Wildlife Disease 

Surveillance 

and Emergency 

Response

Goals and Philosophy

The goal of the National Wildlife Disease 

Surveillance and Emergency Response Program is 

the proper development and implementation of a 

nationwide system to survey for wildlife diseases and 

respond to a variety of emergencies including natural 

disasters and disease outbreaks. The system, which 

is managed by the Wildlife Services (WS) unit in the 

U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and 

Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), is designed 

to provide assistance to Federal, Tribal, and State 

agencies with wildlife disease threats. Partnerships 

have been developed with other APHIS programs 

(including Veterinary Services and International 

Services), with other Federal entities (including 

the U.S. Department of the Interior and the U.S. 

Department of Health and Human Services), and with 

Canadian and Mexican agriculture, health, and natural 

resources agencies. The nationally coordinated 

wildlife disease surveillance system will support 

existing programs with the collection of samples, 

facilitate information exchange among the programs, 

ensure that samples are adequately collected, and 

provide additional laboratory infrastructure. 

 The program is implemented through a 

national coordinator and wildlife disease biologists 

assigned to APHIS field offices. These biologists 

conduct monitoring and surveillance activities and 

collect biological samples through a variety of 

techniques (e.g., trapping, mist netting, lethal means, 

etc.). To maximize efficiency, efforts are made to 

obtain samples in coordination with existing WS 

operational (e.g., protection of livestock, airports, and 

aquaculture, urban wildlife management, etc.) and 

research activities. Wildlife disease biologists are 

available to respond quickly to assist with disease 

outbreaks and other such emergencies requiring 

program participation. In the event of an emergency, 

biologists are required to immediately mobilize 

and arrive at the emergency site within 48 hours of 

notification. 

 In addition to providing assistance to the many 

different cooperators, WS is focusing on strengthening 

emergency preparedness and response and 

managing issues related to the health of U.S. animal 

resources and conflicts between humans and wildlife. 

The strategies to accomplish these objectives include 

developing a more robust, nationally coordinated pest 

and disease-surveillance system. An international 

border disease-surveillance system will proactively 

reduce the likelihood of terrorist attacks on 

agriculture, wildlife, and humans. The international 

partnership will allow for better implementation of a 

border disease-surveillance program in both livestock 

and wildlife. 

Research Activities

An important component of the program is 

science-based knowledge provided by research on 

disease organisms, their reservoirs, their transmission 

cycles, and ways to block the transmission. WS’ 

National Wildlife Research Center supports the 

program by conducting research on reservoir 

populations, methods to control diseases, and 

diagnostic and epidemiologic support.

Locations of WS’ Wildlife Disease 

Biologists

At present, biologists are stationed in Alabama, 

Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, 

Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, 

New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, 

Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, 

Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

Some Diseases of Interest

Avian influenza

Bovine tuberculosis

Chronic wasting disease

Classical swine fever

Plague

Pseudorabies

Rabies

Swine brucellosis

Tularemia

West Nile virus
Additional Information 

You may obtain more information about wildlife 

diseases by contacting any State APHIS–WS office. 

For the address and telephone number of State 

offices, call the WS Operational Support Staff at (301) 

734-7921. You can also visit the WS Web site at 

<http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ws>.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in 

all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, 

age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, 

parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is 

derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases 

apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative 

means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, 

audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at 

(202) 720–2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, 

write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence 

Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250–9410, or call (800) 795–3272 

(voice) or (202) 720–6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider 

and employer.