Collaborative strategies for wildlife health: case studies from the Canadian North

Abstract Wildlife health and conservation are increasingly recognized as key to improving human, animal, and environmental health (One Health) and detecting and addressing threats such as altered distribution and transmission of zoonotic diseases due to climate change. Wildlife, and therefore wildlife management, are crucial for the livelihood and well‐being of people in the Canadian North, a vast geographic area with low population density and socio‐economic disparities, which can make widespread program implementation challenging. We analyzed and compared 4 case studies on collaborative programs on wildlife health management from 4 distinct jurisdictions in the Canadian North: the Yukon, chronic wasting disease surveillance in ungulates; Northwest Territories, rabies in arctic fox ( Vulpes lagopus ); Nunavut, foodborne diseases in harvested wildlife; and Nunavik, Québec, ringed seal ( Pusa hispida ) health and Trichinella in walrus ( Odobenus rosmarus ). The case studies differed in whether they focused on a specific pathogen, transmission route, or health of a specific wildlife population. Despite these differences, 3 main themes were common to all case studies: collaboration, infrastructure limitations, and adaptation. Collaboration promotes greater community buy‐in and investment as community members help shape the program and is key to long‐term success, sustainability, and local relevance. Laboratory infrastructure and human resource capacity are limited in most regions, highlighting the importance of collaboration among Indigenous‐managed boards and organizations, community members, government agencies at multiple levels, academic institutions, and the national wildlife health non‐governmental organization (Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative). Examples of adaptations include capitalizing on wildlife harvest for fur and food to obtain samples for surveillance, developing regulations to train and permit veterinary paraprofessionals and community volunteers to facilitate co‐existence of pets and people with wildlife reservoirs of rabies, jointly developing regulations to prevent introduction of non‐endemic diseases, and adapting hunting locations based on the results of wildlife disease monitoring. Combining Indigenous knowledge and a One Health framework is fundamental to co‐managing zoonotic and food‐borne diseases in wildlife while respecting Indigenous ways of life. The case studies provide meaningful examples of collaboration and solutions to address complex problems at the One Health interface and to use a holistic and community‐based approach to facilitate the creation of regionally acceptable and culturally relevant programs, with better outcomes for wildlife, human, and environmental health.