What is being done to monitor for the high pathogenic H5N1 strain of avian flu in North America?
Because some waterfowl and shorebird species migrate between Alaska and Asia, and across the Atlantic from Europe, authorities in the wildlife conservation, hunting and medical communities are taking steps to monitor the situation closely and take action if necessary. The probability of the arrival of high pathogenic H5N1 avian flu in North American waterfowl cannot be predicted. In Canada, health and management of migratory birds are within the jurisdiction of the Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) of Environment Canada. The CWS is actively participating in the monitoring and reporting of avian flu in Canada among migratory birds, in consultation with other agencies such as the Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre (CCWHC), which coordinates Canada’s national wildlife health surveillance program and provides educational programs, information, and consultation to both government and non-government agencies, as well as to the public. Canada’s federal government has established a webs
