One Health and Conservation Medicine－Development of the Japanese Society of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine for the Past 20 Years－

Abstract

Japanese Society of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine (JSZWM) which was founded in 1995 meets 20-year anniversary and is developing with energetic activity such as establishment of diploma qualification foundation, annual student seminar courses, assignment of experts for infectious disease control in wildlife, support of the Asian Society of Conservation Medicine, and formulation of some guidelines for wildlife conservation and ethics. There have been many socially-concerned events related with wildlife, including effects of endocrine disruptors, outbreak of lead poisoning in raptors, mass intrusion of bears into residential area, re-introduction of endangered birds such as Japanese crested ibis and white stork, highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak. As an academic field responding to these problems, conservation medicine develops and becomes of an inter-disciplinary importance as well as One Health concepts. This field will be necessary more than nowadays to contribute conservation of biodiversity, encouraging the JSZWM development with relation to other organizations.