Wildlife Biosurveillance: Protecting Animal and Public Health in Singapore

Dajun Wang, Scientist (Biorisk and Biosurveillance), Veterinary Health Division, NParks

June 2025

In our vibrant City in Nature, Singapore's diverse ecosystems are home to a rich array of wildlife. From the long-tailed macaques in our nature reserves to the smooth-coated otters in our waterways, these animals play crucial roles in maintaining the health and balance of our urban environment. As nature is restored into our urban environment and brought closer to our everyday lives, the proximity between wildlife and human populations necessitates increased vigilance against potential diseases that could affect both animals and humans.

Over 60% of human pathogens are zoonotic, meaning that they can spread between animals and humans. While some zoonotic diseases like avian influenza, rabies, and mpox are not present in animals in Singapore, others such as Simian B virus and leptospirosis are endemic to our region, including Singapore. While such disease may be a risk, not every animal is a source of these pathogens and transmission to humans is rare.

The recent rise in pandemics and outbreaks have demonstrated the impact of zoonotic diseases on global health and economies. The emergence of these diseases is often driven by activities such as habitat disruption, environmental changes, animal farming practices with poor biosecurity and global movement of people and goods. This highlights our shared responsibility to maintain healthy and thriving natural spaces and ecosystems, nurture positive connections with nature, and maintain vigilant surveillance of wildlife populations. For instance, the ongoing global surge in bird flu outbreaks, affecting both domestic and wild birds and mammals, emphasises the critical importance of vigilant surveillance of wildlife populations for emerging zoonotic pathogens.

Robust biosurveillance systems are key in this effort to track and assess wildlife health with the aim of safeguarding animal and public health.

What is Wildlife Biosurveillance?

Wildlife biosurveillance is a systematic process to monitor, detect, and collect animal health information, including the presence of pathogens or diseases in wildlife populations. This creates an early detection and warning system for emerging zoonoses that helps prevent potential outbreaks and contributes to the health and well-being of humans and animals. As a key component of the One Health approach, which recognises the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health, wildlife biosurveillance is particularly crucial in densely populated Singapore and plays a vital role in building the resilience of our City in Nature and fostering human-wildlife coexistence.

The monitoring of wildlife health can also be beneficial towards wildlife management and conservation in Singapore. Through the detection of early signs of disease outbreaks or shifts in disease transmission dynamics, we are not only better equipped to protect rare and/or vulnerable species, but also develop and implement timely interventions to maintain ecosystem health and stability. This proactive approach can contribute towards protecting Singapore's native wildlife biodiversity.

How do we conduct wildlife biosurveillance in Singapore?

The Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS), a cluster of the National Parks Board (NParks), as the primary government body responsible for animal health in Singapore, conducts comprehensive wildlife health monitoring and biosurveillance programmes across the country. AVS ‘multifaceted approach is tailored to different wildlife populations and encompasses a wide range of potential zoonotic diseases. The first component of our biosurveillance efforts involves horizon scanning for disease threats beyond our shores. This entails close monitoring of international disease events and performing risk assessments to identify emerging public health threats with a human-animal-environment interface and evaluate their potential impact on Singapore.

In addition, AVS incorporates different forms of surveillance to cover a range of species, each selected for their ecological significance or potential role in zoonotic disease transmission, to assess and track wildlife health in Singapore’s diverse ecosystem. This integrated approach allows us to stay vigilant against potential zoonotic threats while also monitoring the overall health of our wildlife populations. The effectiveness of our strategy is exemplified by two key case studies, which demonstrate how we adapt our biosurveillance methods to different species and ecosystems within Singapore.

1. Surveillance of African Swine Fever

   AVS’ robust surveillance programme played a crucial role in the early detection of African Swine Fever (ASF) in Singapore. Through diligent wildlife mortality monitoring, we detected the first occurrence of ASF in a wild boar carcass. This discovery triggered a comprehensive investigation, including intensified monitoring of wild boar populations where the carcass was found. Although ASF is not zoonotic, its potential impact on wild boar populations is a significant concern for ecosystem health and stability. Wild boars play integral roles in forest ecosystems, contributing to seed dispersal and soil aeration. A substantial decline in their numbers could trigger cascading effects, potentially altering forest composition and reducing floral diversity.
   

   In response to this detection, AVS implemented stringent biosecurity measures to prevent the spread of ASF to domestic pig populations, working closely with local pig establishments and relevant agencies to enhance surveillance and biosecurity protocols.
   

2. Monitoring of Avian Influenza through surveillance

   Singapore's position along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway makes it essential to maintain vigilant surveillance for avian influenza in both local and migratory wild birds. This is particularly crucial at key stopover sites such as Pulau Ubin and Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve during the migratory season. AVS’ multi-faceted approach includes traditional and cutting-edge techniques to enhance our detection capabilities. Methods range from conventional cloacal and faecal swabs to innovative environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling. The latter involves testing for avian influenza virus from water samples collected from mudflats frequented by migratory birds. This complementary approach provides a more comprehensive and efficient monitoring system, allowing us to proactively identify potential threats to both animal and public health.

Wild birds are examined for early signs of bird flu to help protect animals and humans. (Photo Credit: Heng Zhan Pei)

Researchers gently collect swab samples from a wild migratory bird to test for bird flu. Wearing gloves and using proper techniques help keep both the team and the bird safe. (Photo Credit: Rayson Lim)

These case studies demonstrate how our biosurveillance efforts, incorporating both monitoring as well as proactive sampling and interventions, allow us to maintain a comprehensive overview of wildlife health in Singapore's diverse ecosystems. This integrated approach not only enhances our ability to detect and respond to potential threats but also contributes to the broader understanding of ecosystem health and biodiversity conservation in Singapore.

Public Role in Wildlife Health and Human-Wildlife Coexistence

While NParks leads Singapore's wildlife biosurveillance efforts, public participation is crucial in supporting these initiatives and promoting harmonious coexistence with wildlife. By adopting nature stewardship, every resident can contribute to protecting both animal and public health in our City in Nature.

Some simple yet impactful key practices are:

1. Observing wildlife from a safe distance Appreciate wildlife while keeping a safe distance. This not only helps maintain natural animal behaviours and reduce stress on wildlife, but also minimises the risk of disease transmission between humans and animals.
   

2. No feeding or releasing Refrain from feeding animals or releasing captive animals. Feeding animals makes them dependent on humans, disrupts their natural behaviour, and can lead to aggression or intrusive behaviours. Released captive animals may not survive in the wild and can harm ecosystems by introducing diseases and competing with native wildlife.
   

3. Avoiding direct contact Do not touch wildlife. If you do get a bite or scratch from wildlife, seek medical attention promptly to prevent potential zoonotic infections.
   

4. Practising proper waste management Ensure proper disposal of food waste and secure garbage bins to prevent attracting wildlife to urban areas, and reduce human-wildlife encounters and potential disease transmission.

The public can also support our biosurveillance efforts by reporting unusual wildlife behaviour or deaths to NParks' 24-hour Animal Response Centre at 1800-476-1600. Examples include death of multiple wildlife in one location, wildlife displaying abnormal behaviours such as disorientation, abnormal movement patterns, or signs of neurological issues such as tremors or seizures. This vigilance can contribute valuable data for early detection of potential disease outbreaks. By following these guidelines, members of public can play a role in safeguarding animal and public health and keeping Singapore free from zoonotic diseases.

The Future of Wildlife Biosurveillance

As part of NParks’ ongoing efforts to enhance our wildlife biosurveillance capabilities, we will continue to explore technological advancements, an expanded scope of surveillance, and strategic collaborations. Some of our key initiatives include the further development of innovative sampling techniques and methods that optimise efficiency. This could include the non-invasive collection and testing of viral DNA material, which allows for a more efficient and wide-ranging sampling strategy, enabling us to monitor multiple species and habitats simultaneously with greater efficiency.

Climate change presents evolving challenges to wildlife health and biosurveillance efforts. In response, we are adapting our surveillance strategies to be more flexible and responsive to changing environmental conditions. Our approach includes enhancing our understanding of the ecology and epidemiology of diseases in response to climate change, strengthening our monitoring for climate-sensitive diseases and developing predictive models to anticipate potential disease outbreaks under different climate scenarios. These proactive measures ensure that wildlife biosurveillance remains a critical pillar in Singapore's efforts to safeguard animal and public health.

Additionally, we will continue efforts on public education and awareness campaigns to increase understanding of wildlife health and biosurveillance among Singapore's residents. These initiatives aim to foster a sense of shared responsibility in maintaining the health of our urban ecosystems and reinforce the importance of coexistence with wildlife in our City in Nature.

Conclusion

Wildlife biosurveillance plays a critical role in safeguarding animal and public health in Singapore. To build a resilient biosurveillance system, we look towards strengthening our collective voice in communicating messages about responsible wildlife interaction and disease prevention to the public with OWN partners and trusted voices within Singapore’s nature community. Through such coordinated efforts, we can effectively communicate wildlife health risks and promote practices that protect both animal and public health. This collaborative approach is increasingly important as we continue to adapt to emerging challenges while creating a harmonious and sustainable City in Nature for all Singaporeans.