International Wildlife Disease Modelling Conference 2027

A forum for researchers, experts and policymakers to share insights, identify data priorities and better integrate wildlife into disease modelling frameworks.

Introduction to the conference

Wild animals receive ever more attention from governments and scientists alike for their role in the spread of diseases like blue tongue, FMD, avian influenza, rabies, West Nile virus or a potential disease X. At the same time, modelling is increasingly being used to predict disease spread, advise policy makers and support management activities.

However, incomplete knowledge and limited data, largely due to the challenges and costs of observing wildlife behaviour, pose distinct barriers to effective modelling. As a result, wildlife is often overlooked or considered too complex to represent in similar detail to other components of disease systems.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency will therefore be holding the International Wildlife Disease Modelling Conference, a new event in the calendar to provide a forum for information exchange and networking with a focus on wildlife diseases of animal health and zoonotic concern.

The event will provide a platform for researchers, experts, and policymakers to share insights, identify data priorities, and explore innovative approaches to better integrate wildlife into disease modelling frameworks.

The conference is supported by the WOAH Collaborating Centre for Risk Assessment and Modelling.