Inception phase | PANORAMA

Wildlife surveillance for One Health intelligence

Surveillance in traded wildlife

WCS Viet Nam

Financing support for multi-sector surveillance of zoonotic diseases in wildlife and along wildlife trade chains is essential to improve understanding of pathogen diversity, disease dynamics and potential risks posed by wildlife trade, to support evidence-based decision making, monitor emerging pathogens and support targeted future surveillance and mitigation investments

Long-term financial support for sustained wildlife surveillance: in the field, in the laboratory and for associated data analysis to inform decision-makers and support reporting through One Health coordination platforms

It is a challenge to secure funding for longer than the typical short cycles associated with government priorities to really make a difference in capacity and system building. Wildlife and environment sectors typically receive less funding and attention compared with livestock and human health, despite their clear linkages to both and increasing risks of emerging diseases of wildlife origin.

Inception phase

Implementation

Monitoring

Documentation and dissemination of results

Building long-term, multi-sectoral, trans-disciplinary partnerships and capacities

Building long-term partnerships and capacity for multi-sector surveillance of zoonotic diseases along wildlife trade chains promotes and supports effective One Health collaboration from the spillover frontlines to national and international policy makers, and improved understanding of pathogen diversity, disease dynamics and potential risks posed by wildlife trade. Platforms for regular multi-sector discussion between animal health, environment, enforcement, and human health sectors, as well as with and amongst international and multi-lateral partners, is essential for open discourse and sharing of information on the risks, challenges and opportunities for pandemic prevention. This is critical to improve cross- sectoral trust, understanding, communication and coordination to increase opportunities for effective legislative change and cultural shifts.

Openness of host governments to coordination between environment, law enforcement, animal health and human health sectors and investment of time and personnel from those sectors in wildlife surveillance for One Health intelligence; patience; funding; One Health coordination platforms

Trans-sectoral coordination and support from the government is essential from the beginning to ensure effective surveillance for diseases of zoonotic origin along wildlife trade chains and to promote understanding and sharing of findings. Openness of national governments to make science-based policy changes to reduce health risks posed by wildlife trade is essential for meaningful, long-term impact.

Documentation and dissemination of results

Technical knowledge on sites, species and nurseries

The sites are heterogeneous and have different degrees of degradation, resulting in different intervention needs and opportunities. It is crucial to understand which species appear in nature as groups and to design the planting design accordingly. Mother trees, flowering periods and storability of seeds need to be known and the planting has to be adapted according to suitable planting periods. In the nursery, the focus on good root systems of the seedlings is key, requiring appropriate nursing equipment, substrate and trained staff.

- knowledge, link to research and traditional knowledge

- capacities to collect seed material from the right tree for the right place and the right purpose

- sufficient funding and training capacities

Investment of time and funding in the above-named factors pays off in form of higher survival rates, better growth, and project success. Some aspects should not be compromised, for example the size of the seedling containers and the substrate.

Coordinación multisectorial para el monitoreo, vigilancia y manejo adecuado de vicuñas

Mujer esquiladora mostrando la fibra obtenida de vicuñas liberadas en el área protegida de Apolobamba

El fortalecimiento de lazos de confianza entre las comunidades manejadoras de vicuñas y el área protegida (trabajamos en conjunto hace 17 años), y con la Asociación Nacional de Manejadores de Vicuñas (trabajamos en conjunto hace 3 años), es crítico para fortalecer la conservación de la vicuña y de su hábitat. Esto ha permitido realizar monitoreos sobre el crecimiento poblacional y la sanidad de las vicuñas; realizar vigilancia de contaminantes y su impacto en la especie; desarrollar capacidades en bienestar animal, bioseguridad; obtener fibra de mayor calidad; e iniciar, recientemente, una línea base sobre la depredación de vicuñas y ganado por perros pastores, así como el estado de salud y de bienestar de los perros.

- Apoyo y compromiso de las comunidades manejadoras de vicuñas de Apolobamba.

- Apoyo y compromiso del área protegida SERNAP Apolobamba.

- Apoyo y compromiso de la ACOFIVB - Asociación para la Comercialización de la Fibra de Vicuñas en Bolivia.

- Complementariedad con otras organizaciones conservacionistas como la AGA - Alianza Gato Andino.

- Involucrar constantemente a los diferentes sectores permitió establecer una mayor confianza de trabajo conjunto, favoreciendo el cumplimiento de nuestros objetivos.

- Los esfuerzos en capacitaciones sobre el manejo de las vicuñas en silvestría con estándares de bienestar animal y sanidad, y de la fibra obtenida con mejor calidad y mejores ingresos para los comunarios, son impulsores de la conservación de la especie y su hábitat.

Newsletter Darwin Initiative

Convenio entre WCS y la Asociación Comunitaria para la Comercialización de la F…

Satellite tagging

Saigas migrate across several million hectares. To map their use of the steppe grassland, the experts have successfully fitted satellite transmitters to over 40 saiga antelopes. As a result, they were able to detect their major migration routes, and calving and wintering areas.

It is essential to secure the funding for the equipment, the participation of the experts trained in collar fitting as well as the support and approval of the government to conduct the research.

It is key to have the national authority's support and participation and make sure that the government knows what data is acquired and how it will be used.

Inception phase

National

Global

Collars for Conservation

How satellite collars are paving the way for smarter saiga conservation

Accountability is key to governance and management

Signing the Forest Co-Management Agreement

Eliam Kamanga

TA Kamenya Gwaza and TA Kachindamoto signing the FCM agreement with the District Council and the DoF

Eliam Kamanga

In an effort to promote improved governance and management, the DoF and MCHF supported the development of a tripartite forest co-management agreement between the DoF, the District Council, and the local communities (represented by the TAs). Roles and responsibilities--including specific roles and commitments from supporting actors (including Malawi Police Service, Ministry of Justice, etc.) help stakeholders to hold one another accountable.

The forest-co-management agreement has been informed by a forest management plan, developed with data from the NFI and from a series of community consultations. This also resulted ion the identification and prioritization of degradation/restoration hotspots.

Evidence of implementation is important to incentivize and motivate partners to continue investing in forest co-management

Farmer managed natural regeneration management

A family managing a FMNR stand

Captured by Stevie matcheso

This is a landscape approach where farmers leave deliberately selected native tree species on their farm land either as tree stand or as co-exsisting with crops or both. The farmer manages the trees in such a way that they do not deprive crops of the growing factors. Otherwise the trees in the farm lands improve the soil fertility and structure, protect soil from erosion while supplies wood energy and livestock fodder to the farmer. The silvicultural practices include pruning, treaming, thinning and coppicing.

Availability of stumps in the farm land is an opportunity that hundreds of hactorage can be achieved within short period of time. Community involvement is almost obvious as the individual farmers become the primary beneficiaries of the technology unlike other solutions. The regenerants are independent of harsh conditions such as inadequate rains. The shoots start sprouting right in dry season as the mother stump has well established roots. Hence the technology never register unsuccessful results.

Farmer managed natural regeneration is a successful solution. As the regenerants originate from well established stumps which is native, the technology withstands unfavourable weather circumstances such just it is the promising, yielding and profiting project.

Assisted natural regeneration and soil and water conservation

Assisted natural regeneration stand

Captured by Stevie matcheso

This is the process where degraded forests are left deliberately to regenerate from the stumps, roots or seeds, but man comes in to undertake selected activities to allow the regenerants to grow vigour and health. The activities may include pruning, singling out, thinning, weeding or even fire prevention activities.

The building block has proven to be effective. The fact the the shoots are from well established stump supported by already grown roots, the regenerants grow very fast and become very resistant to harsh environment such as inadequate rains. Another factor is that the species are already in their native land, hence grow fast and successfully. The technology is cheap - Neither tubes nor nursery work and costs are needed.

It is cheap technology. No nursery work or costs are incurred, yet resistant to harsh growing conditions

Youth engagement