Status ofwildlifehealth monitoring intheUnited Kingdom

There isaclear needtomonitor thehealth ofwildlife inthe UK, tohelp tounderstand thepopulation dynamics ofendangered species andtodetect anyharmtothewelfare ofwildanimals caused byhuman beings. Despite previous proposals, there hasbeenlittle progressinthedevelopment ofanational programme ofmonitoring. Withnotable exceptions, thecurrent schemes forinvestigating themorbidity and mortality ofwildanimals coveronly limited groupsofanimals andarefragmented anduncoordinated. They consist ofstatutory schemes ofrestricted scope,andstudies inuniversities, institutes andwildlife rehabilitation centres withlimited funding. Asaresult, significant disease incidents may remain undetected andothers may notbeinvestigated fully, posing risks tothewelfare andconservation ofwildlife, thewelfare ofdomestic animals, andinsome casestohumanhealth. Coordinated national schemes forthesurveillance ofthehealth ofwildlife arealready established inFrance, theUSAandCanada andtheir bestcharacteristics could beusedtodevelop aschemefortheuK. THEREisastrong case formonitoring thehealth ofwild animalsbecause itisincreasingly recognised that infectious and non-infectious diseases canhave asignificant impact onthe dynamics andtheconservation status oftheir populations (Cooper 1989, Gulland 1995, Cunningham 1996). Forexample, DobsonandHudson(1992) showed that theparasite Trichostrongylus tenuis canregulate thenumbers offreeliving redgrouse (Lagopus lagopus scoticus) intheUK.Even whenadisease does notthreaten theviability ofapopulation, itcancause painanddistress tovery large numbers ofindividuals, asinthecase ofmyxomatosis inrabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) (Sainsbury andothers 1995a). Changes totheenvi