ZSL #043 Back to the Wild: Assessing disease risks for species reintroduction

What does it take to reintroduce an animal to the wild safely? How do we make sure that disease risk to existing populations, and to the animals being reintroduced, is mitigated?

Hear from the Disease Risk Analysis and Health Surveillance Team (DRAHS) at ZSL who are working to give animals the best start possible as they return to the wild, and whose work has contributed to the recovery of over 30 species across the world.

Overview

00:11    Harriet McAra, Introduction to episode

01:01    Dr Tony Sainsbury, DRAHS lead, ZSL

05:44    Clare McNamee, Wildlife Veterinarian and Research Associate, ZSL

10:40    Dr Sophie Common, Wildlife Veterinarian and Research Associate, ZSL

17:27    Georgie Gerrard, DRAHS Project Manager, ZSL

20:32    Becky Foskett, Pathology and Field Technician, ZSL

27:45    Dr Claudia Carraro, Wildlife Veterinarian and Research Associate, ZSL

32:31    Outro and further information

Resources and references

• If there’s a topic you’d like to hear on a future podcast, or if you’d like to share your thoughts, email the ZSL Wild Science Podcast at: [e-mail]
• Check out our science and conservation work at: www.zsl.org/Science or www.zsl.org/Conservation
• Wildlife Disease Risk Analysis and Health Surveillance: https://www.zsl.org/what-we-do/projects/wildlife-disease-risk-analysis-and-health-surveillance
• More about dormice health monitoring: Hazel dormice - People's Trust for Endangered Species (ptes.org) & National Dormouse Monitoring Programme (NDMP) (ptes.org)
• More about our Extinct in the Wild work: Extinct in the Wild | The Zoological Society of London (zsl.org)
• More about chequered skipper conservation: Chequered Skippers - Butterfly Conservation
• Vernet, M., Trask, A.E., Andrews, C.E. et al. Assessing invasion risks using EICAT-based expert elicitation: application to a conservation translocation. Biol Invasions 26, 2707–2721 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-024-03341-2
• Gibson, L., Shadbolt, T., Paul, P. et al. Prevalence and Molecular Analysis of Encephalomyocarditis Virus-2 in the Hazel Dormouse. EcoHealth 21, 112–122 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10393-024-01680-z 

Get in touch

• Email [e-mail] with your questions, comments, and thoughts for future episodes!
• Tweet us @ZSLScience with the hashtag #ZSLWildScience
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