News  MassWildlife awarded $773K to address wildlife diseases

The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) was recently awarded $773,300 in Zoonotic Disease Initiative grant funds from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. These funds will be used over a 3-year period to develop a wildlife health and public outreach program for Massachusetts and to research wildlife diseases and prevent their spread within the Northeast region. Under the direction of MassWildlife, the new MassWildlife Health program will be guided by an interagency task force of subject area experts and cooperating partners, including the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Massachusetts Department of Agriculture, Cornell University, UMass-Amherst, University of New Hampshire, Tufts University, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, Wampanoag Tribe of Aquinnah, Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, and USDA Wildlife Services.

Zoonotic diseases are defined as those that can be transmitted between wildlife and humans. This federal funding provides grants to states, Tribes, and territories to address wildlife disease outbreaks before they become pandemics. The highest priority for the initiative is to increase organizational readiness and ensure there is a network of partners across the nation who are prepared to respond to zoonotic disease outbreaks. Strengthening partner capacity for wildlife health monitoring will allow for the early detection of diseases.

“Recent disease issues like Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in birds and white-nose syndrome in bats have highlighted the need for building capacity within MassWildlife and other groups in the region to respond quickly using the latest science and best practices,” said Mark S. Tisa, Director of MassWildlife. “This funding will help us formalize working relationships with our partners to conduct surveillance and improve public outreach.”

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s One Health approach to zoonotic diseases includes working closely with experts who specialize in public, animal, and ecosystem health to develop comprehensive plans and appropriate responses to zoonotic disease events. This funding will provide critical financial resources to agencies like MassWildlife who can help prevent and combat global pandemics before they start.

Grants awarded under the Zoonotic Disease Initiative will be used to establish and enhance the capabilities of Tribal, state, and territorial fish and wildlife agencies to effectively address health issues involving free-ranging terrestrial, avian, and aquatic wildlife. Authorized under the American Rescue Plan (2021, H.R. 1319, Section 6003.3), the Initiative will provide up to $9 million in funding to strengthen early detection, rapid response, and science-based management research to address wildlife disease outbreaks before they cross the barrier from animals to humans and become pandemics. Click here to learn about the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Zoonotic Disease Initiative.