General Guidelines for Surveillance of Diseases, Pathogens and Toxic Agents in Free-ranging Wildlife

This document provides broad guidance on surveillance of infectious and non-infectious wildlife diseases, pathogens and toxic agents to assist in the implementation of a national surveillance programme for free-ranging wildlife. It is intended to promote a common understanding, which can serve as a foundation for training and operational procedures.

While this guidance is geared to surveillance of free-ranging wildlife (whether in spaces managed by the public or private sector), much of the information is also generally applicable to (though not comprehensive for) wild animals in captive settings.