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National Wildlife Disease Program

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The National Wildlife Disease Program (NWDP) promotes safe agricultural trade by

protecting the health of humans, animals, plants, and ecosystems and reducing

levels of incurred losses to agricultural and natural resources. 

NWDP participates in wildlife disease monitoring and surveillance in all regions of

the United States. Large-scale projects include wildlife surveillance for avia

influenza, SARS-CoV-2, and plague. Activities on emerging pathogens are routinely

implemented as well, with recent projects on bovine brucellosis in wildlife,

hantavirus spillover to humans, and coordination of rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus

2 reporting.

The program's Wildlife Disease Biologists function as WS' first responders through

NWDP's Surveillance and Emergency Response System (SERS). The NWDP also

collaborates with non-governmental organizations and officials from other countries

to promote and help in the development of wildlife disease monitoring programs

worldwide.

Surveillance and Emergency Response System 

The Surveillance and Emergency Response System is an essential component of the

National Wildlife Disease Program and serves as the primary emergency response

contact point within Wildlife Services. 
Avian Health 

NWDP collects samples from wild birds for disease surveillance. Surveillance helps

APHIS better understand and track the presence of avian influenza and other

pathogens of concern along migratory bird pathways. 

SARS-CoV-2 

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the virus that

causes COVID-19. Animals in many environments are susceptible to the virus.
Chronic Wasting Disease 

NWDP carries out cervid CWD surveillance, testing, management, and response

activities, including further developing and evaluating techniques and strategies to

prevent or control CWD in cervids.

Plague 

Plague is a disease of concern to people, wildlife, and domestic animals in the United

States. It is also considered a "Category A" disease by the Department of Homeland

Security, meaning it could potentially be used as a bioterrorist agent.
Rabbit Hemmorhagic Disease Virus 

NWDP works closely with collaborators and other Federal and State agencies to track

and report the prevalence and spread of RHDV2 across the United States.

Bovine Tuberculosis 
NWDP assists with bovine TB surveillance in wildlife and with determining potential

management actions to help control disease in wild populations.

Diseases Associated with Feral Swine 

NWDP collaborates with the National Feral Swine Damage Management Program on

disease management, research, pathogen surveillance, emergency response,

education and outreach regarding diseases of feral swine.
Contact Us

National Wildlife Disease Program

The National Wildlife Disease Program works with partners nationwide to conduct

disease monitoring and surveillance in wild animals and is the primary emergency

response contact point within APHIS Wildlife Services. Our program coordinator is

available for questions about wildlife disease monitoring and surveillance, the status

of disease outbreaks and emerging disease events, and wildlife emergency response

activities in natural disasters (floods, hurricanes, wildfires) or oil spills.

Julianna Lenoch

National Wildlife Disease Program Coordinator

Email: julianna.b.lenoch@usda.gov

Phone: 970-266-6350

Sarah Bevins

Assistant National Wildlife Disease Program Coordinator

Email: sarah.n.bevins@usda.gov

All Contacts