Investments in ‘Ecosystem’ Health
Likely to Pay Dividends in War Against Infectious
Diseases
Nairobi, 11 April 2006 - Restoring
tens of thousands of lost and degraded wetlands
could go a long way towards reducing the threat
of avian flu pandemics a new report today says.
The loss of wetlands around the globe (see notes
to editors) is forcing many wild birds onto alternative
sites like farm ponds and paddy fields, bringing
them into direct contact with chickens, ducks,
geese, and other domesticated fowl.
Close contact of wild birds and poultry species
is believed to be a major cause behind the spread
of avian influenza.
Clearing intensive poultry rearing units from
the ‘flyways’ of migratory birds would also be
prudent.
“Intensive poultry operations along migratory
wild bird routes are incompatible with protecting
the health of ecosystems that birds depend upon.
They also increase the risks of transfer of pathogens
between migrating birds and domestic fowl,” says
the study.
The report has been commissioned by the United
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) from a team
led by leading Canadian academic Dr David Rapport.
It focuses on the environmental factors underpinning
the re-emergence of old diseases and which are
likely to be triggering the rise of new ones like
highly virulent avian influenza or H5N1.
The report’s preliminary findings, announced at
a scientific seminar on avian influenza taking
place at UNEP’s headquarters in Nairobi, concludes
that current “heroic efforts” focusing on “isolation,
quarantine, culls and medications” are likely
to be quick fixes offering limited short term
benefits.
It recommends that governments, the United Nations
and public health experts back environmental measures
in order to counter the spread of diseases like
H5N1 over the medium and long term.
Other possibly more controversial suggestions,
aimed at reducing contact between wild birds and
poultry, include shifting livestock production
away from humans and other mammals such as pigs.
The report accepts that in some parts of the world,
like South East Asia, separating poultry from
people is at odds with generational cultural traditions
and practices.
“As unpalatable as this may be, where it is clearly
in the interest of preventing future pandemics
with potentially catastrophic global effects,
it can and should be undertaken,” argues Dr Rapport,
Honorary Professor of the Ecoystem Health Programme,
Faculty of Medicine, University of Western Ontario,
and a member of the firm EcoHealth Consulting
of Salt Spring Island, British Columbia.
Shafqat Kakakhel, UNEP’s Deputy Executive Director
and Officer in Charge, said: “These thought-provoking
findings will need to be looked at in detail by
all those involved in fighting current and future
threatened pandemics. However, what this research
underlines is that the link between a healthy
environment and disease prevention is no marginal
topic, but an important component in public health
policy particularly in a globalized world”.
He said: “There are numerous pressing reasons
for conserving and restoring degraded ecosystems
like wetlands”.
The services they provide for humankind are vital
and of great economic importance. Wetlands are
natural water storage features, they filter pollution,
help absorb floods and are home to numerous species
including fish.
“Their ability to disperse and keep wild birds
away from domestic ones is now yet another compelling
argument for conserving and rehabilitating them,”
added Mr Kakakhel.
The two day avian flu seminar, organized by UNEP,
the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) and
the African Eurasian Water Bird Agreement (AEWA),
has brought together experts from across the world.
The seminar builds on the work of the international
Scientific Task Force on avian influenza established
by CMS last August which now comprises experts
from 13 UN Bodies, treaty organizations and non
governmental organizations.
It was preceded on Sunday by the first World Migratory
Bird Day where the main celebrations were organized
by internationally renowned author Kuki Gallmann
and the Great Rift Valley Trust at the Laikipia
Conservancy in Kenya.
The report also comes in the wake of an expert
workshop held in Curitiba. Brazil organized by
the UNEP Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
The experts in Brazil concluded that a far wider
range of species including rare and endangered
ones may be affected by highly virulent avian
flu than has previously been supposed.
These include big cats like leopards and tigers,
small cats such as civets, and other mammals like
martens, weasels, badgers, and otters.
The CBD workshop also concluded that over 80 per
cent of known bird species, including migratory
and non migratory ones may also be at risk with
members of the crow family and vultures of particular
concern.
The experts are also worried that the impact of
the highly virulent virus may extend far beyond
direct infection of species, including on livelihoods
and trade as countries take measures to combat
the problem.
Culling of poultry, especially in developing countries
where chicken is a key source of protein, may
lead to local people turning to ‘bushmeat’ as
an alternative.
This may put new and unacceptable pressure on
a wide range of wild living creatures from wild
pigs up to endangered species like chimpanzees,
gorillas and other great apes.
The CBD experts also expressed concern over the
development of a genetic mono- culture of domestic
poultry claiming that this makes many domestic
fowl less disease resistant.
In late 2005, more than 120 governments endorsed
resolutions at a meeting of three key wildlife
treaties—AEWA, CMS and the wetlands treaty Ramsar—which
recommend strengthening biosecurity in farming;
improving global surveillance and research on
avian influenza; developing early warning systems
and avoiding ineffective or counter-productive
‘quick fixes’ such as culling migratory birds
or destroying their wetland habitats.
Notes to Editors
The draft report: Avian Influenza and the Environment:
An Ecohealth Perspective has been submitted to
UNEP by David Rapport, EcoHealth Consulting, with
contributions from John Howard, Luisa Maffi and
Bruce Mitchell. A final version is to be published
soon on www.unep.org.
In respect to wetlands, the report says “Wetland
depletion has direct implications for migrating
wild birds. Wetland habitat world-wide continues
to decline (owing to agricultural expansion and
urban development), resulting in fewer staging
areas for wild migrating birds.
In these situations, remaining wet areas associated
with rice paddies and farm ponds would be expected
to be increasingly attractive to wild birds lacking
sufficient natural habitat during staging, nesting
and migration activities”.
The Avian Influenza Scientific Seminar, Nairobi
10 and 11 April, and World Migratory Bird Day
http://www.worldmigratorybirdday.org/
wmbd/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=32
The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory
Species www.cms.int
The Convention on Biological Diversity www.biodiv.org
The African Eurasian Waterbird Agreement www.unep-aewa.org
The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands www.ramsar.org
