Wildlife Health Australia
For more than 2 decades, Wildlife Health Australia has been at the forefront of wildlife disease surveillance, preparedness and response, helping strengthen Australia’s environmental biosecurity capability and resilience to emerging disease threats. As Australia’s national wildlife health coordinator, the organisation plays a critical role in detecting, assessing and responding to diseases that could affect wildlife, livestock, human health and the environment. Its work has strengthened Australia’s ability to identify and manage biosecurity risks while supporting a resilient, nationally connected wildlife health system.
Wildlife Health Australia has been at the forefront of Australia’s preparedness for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), one of the most significant emerging disease threats to global biodiversity, animal health and food production systems. Through a coordinated One Health approach, the organisation has helped strengthen preparedness across government, industry, research and environmental sectors, ensuring Australia is better positioned to detect and respond to a potential incursion.
A key strength of the organisation is its extensive wildlife health network and its ability to connect stakeholders across sectors and jurisdictions. Wildlife Health Australia receives and analyses between 50,000 and 75,000 wildlife health reports annually and supports one of the largest wildlife disease surveillance systems in the country. It also coordinates networks of veterinarians, wildlife carers, researchers, environmental managers and government agencies that contribute to the early detection of unusual disease events and emerging biosecurity risks.
The organisation’s leadership during the global spread of HPAI has been particularly significant. Wildlife Health Australia has developed nationally consistent guidance, surveillance frameworks, preparedness plans and technical resources to support governments, industry and wildlife stakeholders. It has worked closely with the Australian Government, states and territories, Animal Health Australia, environmental agencies and international partners to improve preparedness, response planning and information sharing. These efforts have helped establish Australia as a leader in wildlife-focused HPAI preparedness and risk management.
Beyond avian influenza preparedness, Wildlife Health Australia has made enduring contributions to environmental biosecurity through technical leadership, training and capability building. The organisation has supported disease preparedness initiatives across Australia and the Pacific, delivered guidance on emerging wildlife disease threats, and improved understanding of the important connections between environmental, animal and human health. Its resources, training programs and expert networks continue to strengthen Australia's ability to respond to current and future biosecurity challenges.
Through surveillance, collaboration, scientific leadership and as a trusted broker in the system, Wildlife Health Australia has strengthened Australia’s environmental biosecurity capability and preparedness for emerging wildlife disease threats. Its work continues to deliver lasting benefits for biodiversity conservation, animal health, public health and national biosecurity resilience. By fostering strong partnerships and promoting a One Health approach, Wildlife Health Australia has made a remarkable contribution to protecting Australia’s environment and biosecurity future.
Watch a video about their work
Introduction
This is the accessible text transcript of the 2026 Australian Biosecurity Awards winner video featuring Dr Rupert Woods on behalf of Wildlife Health Australia.
Transcript
Hello everyone, my name is Rupert Woods, I’m the Chief Executive Officer at Wildlife Health Australia and we are the national coordinating body for wildlife health in Australia. And I’m here on behalf of the team at WHA, who through their work, are the proud recipients of the 2026 Environmental Biosecurity Award. How exciting for us all.
We received this award for our work in delivering the Australian Government-funded One Health surveillance initiative and its extension in provision of support for preparedness and the activities of the Australian Government H5 bird flu taskforce.
This included supporting preparedness initiatives across Australia and the Pacific, including bolstering the national wildlife health surveillance and information systems, providing expert assistance to emergency managers to deliver guidance on wildlife disease threats to people, production animals and the environment, and building important relationships across multiple areas and disciplines including for human, animal, environmental and First Nations Peoples’ health.
So biosecurity is important to us because it’s critical in maintaining a strong agricultural sector, supporting our environment, biodiversity, First Nations People and, in fact, the very way of life we all enjoy.
Thank you to all those who nominated us. To the department, the AHC (Animal Health Committee), NBC (National Biosecurity Committee), EIC (Environment and Invasives Committee), the Three Chiefs and our Threatened Species Commissioner whose vision supports this area of Australia’s biosecurity arrangements.
Wildlife health is integral to functioning, complex ecosystems. It impacts on the health of people, animals, plants and the environment, our trade and market access, First Nations People and our social amenity. It’s an important part of Australia’s biosecurity arrangements and we look forward to helping our stakeholders, partners and the Australian Government and further improving this area in future.
Thank you.
Photos
