Why is Wildlife Monitoring Important in Epidemiology?
Wildlife monitoring plays a crucial role in epidemiology for several reasons:
1. Zoonotic Disease Surveillance: Many emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic, meaning they can be transmitted from animals to humans. Monitoring urban wildlife helps identify potential reservoirs of pathogens, such as viruses, bacteria, and parasites.
2. Vector-Borne Diseases: Urban wildlife can be hosts for vectors like ticks and mosquitoes. Understanding their movement and populations can help predict and control outbreaks of diseases like Lyme disease and West Nile virus.
3. Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health: Healthy ecosystems can act as buffers against disease transmission. By studying wildlife, we can assess the health of urban ecosystems and their capacity to mitigate disease spread.
