In honor of the 2nd annual USGS Wildlife Health Awareness Day on April 24, the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) is highlighting the work of our veterinary, research and wildlife management in combating the spread of wildlife diseases in Arizona.
As the leading federal agency for free-ranging wildlife disease research, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) launched Wildlife Health Awareness Day in 2025 to highlight actionable wildlife health science.
AZGFD tracks and monitors dozens of zoonotic diseases impacting various species of mammals, reptiles, amphibians and birds.
“We monitor wildlife health to protect and conserve our many wildlife species,” said Dr. Anne Justice-Allen, AZGFD wildlife veterinarian. “Monitoring the health of wildlife populations also benefits human health, the health of our communities and the health of livestock.”
The Department’s Wildlife Health Program leads the state agency in monitoring for zoonotic diseases, conducting mortality investigations and necropsies, and providing guidance for safe wildlife capture and processing.
“We provide training for our wildlife managers and biologists for taking biological samples, recognizing biosecurity risks, how to stay safe in the field when it comes to disease risks, and ensuring safe and humane handling of wildlife,” said Dr. Ann Fan, assistant wildlife veterinarian.
Here are just a few of the wildlife health initiatives conducted by AZGFD:
- Managing pneumonia in big horn sheep
AZGFD closely monitors Arizona’s bighorn sheep herds for signs of pneumonia, a serious threat to wild populations. Pneumonia is a bacterial respiratory infection transmitted to wild bighorn sheep from contact with livestock, primarily domestic sheep.
Keeping wild and domestic sheep separate is challenging due to the large distance bighorn sheep are known to travel (up to 30 miles), but the Department is committed to reducing the spread of the disease through ongoing tracking and translocations.
- Combating sylvatic plague in black-footed ferrets
Prairie dogs colonies are severely affected by the sylvatic plague, a deadly bacterial infection that is naturally transmitted by fleas. In turn, the prairie dogs can infect the carnivores that eat them– including the critically endangered black-footed ferret.
AZGFD and its conservation partners are testing prairie dog colonies and vaccinating captive black-footed ferrets before release to help curb the spread of the disease.
- Monitoring for highly pathogenic avian influenza on the landscape
The highly pathogenic strains of avian influenza (HPAI) can cause severe disease and death in domestic poultry, wild birds, and occasionally in mammals.
AZGFD monitors for outbreaks of avian influenza and communicates guidelines to hunters and the general public when it’s detected in the state.
- Spreading the word on rabies prevention
Every year, AZGFD reminds the public to protect themselves and their pets against rabies, a viral infection of the nervous system spread through a bite from a carrier such as a bat, fox, and skunk. Signs include activity during abnormal hours, extreme aggression, or allowing humans to approach.
Any person or pet that is bitten by wildlife should immediately seek medical or veterinary treatment.
To report an animal bite, or an animal acting suspicious, call AZGFD at 623-236-7201
Visit our website to learn more about the Department’s Wildlife Health Program.