The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) was awarded a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Zoonotic Disease Initiative grant, Building Wildlife Health and Zoonotic Disease Capacity Both Within and Beyond California’s Boundaries.
The first objective was to conduct a needs assessment and gap analysis for wildlife and zoonotic disease surveillance, investigation, response, and management in California and neighboring states. To accomplish this, principal investigators from CDFW and UC Davis identified wildlife health and zoonotic disease experts from California, neighboring state agencies, federal agencies, and select North American wildlife health organizations with the mandate, need, or expertise to detect, manage, report, or study wildlife diseases. These experts were invited to participate in three cumulative in-person workshops hosted by UC Davis.