The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) has launched its new Wildlife Health Strategy 2026–2030, a roadmap designed to strengthen prevention, surveillance and rapid response capacities for health threats emerging at the interface between humans, domestic animals, wildlife and the environment.
Presented during WOAH’s 93rd General Session, the Strategy confirms a major shift: wildlife health is no longer a secondary concern. It is now recognised as a core component of global health security, biodiversity conservation, ecosystem resilience and the One Health approach.
According to the Strategy, WOAH’s vision for 2026–2030 is clear: healthy animals, resilient ecosystems and a safer planet.
Building on the Wildlife Health Framework 2021–2025
The new Strategy builds on the achievements of the Wildlife Health Framework 2021–2025, which helped anchor wildlife health within WOAH’s mandate and within animal health systems.
Over the past five years, WOAH has strengthened partnerships, developed training programmes, produced guidance documents, expanded scientific knowledge and improved awareness among its Members on the importance of wildlife health.
However, the Strategy also recognises remaining challenges, including fragmented data systems, insufficient funding, limited multisectoral coordination and the need for stronger implementation at country and regional levels. The 2026–2030 Strategy therefore adopts a more focused, operational and results-oriented approach.
Three Strategic Objectives
The Wildlife Health Strategy is structured around three main objectives.
The first objective is to strengthen wildlife health governance systems through robust legislative, regulatory, political and scientific frameworks.
The second objective focuses on the systematic use of scientific knowledge and risk analysis to improve wildlife health management, support upstream prevention and strengthen ecosystem resilience.
The third objective aims to institutionalise sustainable, integrated and multisectoral wildlife health surveillance and monitoring systems across WOAH Members.
WildEpi: Improving Early Warning and Information Sharing
A key pillar of the Strategy is the strengthening of wildlife health data systems.
WOAH will continue to promote disease reporting through the World Animal Health Information System (WAHIS) for listed diseases affecting wildlife, while expanding WildEpi, its next-generation wildlife health information system.
WildEpi is designed to support secure, real-time reporting and analysis of wildlife morbidity and mortality events. It will allow authorised wildlife health professionals to share information more rapidly, strengthen risk analysis and support evidence-based decision-making.
This is particularly important because Veterinary Services do not always have direct access to wildlife health data. By engaging conservation organisations, researchers, wildlife networks and other relevant partners, WOAH aims to close existing gaps in wildlife health information and improve early detection.
Preventing Health Risks at the Source
The Strategy places strong emphasis on upstream prevention.
In a world increasingly shaped by land-use change, climate change, wildlife trade and growing contact between humans, domestic animals and wildlife, WOAH is calling for earlier detection and better prevention of disease risks before they escalate into larger animal or public health events.
This requires stronger surveillance systems, laboratory capacity, risk analysis, trained wildlife focal points, and better coordination between Veterinary Services, public health authorities, environmental agencies and conservation actors.
From Global Strategy to Field Implementation
The Strategy is designed not only as a global policy document, but also as an operational framework for action.
WOAH highlights regional projects such as ZOOSURSY in Africa, Nature for Health (N4H) and TARTANET as important mechanisms for supporting integrated surveillance, workforce development, multisectoral coordination and prevention of wildlife-related health risks.
The operational plan also includes guidance development, training, advocacy tools, laboratory support, regional projects, country-level workshops and support to wildlife health networks.
Why This Strategy Matters for Africa
For Africa, the Strategy is particularly relevant.
The continent hosts exceptional biodiversity, but it also faces increasing pressure from deforestation, climate change, transboundary animal movements, livestock-wildlife interactions, fragile surveillance systems and the risk of emerging zoonotic diseases.
Strengthening wildlife health surveillance is therefore essential to protect people, domestic animals, biodiversity, livelihoods and ecosystems.
By placing wildlife health at the centre of One Health, WOAH is encouraging countries to connect Veterinary Services, conservation authorities, laboratories, research institutions, communities and policymakers around a shared prevention and response agenda.
Towards Healthier Wildlife and Safer Societies
The WOAH Wildlife Health Strategy 2026–2030 marks an important step in recognising the central role of wildlife health in global health security.
Through stronger governance, better data systems, scientific collaboration, integrated surveillance and practical country-level support, the Strategy aims to help WOAH Members and their partners better anticipate, detect and respond to wildlife health threats.
Its message is clear: protecting wildlife health also means protecting human health, animal health, biodiversity and the balance of ecosystems.
