WCS: Urge Congress to Establish an Early Warning System for Avian Influenza that Includes Wild Bird Surveillance

The Wildlife Conservation Society has a campaign to support the development of a global network for wild bird disease surveillance, including avian influenzas.  People can follow this link to a site where, with one click you can send correspondence to US Federal government representatives in support of developing such a network.

I really believe that we need to be looking at wild bird health, and wildlife health in general, to protect human health.  When over 60% of the 1400 human pathogens can transmit among humans and animals (e.g., are zoonotic), and over 75% of emerging infectious diseases zoonotic in origin (reference), we can little afford to ignore animal diseases.  This program would provide an early warning system for new pathogens, such as avian influenza.

Damien