Dear {name},

Our colleague Alice Giulia Brandt has left the GIZ project team to join a new project in Ecuador. We are grateful for all the great work she has done and we will miss her a lot. 

At the end of April, Leonie Rust will also be leaving the team to start her PhD on the Marine Ornamental Fish Trade. We wish her all the best and lots of success in this new chapter.

At the beginning of April, we have sent out an email regarding the data transition from GIZ to WOAH. The Secretariat transition to WOAH includes the transfer of personal data that you have registered with either on our website or on our mailing list, such as your email address. 

GIZ is subject to the EU legislation on General Data Protection Regulations EU GDPR and WOAH follows similar principles (Privacy Policy - WOAH).

This processing of personal data is based on a legitimate interest according to Article 6 No. 1 (f) GDRP. WOAH has legitimate interest in receiving your personal data to run the Alliance Secretariat and to continue publishing the Alliance newsletter.

If you do not wish your personal data to be transferred to WOAH, kindly send a reply email to us and we will erase your data accordingly.

WOAH follows some European GDPR standards and will keep treating your data following the rules similar to those applied by GIZ. Namely, the personal data transferred to WOAH will be processed by WOAH and allow WOAH to manage the network. As before, you will have the right to access and rectify your personal data as well as to request erasure, obtain data portability and object to its processing in certain circumstances by contacting your contact point at WOAH. 

On March 19, 2025, the Steering Committee of the Alliance met to discuss the outcomes and next steps of the Working Groups, as well as to connect with the WOAH team. It was agreed that all Working Groups will remain in place. A special issue summarising the outcomes will be released in the coming weeks. 

In addition, a new Steering Committee election will take place this year, as the first three-year term of the current members is coming to an end. We will share further information about the self-nomination and election process in the coming weeks.

We are glad to announce that the Guidelines on the surveillance of diseases, pathogens, and toxins in wildlife, co-developed by WOAH and IUCN are now available on the WOAH website (wildlife portal tab Resources) in English, French and Spanish. Translation and copy editing were supervised by WOAH.

Together with CABI, an international, intergovernmental, non-profit organisation, the Alliance is publishing a Special Issue by publishing specific One Health Case Studies from our distinguished members under the Alliance banner. This is an excellent opportunity to showcase your work while contributing to an important collective effort addressing global health risks related to wildlife trade!

Submissions should highlight the value of a One Health approach, include insights from at least two disciplines, and emphasize transdiciplinary processes that integrate perspectives beyond the academic sphere, such as communities or government decision-makers' perspectives.

The case studies do not require original research. You are welcome to adapt or rework existing articles into case studies without concerns of copyright violations. All cases undergo peer review, receive a DOI number, and count towards your publication record. In recognition of your work, CABI will provide a small honorarium of £100 per case. 

The deadline is April 30, 2025.

If you would like to contribute to this collaboration, kindly send an email to us and we will send you a template and more information.

I would like to contribute!

The journal Viruses has announced the launch of a new Special Issue titled "One Health Approaches: Tackling the Spillover of Zoonotic Viruses from Wildlife to Humans." This Special Issue seeks to advocate interdisciplinary research with a holistic approach and on understanding and mitigating zoonotic spillover events.

They are particularly interested in submissions that explore the social and biological interface of the topic. As this issue highly aligns with the goals of the Science-Policy Working Group, we encourage members, as well as other experts, to submit their work. 

The deadline for manuscript submission is October 31, 2025.

Our honorable Steering Committee member, Dr. Jamie K. Reaser, has published a new paper addressing the biodiversity and public health interface: 

The study analysed bat imports to the US from 2015 to 2023, revealing the trade of 284 bat species from 106 countries, including 37 species classified as vulnerable to extinction. Investigations into e-commerce identified listings for 28 species, one of which was illegally traded. 

Of the imported species, 106 are known to host 45 zoonotic RNA viruses, such as rabies and dengue, with 25 identified as pathogens of concern by the WHO or US health agencies. The findings highlight the urgent need for enhanced pathogen surveillance, stricter trade regulations, and the utilisation of international frameworks like CITES to address conservation and zoonotic risks.

We would like to share this interesting Special Issue on Conservation and Social Science with you.

We are pleased to share with you a reminder about the Inventory Questionnaire, developed by the Human Dimensions of Zoonoses in Wildlife Trade Working Group under the International Alliance Against Health Risks in Wildlife Trade. 

Your participation in this questionnaire will contribute to the development of a valuable open resource for researchers, practitioners, and policy-makers, who are looking to make a difference in promoting One Health in the wildlife trade context through human behaviour change and social marketing. The real-world examples from our work will showcase the transdisciplinary approaches to addressing the multifaceted challenges we all face today. In addition to collaborative writing and publication to share learnings, you may be invited to be part of our training and capacity-building force to advance the knowledge and practices in this unique and intersected area. 

As an individual or organisation representative your contribution to this survey will help achieve at least two objectives:

1. Create an inventory of human behaviour change/social marketing projects that aim to reduce zoonotic disease risks in any aspect of human-wildlife interaction in the wildlife trade context. Summaries of these initiatives, including links to the project sites when feasible, will be made available online as a compendium. 

2. Assess the need for transdiciplinary training and capacity building to adress the human dimensions of zoonotic disease risk (e.g. public participation, behaviour change, and strategic communications) in the wildlife trade context.

We greatly appreciate you taking the time to contribute to this important questionnaire. Your input is invaluable to our work. Thank you for your support and participation.

The Alliance is all about giving your work more visibility and connect different stakeholders that can thrive from each other’s expertise. Here is how to get active:

1. News Centre

Showcase your content by submitting blog posts, research, and upcoming projects to the Secretariat. We encourage you to also submit your contributions in any other languages besides English.

2. Community Pitches

Share your projects, news, and events in Community Pitches! Following Alliance events, you will have the opportunity to present your pitches to the community and promote collaboration. Email us to submit your pitches (2-3 minutes max).

3. Formats

We currently have the formats “Expert Talk” and “Voices from the Ground”. Get in touch with us, if you wish to learn more about them or would like to organise an event with the Alliance.

4. Interactive Website Members Area

Discover the interactive members area on our website, where you can connect with others, request information, access event recordings, find relevant reads, and explore collaboration opportunities. Our Onboarding Video will help you to get started! Of course, you can also download our Media Kit and spread the word.

5. Project Map

Fill out the project profile and we will put you on the Project Map! Find the form here.