Massachusetts wildlife officials receive $773,000 to help prevent pandemics, respond to zoonotic disease outbreaks

State wildlife officials have received nearly $800,000 to get ahead of wildlife disease outbreaks before they cross the barrier from animals to humans and become pandemics.

The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) was recently awarded $773,300 in Zoonotic Disease Initiative grant funds from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The $773,300 will be used over a three-year period to develop a wildlife health and public outreach program for Massachusetts — and to research wildlife diseases, and prevent their spread within the Northeast.

Zoonotic diseases can be transmitted between wildlife and humans. This federal funding is intended to help regions respond to wildlife disease outbreaks before they become pandemics.

“Recent disease issues like Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in birds and white-nose syndrome in bats have highlighted the need for building capacity within MassWildlife and other groups in the region to respond quickly using the latest science and best practices,” said Mark Tisa, director of MassWildlife.

“This funding will help us formalize working relationships with our partners to conduct surveillance and improve public outreach,” Tisa added.

The Zoonotic Disease Initiative is a grant program focused on wildlife disease prevention and preparedness. Authorized under the American Rescue Plan, the Initiative will provide up to $9 million in funding to states, tribes and territories to address wildlife disease outbreaks.

The other states that received funding are: California ($598,015); Kentucky ($683,697); Indiana ($772,948); Hawaii ($774,999); Maryland ($665,266); and Arizona ($134,320).

Under the direction of MassWildlife, the new MassWildlife Health program will be guided by an interagency task force of subject area experts and cooperating partners.

Those partners include: the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Massachusetts Department of Agriculture, Cornell University, UMass Amherst, University of New Hampshire, Tufts University, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, Wampanoag Tribe of Aquinnah, Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, and USDA Wildlife Services.