What is the role of wildlife health surveillance in One Health?

• A. Early detection of pathogens in wildlife to signal spillover risk and guide conservation and public health responses.
• B. Primarily used for monitoring domestic pet health.
• C. Not useful for spillover risk.
• D. Replaces human disease surveillance entirely.

Answer: (D)

Wildlife health surveillance in One Health is about detecting pathogens in wild animal populations early and using that information to signal spillover risk and guide actions for both conservation and human/public health. Because many emerging infectious diseases originate in wildlife, monitoring these populations provides a warning system: if a pathogen or unusual disease pattern is found in wildlife, it helps researchers and public health officials assess how close the risk is to people or domestic animals, identify hotspots, and prioritize interventions such as targeted surveillance, habitat management, or biosecurity measures. This work complements human disease surveillance by adding ecological context and early warning, but it does not replace human surveillance entirely. It’s not primarily focused on domestic pets, which are typically monitored through separate animal-health systems.