Over the last 70 years approximately 100 “new” human diseases have emerged. Most of these are viral and most have wildlife reservoirs or vectors. How, why and when these diseases emerge both in man and wildlife are challenging and complex questions. While it is generally accepted that rapid rate environmental changes such as deforestation and global warming can precipitate new diseases it can be difficult to identify specific causative factors at a regional level.

Ecosure in collaboration with Wildlife Warriors and Biolink is attempting to increase our understanding of these questions through the Mobile Disease Ecology Unit (MDEU). A flexible, mobile investigative unit, the MDEU can examine wildlife health in the context of changing habitat and land use. It is a vehicle that can help clarify the factors contributing to emerging disease and can be quickly deployed either proactively or reactively.

The MDEU uses a core team of professionals from numerous disciplines, and can call upon specialists as needed for specific projects. A team could include a microbiologist, a disease ecologist, an anaesthetist, a vertebrate ecologists and a plantation forest ecologist to help qualify and manage the health status of koalas in logging areas, as is the case in the photo below.