The status and impacts of Avian flu in the UK Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies: webinar

Alderney has an internationally important population of Northern gannets. They are found at Les Etacs and Ortac between February and October - Copyright: Alderney Wildlife Trust
Northern Gannet: Alderney Wildlife Trust

UK Overseas Territories Conservation Forum (UKOTCF) will hold an online webinar on a challenge facing conservationists across the globe: avian bird flu. It will take place on the 30th September 2024  via Zoom. 

The aim of the webinar is to support conservation groups across the UKOTs by sharing gathered information on how they and others deal with the threat from avian flu. This will provide a collection of research and a supportive and beneficial discussion of new and innovative ways of thinking in order to deal with the issues and challenges which this disease is causing.

TENTATIVE PROGRAMME [as of early September 2024]

3pm-6pm (British Summer Time; BST); check local time zones for correct timings

SESSION 1: The global picture of bird flu and the status on UKOTs and managing risks 

Presentations and speakers:

  • World-wide outbreak of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza: wildlife, domestic animals, and humans at risk. Thijs Kuiken, Erasmus University Medical Centre
  • An update from Channel Islands. Tara Cox, Alderney Wildlife Trust
  • Impacts of bird flu. Ash Bennison, British Antarctic Survey
  • Protecting the Penguins – avian flu in Antarctica. Sophie Montagne, UK Antarctic Heritage Trust
  • Bird Flu in South Georgia: balancing thriving tourism. Denise Blake, Government of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands
  • Bird flu in Falkland Islands: delivering action to protect biodiversity. Zoe Fowler, Falkland Islands Government  

SESSION 2:  Status of bird flu around the world and what it might tell us for the future outlook for UKOTs

Presentations and speakers:

  • The role of biosecurity in disease and vector prevention. James Millet, GB Non-Native Species Secretariat (GBNNS)
  • Investigating exposure to High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza Virus in a multi-species assemblage of UK seabirds. Fiona Greco, University of Edinburgh / UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
  • Highly pathogenic avian influenza in European seabirds in 2022-2024: a short overview. Wouter Courtens, Research Institute for Nature and Forest the
  • North American perspective. Dr Sarah Bevin, USDA

SESSION 3: 

Discussion

Registration Closed
You can still join by emailing
cwensink@ukotcf.org

Supported by: 

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