Terrestrial Wildlife Diseases

Scientists of the USGS National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC) in collaboration with partners have developed risk assessments for  Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans  ( Bsal ) in the United States and are sampling high-risk locations for the fungus.

USGS scientists have developed novel tools and techniques for national white-nose syndrome (WNS) detection and research efforts. Our scientists are monitoring bat populations (NABat) and bat behavior in addition to assessing the impact of WNS on bat populations. USGS is now focusing on disease management strategies to reverse bat declines from WNS.

This research effort is an interagency partnership between U.S. Geological Survey and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to model the social-ecological system that encompasses chronic wasting disease management in the United States. Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a fatal, neurologically degenerative disease that impacts many cervid species in North America (e.g., elk, moose, mule deer, and white...

The Strain and Genetic Online Tissue Repository (SAGOTR) is being developed by the USGS Fort Collins Science Center to document, track, discover, and request physical samples of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). SAGOTR connects natural resource managers, tissue repositories, and researchers in one online platform, making it easier to locate and share samples and support research and management of CWD...

Bats are essential contributing members of healthy, functioning ecosystems. They perform numerous ecosystem services like insect pest control and plant pollination, and provide enormous economic benefits through ecotourism, medical research, and novel biotechnologies. North American bats face unprecedented threats including habitat loss and fragmentation, white-nose syndrome, and wind energy...

Since 2006, the USGS Alaska Science Center has been part of the State and Federal interagency team for the detection and response to highly pathogenic (HPAI) viruses in North America. Avian influenza or "bird flu" is a viral disease that primarily infects domestic poultry and wild birds. Avian influenza viruses are naturally occurring in wild birds such as ducks, geese, swans, and gulls. These...

The U.S. Geological Survey Ecosystem Mission Area plays a major role in invasive snake science across the country and the globe, ranging from research on improving snake detection to projects that enhance eradication. Our extensive science ultimately scales up to benefiting public health, energy transmission, tourism, and other key aspects of American prosperity.

Management of state natural resources is a collaborative effort between state governments, federal agencies, tribal governments, and local stakeholders. USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center (EESC) supports state-led wildlife management with research that clarifies complex issues, enhances scientific quality and communication, broadens solution options, and enables cost-sharing and mutual...

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a contagious and fatal neurodegenerative disease affecting cervids (deer, elk, caribou, and moose) that is threatening the health and sustainability of cervid populations across North America. CWD is caused by misfolded proteins known as prions, which can be transmitted by direct contact or environmental exposure.

Ongoing global outbreaks demonstrate the capacity of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) to impact poultry, wild birds, and even human health. USGS research is advancing the understanding of the spatial and temporal interface between wild and domestic bird populations from which these viruses emerge to aid biosecurity planning and outbreak response.

The USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center (EESC) is rooted in a proud tradition of service to the nation—advancing science that informs the conservation and management of fish, wildlife, and habitats across the eastern United States and beyond. Our mission is clear: deliver reliable, partner-driven science that supports natural resource decisions today, while ensuring these resources remain...

Research at the USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center (EESC) supports understanding of the connection between ecosystem health and the quality and availability of America's food and water. USGS studies help monitor and assess the health of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, species populations, water quality, and contaminants affecting health and habitats. Information gained through this...