Expressions of Intent for IPY 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Course in Arctic Wildlife Medicine and Welfare  (ARCTWILDMED)

Outline
ARCTWILDMED will provide up to four weeks of intensive lectures, laboratory and field experiences to wildlife biologists, biology students, veterinary students, veterinarians and managers and others that might be interested in health and welfare of Arctic terrestrial wildlife, semi-domestic reindeer and marine mammals. The course will focus on Arctic ecosystem health involving general principals of animal health, diseases and welfare as well as food safety and human health related to traditional use and research activities to support sustainability and health of these animals in the Arctic. Along with the increasing focus on the Arctic ecosystems due to climate change and accumulation of long-distance transported pollutants in the food web, there is in general an increasing interest in Arctic wildlife health, welfare and conservation. Ongoing research and surveillance activities on these animals have revealed a distinct need for increased knowledge in basic medical and health-related issues. Examples include possible negative health effects of environmental pollution and the possibility of new and emerging diseases related to climate change. The goal of ARCTWILDMED is to improve medical based knowledge and field skills among people engaged in wildlife and ecosystem research and management. Central themes of the program will include diseases, diagnostic methods and procedures including clinical investigations, clinical pathology and pathology as well as welfare indicators. Field experiences will include immobilization and handling techniques, sample collection procedures (including protection of field workers against infectious agents), tagging methods, humane killing methods, and food safety and hygiene procedures. The first two weeks of ARCTWILDMED will include lectures at the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science (NVH), Section of Arctic Veterinary Medicine, which is located in the town of Tromsø, in northern Norway. Field activities will be arranged at different locations in northern Norway, at the high Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, in northern Finland and possibly in northwest Russia. The field activities will be of varying length, from two days to two weeks, depending on linkage to ongoing field activities and practical logistics.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
Ongoing research and surveillance activities on Arctic wildlife have revealed a distinct need for increased knowledge in basic medical and health-related issues. The ARCTWILDMED course will contribute to advances in relation to the IPY themes 1, 2 and 6. Additionally, the course is in accordance with the IPY education, outreach and communication strategies, especially related to young and potentially new polar researchers.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
USA; Envirovet Program in Wildlife and Ecosystem Health. The University of Illinois Department of Veterinary Biosciences University of Alaska Fairbanks Finland; The National Veterinary and Food Research Institute of Finland, EELA Russia; There are ongoing contacts with Russia about a possible cooperation

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
Locations for field activities: Svalbard, Finnmark County of Norway, coast of northern Norway. Possibly Finland and northwest Russia. Course field activities may be linked to other relevant IPY-projects.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: Spring /early fall 2007      Spring / early fall 2008      
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
None in particular. Course field work will be linked to ongoing projects, existing facilities and cooperation with local and regional operators and institutions (for instance at Svalbard).

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
The ARCTWILDMED will leave no physical infrastructure. However, it would leave an infrastructure of collaborators and recruitment of personell able to tackle diagnostics and intervention in such issues as infectious diseases, contaminants in animals, animal welfare and public health in the Arctic.

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?
Another national polar operator
National agency
Commercial operator
Own support
Other sources of support

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
No - Our Expression of Intent has also been submitted to the Norwegian National IPY Committee.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE

Is the project a short-term expansion (over the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe) of an existing plan, programme or initiative or is it a new autonomous proposal?
Yes
The project is a new autonomous proposal.

How will the project be organised and managed?
The project will be coordinated and managed by the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science (NVH), Section of Arctic Veterinary Medicine (SAV), Tromsø, with one person hired to be responsible for course information (website), student reqruitment, enrolment, course logistics and accommodations. SAV currently conducts research and research based education and outreach in the areas of animals health, welfare and food safety specially related to semi-domestic reindeer, marine mammals and Arctic terrestrial wild mammals in the circumpolar north. The Section will plan and administer the IPY course in collaboration with the National Veterinary Institute, Tromsø, Norway, which has special expertise in the field of pathology. Faculty staff at both institutions as well as faculty staff from the cooperative partners will be involved in giving lectures and supervision during laboratory and field work.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
ARCTWILDMED wants to address the education to wildlife researchers, students and potentially new polar researchers, biologists, veterinarians and managers in the area of Arctic terrestrial wildlife and marine mammal medicine as well as health and welfare in semi-domestic reindeer. The outreach efforts will be presented for hunters, reindeer herders and decision makers. Communication will be the targeted at the general Arctic public.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document)?
The initial plans of ARCTWILDMED do not include data collection and generation.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
Funding for the project will be sought through national funding agencies.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
Through its linkage to the Envirovet Program in Wildlife and Ecosystem Health and the other international collaborators, the ARCTWILDMED could be an important contributor to highlighting the importance of medical issues related to research and management of Arctic wildlife and semi-domestic animals.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Head of Section Angela Westphal
Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, Section of Arctic Veterinary Medicine
P.O.Box 6204
9292 Tromsø
Norway

Tel: 0047 - 77665400
Mobile: 0047 - 48129292
Fax: 0047 - 77694911
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation

Other Information