26/08/2026
Over 60% of human pathogens are zoonotic, meaning they can jump from animals to humans. While surveillance of domestic animals is widely conducted, surveillance of wildlife remains limited.
Effective surveillance involves more than just collecting samples or conducting laboratory tests. It requires thoughtful planning to ensure that the benefits outweigh the costs and that all steps are properly set up.
There are different types of surveillance that can be applied to suit different needs. They include active (systematic data collection), passive (reporting disease cases), event-based (rapid detection of unusual events), and sentinel (monitoring specific species). Rangers, hunters, local communities, and Indigenous Peoples play crucial roles in these efforts, given their unique ability to detect changes in wildlife health.
Zoonotic disease surveillance cannot be effective when sectors work in isolation. This is why ZOOSURSY, brings together researchers, laboratories, veterinary and public health professionals, wildlife experts and communities, across 17 African countries to strengthen disease surveillance
ZOOSURSY is funded by the EU through the Global Gateway.
