attempts were made in the past to cultivate them in the wild, but they did not succeed. So, this solution aims to conserve them through in situ practices by implementing the following steps, respectively: a) IUCN Red List, b) Ecological Niche Modeling, and c) based on the previous two steps, translocation process for R. arabica in the suitable habitat will be done after carrying out simple layering process (local community traditional method) as one of the most effective traditional vegetative methods for wild cultivation for this species.

In 2013, BRI began one of the largest loon studies ever conducted. The initial 5-year scientific initiative, Restore the Call, aimed to strengthen and restore Common Loon populations within their existing and former range. Through this research effort, BRI has developed detailed translocation protocols and practices. This method of loon restoration can be replicated in ongoing and future projects.

The Species Conservation Planning Tools Library is coordinated by the IUCN SSC Conservation Planning Specialist Group (CPSG) in collaboration with the IUCN SSC Species Conservation Planning Sub-Committee.

The Species Conservation Planning Tools Library is a new resource to connect species conservation practitioners to well-tested planning tools suitable for use in a variety of planning situations. This tools library is intended for use by species conservation experts that seek a practical and accessible reference to the many tools and processes available for designing and implementing a detailed and effective conservation planning approach. This resource will continually respond to the needs of the community and the evolving state of the science in the field of endangered species conservation.

The tools library is the product of a CPSG workshop held in Abruzzi, Italy in 2010. The full report from the workshop is available here.

This seventh edition provides 69 case studies with some 78 species covering plants, mammals, birds, fish, amphibians, invertebrates and reptiles. The projects are ranked as Highly Successful, Successful, Partially Successful and Failure.

These guidelines are designed to be applicable to the full spectrum of conservation translocations. They are based on principle rather than example and are designed to provide guidance on the justification, design and implementation of any conservation translocation.

WCEL works to enhance the development and strengthen the implementation of environmental law and policy, including through best practices and inter-sectoral strategies for effective compliance and enforcement.

WCEL promotes the environmental rule of law globally, particularly in countries that seek to improve their law and governance systems.

WCEL aims to strengthen the capacity of governments, the judiciary, prosecutors, law schools and other stakeholders as they develop and implement environmental law.

Resolution 4.3 requested the Technical Committee, amongst other things, to advise on a more adequate implementation of the AEWA Action Plan’s population approach in the national legislation, particularly with regard to a ban on hunting and trade, and, if needed, provide guidance on its consequences for Parties. Such guidance may clarify the question how to deal with different populations of the same species in a country.

This task was taken up by the Technical Committee in its Work Plan 2012-2015 under Working Group 1 (WG1). The Technical Committee examined and agreed on this guidance at its 12th meeting in March 2015.

These Conservation Guidelines are intended to assist countries in drafting new legislation, and reviewing and amending their existing national legislation, on the conservation and sustainable use of migratory waterbirds and their habitats. They are written for conservation professionals and officials in conservation ministries and agencies who develop draft and final legislation and make suggestions for improvement of existing and proposed legislation. The guidelines can also provide assistance to lawyers reviewing or vetting draft legislation. They are presented in simple terminology, and are intended to be accessible to non-lawyers.

The principal objective of these guidelines is to assist Parties in evaluating whether their national legislation complies with AEWA’s provisions and, where it does not, developing laws which fulfil their commitments under the Agreement. The guidelines are not intended to provide detailed advice on the drafting of either general conservation legislation or legislative provisions which (although beneficial to bird conservation) go beyond the requirements of AEWA. The guidelines also are not intended to duplicate, but rather to supplement, existing guidance. They should thus be read alongside AEWA’s other Conservation Guidelines (several of which make recommendations regarding legislation), as well as other relevant guidance documents (a list of which is provided in Annex I).

The Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) specifies actions for sustainable hunting of and trade in migratory waterbirds in its legally binding Action Plan, which result in a number of requirements on hunting and trade legislation in the countries that are Party to AEWA.

This report starts with a review of international treaties and supranational organizations addressing the issues of hunting of and/ or trade in migratory waterbirds and in the context of AEWA (chapter B II). Further on it analyses the legal situation regarding hunting of and trade in migratory waterbirds in the single countries (chapter B III). Moreoever it provides a set of conclusions and recommendations concerning actions to be taken by the Parties and respective bodies of the Agreement.

For the review of international treaties and supranational organisations, the legal texts (and annexes) as well as relevant documents have been reviewed in detail and in comparison with AEWA requirements. The analysis of the situation in individual countries is primarily based on a questionnaire (and submitted legal reference texts) received from 74 % of the Focal Points in countries that are Party to AEWA and additional 27 % of the Non[1]Parties. The Compilor has moreover used openly accessible information sources such as legal and scientific databases and official websites. Information was analyzed in the light of AEWA requirements on hunting and trade legislation provided by the Agreement text and its Action Plan, and in the context of additional guiding documents such as the AEWA Conservation Guidelines, the text and guidance document of the Birds Directive as well as historical considerations, when needed. Results are presented following a regional scheme which allows a comparison of the situation in the different sub-regions (Africa/ European Union/ Eurasia (all countries outside Africa and not being member states of the EU)).

Since 1989, CIEL has used the power of law to protect the environment, promote human rights, and ensure a just and sustainable society.

With offices in Washington, DC, and Geneva, Switzerland, CIEL’s team of attorneys, policy experts, and support staff works to provide legal counsel and advocacy, policy research, and capacity building across our three program areas: Climate & Energy, Environmental Health, and People, Land, & Resources.

CIEL also has a vibrant intern program for law students and fellows in both our DC and Geneva offices to educate the next generation of international environmental advocates. Over its 25 years, CIEL has trained more than 425 interns and law fellows from 54 countries. In conjunction with this program, CIEL conducts a joint research and teaching program with American University’s Washington College of Law.

CIEL recognizes exceptional contributions to international environmental law each year with its annual International Environmental Law award and recognizes outstanding contributions to addressing climate change through its semi-annual Frederick R. Anderson Climate Change Award.

CIEL does not share or sell any donor’s personal information with anyone else, nor send donor mailings on behalf of other organizations; nor will it share or sell personal information unless given specific permission to do so.

The ASEAN Handbook on Legal Cooperation to Combat Illegal Wildlife Trade 2021 is one of the key deliverables for ASEAN Cooperation in Forestry 2021 and SOM-AMAF’s cooperation in Food, Agriculture and Forestry in 2021. The handbook is also an update of the ASEAN Handbook on Legal Cooperation to Combat Illegal Wildlife 2016 which aims to provide law and policy makers criminal justice officials, and law enforcement officials from the ASEAN region with a strategic approach to deploying an arsenal of hard and soft laws and other associated tools for the prosecution of wildlife crimes. In addition to providing updates and enhancements reflecting legislative and policy changes since 2016, the updated Handbook will incorporate relevant information and policy guidelines on zoonotic diseases and COVID-19, reflecting a One Health Approach, which is the convergence of environmental, animal, and human health, in the context of the illegal wildlife trade.

Recalling the 8th edition of the Conservation Status Report (document AEWA/MOP 8.19) which shows that 43% of the AEWA populations are in long-term decline including many globally threatened species, and that the causes of such declines, which occur in every flyway, are frequently due to enhanced mortality,

Recalling that AEWA’s Action Plan highlights several causes of actual or potential mortality arising from legal taking, illegal killing, unfavourable or endangering conditions, collisions with and the effects of built infrastructure, disturbance, bycatch, pollution, non-native species, aquaculture, and lead poisoning from fishing weights and gunshot, the regulation of which is desirable to help achieve the objectives of the Agreement,

Recalling also Target 1.6 of AEWA’s Strategic Plan 2019-2027 which seeks that “AEWA priorities relating to four causes of unnecessary additional mortality and other key threats to migratory waterbirds and their habitats1 are integrated in key multilateral processes “, with the delivery of this target envisaging the following actions:

a) Identify those multilateral processes that can contribute most to progressing AEWA priorities (led by Technical Committee in consultation with Secretariat and Partners);

b) Identify strategic opportunities for positively influencing these processes (meetings of technical bodies, working groups etc.) and ensure, as far as possible, that AEWA’s views are represented;

c) Communicate/advocate AEWA priorities in a clear and timely manner;

d) Ensure that AEWA Parties take coherent, mutually reinforcing aligned positions under different conventions and related processes

WWF’s global site-based conservation programs cover vast areas of countries and continents and, via its landscape approach, invariably has large programs that transcend national boundaries be it for species conservation, forest and habitat protection, or to maintain environmental f lows and sustainable use. Past global studies have looked at guidelines and criteria for successful transboundary conservation programs, but a review of practical lessons from the field is lacking. This report reflects on the strengths and challenges of transboundary conservation programs, illustrated by a compilation of lessons from over two decades of work on the ground, and builds on previous knowledge, fills some knowledge gaps, and draws on firsthand practitioners’ experiences from 16 of WWF’s transboundary landscapes across Europe, Africa, Central America and Asia.

Conservation Management Plans (CMPs) are an important conservation initiative of the IWC.  They provide a framework for countries within the range of vulnerable cetacean populations (known as range states) to work together, and in collaboration with other relevant stakeholders, to protect and rebuild those populations.

Most reports of collisions between whales and vessels involve large whales, but all species can be affected.  Collisions with large vessels often go unnoticed and unreported. Animals can be injured or killed and vessels can sustain damage.  Serious and even fatal injuries to passengers have occurred involving hydrofoil ferries, whale watching vessels and recreational craft.

The Synthesis report provides a high-level overview of the main themes addressed in the Guidelines on mitigating biodiversity impacts associated with solar and wind energy development, published in 2021. The Guidelines aim to provide practical support for solar and wind energy devel-opments to effectively manage risks and improve biodiversity and ecosystem service outcomes. They are industry-focused and can be applied across the whole project development life cycle, from early planning through to decommissioning and repow-ering, using the mitigation hierarchy as a clear framework for planning and implementation. 

This book is a project undertaken by EcoHealth Alliance to develop an educational tool usable across many cultural contexts. It aims to provide an informative, thorough, and succinct guide to living at the interface between human settlement and wildlife habitat. In areas where human populations come into high levels of contact with animals, it is essential to ensure responsible practices and behaviors to prevent spillover of zoonotic disease from animal reservoirs to humans. With this book, EcoHealth Alliance hopes to aid people and animals worldwide.

The SARS-CoV-2 virus, the cause of COVID-19, emerged as a human pathogen in 2019. While it is thought to have a zoonotic source, the original wildlife reservoir and any potential intermediate hosts have not yet been identified. Phylogenetic analyses suggest the progenitor virus is related to beta-coronaviruses previously identified in bats. At this time, SARS-CoV-2 should be considered a human pathogen with people acting as reservoir and sustaining transmission. There is a possibility SARS-CoV-2 will become endemic in the human population and thus be considered as a potential reverse zoonosis to wildlife as with infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and influenza.

Currently the risk of human-to-animal transmission to non-captive wildlife species warrants concern. A number of cases have demonstrated natural human-to-animal transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in felids, canids and mustelids, the majority due to close and prolonged contact with infected households or people, and none has involved free-ranging wildlife. The identification of close phylogenetically-related viruses (e.g. in bats and pangolins), the presence of important cell receptor proteins (ACE2 receptors) and infection following natural exposure or experimental inoculation suggest that a wide range of mammalian species may be susceptible to SARS-CoV-2. Knowledge and experience with human-to-animal transmission with other human respiratory pathogens (e.g. metapneumovirus, measles, other human coronaviruses and tuberculosis) indicates that some species taxonomically closely related to humans (e.g. non-human primates) would likely be susceptible to infection and/or clinical disease caused by SARS-CoV-2.

There are valid concerns about the health of individuals or populations if infected with the virus and/or a wildlife population becoming a reservoir for SARS-CoV-2. Any wildlife species/taxa that becomes a reservoir for SARS-CoV-2 could pose a continued public health risk of zoonosis, a risk for the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to other animal species, and the risk of negative perceptions of that species resulting in human threats to the species or their populations.

Efforts that require working with free-living wildlife are vital to professional management and conservation as well as the health of wildlife, people and ecosystems. The recommendations below were developed to minimize the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission from people to freeranging, wild mammals. Specifically, these recommendations are for people engaged in wildlife work* in the field, either in direct contact (e.g. handling) or indirect contact (e.g. within 2 meters or in a confined space) with free-ranging wild mammals, or working in situations in which free[1]ranging wild mammals may come in contact with surfaces or materials contaminated by infected personnel.

This is an introductory course to the IUCN Guidelines for Wildlife Disease Risk Analysis (WDRA). This course is designed to equip participants with an understanding of how to put the guidelines into practice. Our target audiences are government wildlife agency staff, IUCN SSC Specialist Group members, and other conservation professionals and veterinarians working in zoos, aquariums, universities or field programs, responsible for planning for disease management at the interface between people, places and wildlife. By the end of the course, participants will be able to: recognize and justify situations where a WDRA process can contribute to a) wildlife conservation, b) domestic animal health care, and c) public health protection; explain how the principle of One Health and the science of epidemiology are applied to a WDRA; and design a workshop to effectively engage multiple stakeholders in completing a WDRA. Click here to find out more about the course and how to apply to an upcoming session.

The wide-reaching effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have included immense loss of life and serious health and economic consequences across communities and  ecosystems. Tourism, which itself suffered a sharp disruption in the pandemic, is among the industries that have a strong interest to reduce risks and increase resilience toward a more sustainable model in line with a One Health approach. Protected and conserved areas (PCAs) are an especially important setting for sustainable tourism and can serve as a catalyst for wider adoption of best practices anchored in One Health principles that help to sustainability balance the health of people, animals, and  ecosystems. This report presents six core principles, which provide practical strategies for tour operators and wider tourism industry stakeholders in PCAs. They are intentionally broad, allowing for use and adaptation in any PCA context.

Protected and conserved areas (PCAs) are affected by disease risks and impacts in wide-ranging ways, as demonstrated by recent epidemics and the global COVID-19  pandemic. Their potential role in disease prevention, detection, response, and recovery is significant, both to reduce spillover risks and to effectively prepare for disease events. This report provides an orientation for PCA managers on relevant sources of risk, with actions that can be taken to build up systems to manage disease threats across the variety of PCA contexts. A key message is that protected areas can – and should – play a vital role in One Health approaches to reduce disease risk and improve human, animal, and environmental health outcomes.

This IUCN–OIE publication provides a ‘how-to’ guide that will be useful to the growing and diverse range of professionals involved in assessment and management of wildlife-associated disease risk scenarios. The document has been co-written by 22 specialists in the fields of wildlife disease ecology, epidemiology, risk analysis, modelling, disease surveillance, diagnostics, wildlife management, research, teaching and conservation planning. These authors have pooled their knowledge and experience to make tools and processes at the cutting edge of wildlife disease risk analysis accessible to a broad global audience in an effort to ensure healthy ecosystems through better decision making. This is a companion volume to the Guidelines for Wildlife Disease Risk Analysis.

In India, despite an ever-increasing interface between animals and humans resulting in human-wildlife conflict (HWC) and risks of zoonotic diseases, measures to address the health of animals and humans are implemented by wildlife, veterinary and public health sector institutions through separate channels, which is inhibiting operationalization of One Health approach. The much needed mechanism for such coordination has been developed  and operationalised, embedded in an overarching capacity development plan, by the Indo-German Cooperation Project on HWC Mitigation in India. The project has successfully integrated One Health into the national HWC mitigation plan and guidelines, established a system of collaborative training courses, with forest, veterinary, agriculture and public health sector institutions and experts, which has resulted in a joint training curriculum and has strengthened specialised rapid response teams at field-level.

From 2010 to 2013, wildlife disease monitoring capacities were enhanced by the USAID Emerging Pandemic Threats Program´s PREDICT project in Bolivia within a One Health approach. Collaborative work with government agencies for field investigations, risk detection and prompt response were promoted; key stakeholders were trained on wildlife disease surveillance; and diagnostic capacities were enhanced in local laboratories. As a result, in 2012 trained staff reported a mortality event affecting red howler monkeys (Alouatta sara). The outbreak investigation confirmed Yellow Fever Virus, a flavivirus transmitted by mosquitoes that aggressively affects neotropical non-human primates and may cause acute and often fatal disease in humans. Effective communications between the PREDICT team and the national health authorities allowed a prompt alert and the rapid implementation of actions to prevent human cases, including vaccination of at risk human population, public education and outreach, and mosquito-control.

The Bracken Cave Preserve is home to the largest bat colony in the world, an estimated 20 million Mexican free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis). Plans to construct a residential complex along the 1,521-acre tract adjacent to the cave mouth posed a serious risk to wildlife and the potential human population. Motivated by concerns for a nearby aquifer, but limited by a lack of zoning laws in the area, the local government commissioned a report on the potential public health risks of the development. The report outlined concerns for human exposure to various pathogens, from both exploring the cave and the bats’ presence around the new residences. To protect the bat and human populations, advocates from diverse sectors, including conservationists, health experts, city and county governments, and the public water utility, came together to purchase the tract of land. In 2014, the property was officially made into the Bracken Cave Preserve, protecting this area essential for environmental, animal, and human health in perpetuity.

As part of a public health communication strategy related to the identification of a novel filovirus in bats in West Africa, an initiative was launched to create a widely accessible One Health educational and risk communication resource for community outreach. A moderated picture book was developed, titled Living Safely with Bats, that now has been adapted, translated, and used in more than 20 countries in Africa and Asia. This product includes text and artwork developed by a consortium of public health, veterinary health, conservation, bat, and disease ecology experts from 29 countries. The book is a collection of evidence-based prevention measures which encourage community members to live safely with bats and avoid exposure to potential zoonotic threats.

In northern Republic of Congo, hunters and community members were recruited to report morbidity and mortality events in wild animals. In the region, great ape die-off events were found to precede human cases of Ebola virus disease. Through the community engagement program, reporting channels were developed, relaying information from small villages to connector communities via radio, messages carried by commercial drivers or other contact routes with national authorities. This facilitated information flow to veterinarians so that diagnostic sampling could occur within the short timeframe needed before carcasses degrade. Reporting of events expanded the surveillance system to empower local people and allowed for early warning through sentinel surveillance for possible disease threats to humans and wild animals. Accompanying community outreach also helped to raise awareness about the dangers of hunting certain species or eating animals found sick or dead, particularly in epidemic periods, thereby promoting safer practices.

The PREDICT project, a global pathogen surveillance program, started in the state of Sabah in 2012 as a collaboration between Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD), Conservation Medicine (CM) and EcoHealth Alliance (EHA). Sabah Wildlife Department’s – Wildlife Health, Genetic and Forensic Laboratory (WHGFL) is a Biosafety Level 2 laboratory that was built in Sabah to avoid sending thousands of samples collected through PREDICT and ongoing projects out of the state for pathogen screenings. CM designed and oversaw the building of this laboratory certified since 2013 to international standards and are part of the management committee. The lab is used to screen samples for zoonotic disease, as well as genetic and forensic research. 65 novel and 18 known viruses were detected in Sabah through the PREDICT project, providing the Malaysian government with actionable data to inform risk mitigation policies at the national and state level.

In Vietnam, there are thousands of live wild animals confiscated from illegal wildlife trade incidents, however, the majority of them could not survive after confiscation due to lack of proper treatment. Wildlife rescues are not limited to saving and taking care of animals from confiscations but also rescue and rehabilitation, release and monitoring, conservation breeding program, capacity building, and collaboration to safely release them back to the wild, and to recover and secure wild populations. After 7 years of working, we have released more than 1200 confiscated animals back into the wild with a success rate of more than 60%, many of which were tagged and tracked post-released. Moreover, a Vietnam Wildlife Rescue Association is going to be established to support wildlife rescue centres through the network.

Uganda’s Gorilla tourism started in 1993. Concerns about disease transmission from humans to the great apes were quickly raised. In Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, the first scabies outbreak in 1996 resulted in the death of an infant gorilla. The disease was traced back to people, in this case to the local communities living around the National Park.

Mountain gorillas are endangered, with only 1,063 individuals remaining in the wild. Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH) was founded by Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, with the mission to promote biodiversity conservation by enabling people, gorillas and other wildlife to coexist through improving their health and livelihoods in and around Africa’s protected areas.

CTPH has extensive experience implementing One Health approach in protected area management, and we are committed to sharing our lessons learned and recommendations with other countries facing similar issues.

The Wildlife Health Surveillance Network, known as WildHealthNet, is a regional initiative supporting national governments in Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Viet Nam to build and implement national wildlife health surveillance strategies. The project has enhanced the ability of these nations to safely detect, monitor, trace, and report emerging pathogens in wildlife, to facilitate more rapid response and mitigation. The system has already detected trans-national disease outbreaks of zoonotic diseases and pathogens of economic, wildlife, and human health significance. More rapid identification of wildlife pathogens benefits public health, livestock health, rural livelihoods and food security, and conservation.

In the Republic of the Congo, a 2005 Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak had a human mortality rate of more than 80%, and an estimated 5,000 great apes also died. In partnership with the government, WCS set up an early warning system for EVD, working with hunters, forest communities, and rangers to monitor wildlife health through a carcass monitoring and sampling network, whilst promoting best practices in disease risk reduction for these communities that rely on bushmeat as a source of protein. The community-based wildlife mortality monitoring network raises awareness among communities and covers more than 30,000 km2 in in northern Congo, an area home to 60% of the world’s gorillas. When a hunter reports a carcass, a response team travels to the site to safely collect samples from the carcass for testing. Once the sample is collected, it is sent to the national laboratory for analysis and the team returns to the reporting village with results and to reinforce health messages.

Integrated livestock and wildlife monitoring, surveillance, and response are essential to guide the implementation of disease control measures to protect biodiversity and livelihoods. Improved wildlife surveillance and  analyses of disease outbreaks in Mongolia showed that wildlife were victims of livestock disease spillover, not the source of the outbreaks as had been previously thought. This avoided mass culling of wildlife and moved towards wildlife-friendly disease control efforts. Strategies for both livestock and wildlife are now being designed to control and eradicate Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) virus in Mongolia. The incorporation of wildlife is now recognized as essential in global PPR eradication strategies. With saiga sensitivity to disease epidemics more fully appreciated, increased trade protections through the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) were implemented, which will further help safeguard the Mongolian saiga’s survival.

In 2015 a mass mortality event struck the highly range restricted Bellinger River Snapping Turtle (Myuchelys georgesi), wiping out 90% of the species in under six weeks. The initial emergency response included site examinations, removal of dead and sick animals, and a water quality investigation. Bellinger River Virus (previously unknown to science) was eventually identified as the causative agent. To better understand the circumstances behind this mass mortality event, a One Health approach was taken addressing how the animals, causative agent, and surrounding environment interacted with each another. A facilitated multi-stakeholder conservation planning workshop was held incorporating the IUCN SSC/OIE’s Wildlife Disease Risk Analysis process (Jakob-Hoff et al, 2014). This ensured all potential contributing factors associated with the Bellinger River Virus outbreak were reflected in immediate and long-term priorities and on-ground recovery actions.

The Western Asia Bat Research Network (WAB-Net) aims to enhance bat conservation and zoonotic disease detection through collaborative research and capacity building-focused trainings with bat biologists, virologists, government authorities, and academics from the region. WAB-Net coordinates research focused on bats, zoonotic diseases, and host-virus dynamics in 7 countries. This proactive approach to pandemic prevention aims to identify both zoonotic viruses before they spill over from bat hosts to humans and the risk factors associated with spillover. Field trainings, including proper PPE usage, bat capture and handling, and cold chain management, promote positive health outcomes for both the humans and bats. All samples are sent to two regional labs where trainings and standardized protocols are implemented, furthering biosafety and scientific advancement in the region. WAB-Net’s “bats for peace” mission promotes strengthened outcomes in both scientific discoveries and constructive political conversations.

As the COVID-19 pandemic emerged, scientists and conservation managers began questioning how it would impact their research, conservation efforts, and the wellbeing of global wildlife. Primates are susceptible to the same diseases as humans, and the IUCN SSC Primate Specialist Group had previously created guidance on best practices for great apes’ protection from other respiratory diseases due to the presence of human tourists and field workers. The group began collecting questions about how COVID-19 would impact great apes from protected area managers, zookeepers, field researchers, and other individuals whose work is directly linked with the animals. A working group was put together and guidelines for how to approach great ape conservation in the face of this new and deadly pandemic were drafted and shared. These guidelines were aimed at researchers and conservationists, but have since grown and been reworked for other audiences including extractive industries, governments, and site-specific teams.

Addressing the public health, food production, and conservation aspects of wildlife epidemics and zoonotic disease threats requires actions from multiple sectors across the different interfaces where wildlife, domestic animal, and human contact may occur. To better understand the role of different agencies in wildlife and zoonotic disease management in China, a stakeholder mapping and policy review was undertaken. This work reviewed the current laws and regulations, government reports and policy documents, and existing literature on zoonotic disease preparedness and prevention across the forestry, agriculture, and public health authorities in China, to articulate the current landscape of potential risks, existing mandates, and gaps. A key finding was that responsibilities for zoonotic disease management are currently fragmented across agencies.

Under the PREDICT-2 Liberia project, a field team was trained on pathogen surveillance in wildlife, including safe and humane capture, holding, sampling, and release of animals, as well as sample cold chain, transport, and biosafety and personal protective equipment (PPE) use. This team went on to sample over 5,000 bats and several hundred rodents to increase understanding of viral circulation patterns in West Africa, including a focus on Ebola virus. In 2019, government partners in neighboring Côte d’Ivoire expressed their interest in strengthening wildlife surveillance capacity. To support development of this capacity, the PREDICT Liberia and Côte d’Ivoire teams co-led a training at the Abidjan Zoo in June 2019, with the trainers from Liberia team providing hands-on training in bat and rodent sampling.

Liberia is a diverse nation with a wide variety of tribal, cultural, and religious practices, where the majority of the population depend on the forest and its resources for their livelihood. Such interactions with the forest environment put people at risk of contracting zoonotic diseases that may spill over from animals. However, widely spread beliefs that traditionalists, witches, wizards, and even spirits have the ability to cast diseases upon people continue to hamper the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and control of many diseases. Under the PREDICT-2 project, Liberian One Health experts trained in health, conservation, and social sciences conducted biological and behavioral surveys, followed by community outreach that improved awareness and acceptance of zoonotic disease risk reduction practices. Using the ‘Living Safely with Bats’ book, this outreach also reinforced biodiversity protection and animal welfare. Its success was enabled by trust, awareness, and a strong evidence base.

The COVID-19 pandemic, which is widely recognized as originating in a market selling live wildlife in China, has caused the deaths of millions of people and major impacts on livelihoods, society, and economies across the world. Conditions increasing risk for emergence of zoonoses from wildlife are not unique to China. They are prevalent in wild animal value chains across the globe, including in Viet Nam, where wildlife is commonly traded for meat, pets, skins, traditional medicine, and for display in private collections. Disease surveillance along wildlife trade chains in Viet Nam has increased awareness of potential public health risks, but much trade continues and the risk of zoonoses’ emergence and transmission remains. An increasing body of scientific data supports multi-sectoral coordination and an evidence-based approach to strengthening policy on illegal wildlife trade (IWT) in Viet Nam to address the risk of zoonotic spillover, with resulting co-benefits for biodiversity and human health. 

In September 2022 a training was held in Vietnam’s Cúc Phương National Park on the recently developed IUCN guidance on Prevention, Detection, Response and Recovery from Disease Risks in Protected and Conserved Areas and accompanying One Health Principles for Sustainable Tourism. The training was designed for professionals, wildlife handlers and park rangers to introduce the One Health concept, IUCN guidance, sampling, human safety, risk assessment, biosafety, personal protective equipment (PPE), and biohazard waste disposal. Forty participants from Cát Tiên, Pù Mát and Cúc Phương National Parks took part in the two-day training. The field experience and expertise of the training team and adaptation to the relevant context ensured practical application of the guidance. Sessions such as the ‘Glo Germ’ test, demonstrating the importance of proper PPE donning and doffing and handwashing procedures, helped make the training interactive and reinforce key concepts.

Ethiopian wolves (Canis simensis) are Africa’s most endangered carnivore, with approximately 500 individuals remaining along the country’s Afroalpine habitat, approximately half of which are found in the Bale Mountains. While habitat loss is a major threat to species survival, infectious disease epizootics have had serious impacts on wolf populations. Since 1992, the wolves in the Bale Mountains have faced eight major outbreaks from rabies and canine distemper viruses. Outbreaks are prompted by introduction of the viruses from domestic dogs. The density and social nature of the wolves allow for rapid virus transmission amongst and between packs; concerningly, outbreaks have resulted in extinctions of entire packs. To effectively manage this threat, the Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme and its partners have developed and applied a comprehensive conservation strategy, including preventive and reactive vaccination and disease monitoring in line with a One Health approach.

The Biodiversity Working Group from GIZ’s Sector Network of Rural Development and Natural Resources Asia-Pacific (SNRD-AP) commissioned a study to explore the biodiversity-health nexus in the region. Literature review and informant interviews allowed understanding the impact of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation on human and animal health and gave insight into the value of collaboration at the nexus. The leading discourse has neglected the environmental pillar of One Health (OH) for long, with little attention given to biodiversity in classic OH actions addressing emerging infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance.  The biodiversity-health nexus is essential for pandemic prevention. It is thus urgent to explore how One Health could be integrated into biodiversity and, vice versa, how biodiversity could be integrated into One Health to make pandemic prevention more effective. This study focuses on developing an innovative tool to guide better integration of One Health into biodiversity conservation.

In one of the world’s hotspots for zoonotic epidemics, the Congo Basin, WWF Germany has contributed significantly to the establishment of an early warning system for zoonotic pathogen outbreaks.

In two ecotourism sites, Dzanga-Sangha Protected Areas (Central African Republic) and Campo Ma’an National Park (Cameroon), WWF has been following a One Health approach since 2012, which takes into account wildlife and human health as well as intact natural habitats. From the beginning, WWF has been working closely with the Robert Koch-Institute (since 2021: Helmholtz Institute for One Health, HIOH).

The goal of the One Health Program is to establish a health monitoring system for people, wildlife and their habitat that benefits the local population in terms of their health and natural livelihoods. The aim is to rapidly detect the spread of zoonotic pathogens in order to establish an early warning system for disease outbreaks (including Ebola, monkeypox and anthrax).