Fish and Wildlife Disease
Fish and Wildlife Disease
Chronic wasting disease and cervid health—2025 highlights
White-Nose Syndrome and Bat Health: 2025 Year in Review
Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal) Surveillance
Tackling avian influenza with automated detection for an early warning system
Distribution of CWD Expanding
Chronic Wasting Disease continues to spread across North America
Chronic Wasting Disease continues to spread across North America
What is Avian Influenza (AI)?
USGS is the lead Federal agency for free-ranging wildlife disease research and surveillance. Our capabilities enhance the understanding of wildlife disease ecology and epidemiology as well as inform the development of decision-support and control tools. USGS wildlife disease experts provide technical assistance as needed to manage wildlife disease and conduct cause-of-death investigations.
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Disease Decision Analysis and Research
The Disease Decision Analysis and Research group is a multi-disciplinary team based out of the Eastern Ecological Science Center whose strengths are in ecology, decision sciences and quantitative modeling.
Fish & Wildlife Disease: Small Mammal Disease
Sylvatic plague is a flea-borne bacterial disease of wild rodents. Humans, pets, and wildlife can be afflicted with this disease. Prairie dogs are highly susceptible to plague and are the primary food source of the highly endangered black-footed ferret, which is also susceptible to the disease. Sylvatic plague can decimate prairie dog colonies (90% or greater mortality rates), resulting in local...
Fish & Wildlife Disease: Reptile Disease
Disease causing pathogens are of concern to human and wildlife health and are frequently the number one reported impairment for water resources in the United States.
Fish & Wildlife Disease: Marine Mammals
We are developing advanced tools for disease diagnosis, surveillance, risk assessment and control to support management of wildlife diseases.
Fish & Wildlife Disease: Wild Fish Diseases
USGS fish disease research is focused on developing advanced tools for rapid disease detection and control. USGS scientists are improving our understanding of the factors controlling the epidemiology of aquatic animal diseases and the impact of disease on wild fish populations. Our scientists are also investigating the effects of warming waters, drought, and invasive species on fish disease...
Fish & Wildlife Disease: Amphibian Diseases
Amphibians are the most threatened groups of animals on the planet. Diseases (e.g., chytrid fungi, ranavirus, severe perkinsea infections (SPI)) are negatively impacting these species. Chytrid fungus ( Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, Bd) was identified 15 years ago as one of the primary causes of death for many amphibians. However, the ecology and epidemiology of Bd is still being investigated. A...
COVID-19 Pathways and Wildlife Dynamics
Below are the USGS 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) research projects related to COVID-19 pathways and wildlife dynamics. Select tabs above for related items.
Tracking Bats and Coronaviruses
Below are the USGS 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) research projects related to tracking bats and coronaviruses. Select tabs above for related items.
2020 CARES Act
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) was signed into law on March 27th, 2020, to aid response efforts and ease the economic impact of COVID-19. The Department of the Interior received funds to “prevent, prepare for, and response to coronavirus, domestically or internationally including, “biosurveillance of wildlife and environmental persistence studies.” The USGS...
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Environmental Health Program, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Fort Collins Science Center, National Wildlife Health Center, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC), Western Fisheries Research Center
Pathology Case of the Month
Notable cases at the National Wildlife Health Center are highlighted here in the Pathology Case of the Month Series.
READI-Net: Providing Tools for the Early Detection and Management of Aquatic Invasive Species
The USGS has developed the Rapid environmental (e)DNA Assessment and Deployment Initiative & Network (READI-Net) to accelerate the implementation of environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis as a best practice for the early detection of aquatic biological threats. READI-Net provides tools and a strategy to collect and deliver early detection data for natural resource managers and public health protection...
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, New York Water Science Center, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center, Pacific Northwest Environmental DNA Laboratory, Infrastructure Investment Jobs Act
Report Mortality Events and Submit Specimens
Instructions for reporting wildlife morbidity/mortality and submitting specimens to the USGS National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC).