Yellowstone Wildlife Health Program
Disease emergence and resurgence has reached unprecedented importance for the sustainability of desired population levels for many wildlife populations and for the long-term survival of some species. In response, Yellowstone National Park, Montana State University (MSU) and the Wildlife Health Center in the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California, Davis have established a partnership to develop the Yellowstone Wildlife Health Program (YWHP). The goal of this effort is to create a long-term collaborative program focused on understanding and addressing priority wildlife disease and ecosystem health problems in Yellowstone National Park.
Core objectives of the YWHP are to:
- Restore and preserve healthy wildlife and ecosystems;
- Apply superior science to solve problems;
- Balance the needs of people and wildlife; and
- Train the next generation of ecosystem health leaders in the unique educational context of Yellowstone National Park.
2008 Yellowstone Wildlife Health Program Report
Much of the interest in disease ecology and wildlife health has been prompted by the emergence, or resurgence, of many parasites that move between livestock, wildlife, and/or humans. Wildlife and their parasites do not recognize political or jurisdictional boundaries and, as a result, can affect the natural ecosystems of national parks and human health in nearby
communities.
Organizational Workshop Report: June 6-7, 2007
The Yellowstone Wildlife Health Program Organizational Workshop was held June 6-7, 2007 at the Montana State University campus in Bozeman, Montana.
Workshop productivity was set during Day 1 by excellent speakers on general wildlife heath issues and problems faced within the region and specifically within the Greater Yellowstone area (GYA). Building upon this foundation, workshop participants formed four working groups to deliberate about key issues and priorities for terrestrial carnivore, terrestrial prey, avian, and aquatic resources.
