History. The creation of the Belgian Wildlife Disease Society (BWDS) originated on the one hand from the perception of a lack of concertation between workers in the field of wildlife diseases and on the other hand from a demand of the OIE for information concerning the follow up of wildlife diseases in Belgium.

An earlier study group gathering a small number of veterinarians interested in wild living animals (Studiegroep Wildlevende Dieren , SWD) was active between 1997 and 2001 in Flanders. During this period informative meetings were organised at different locations, covering various veterinary aspects of wild living animals, ranging from infectious diseases to surgery, capture techniques and legislation. This was made possible by the kind cooperation of various speakers each of them being specialised in one of the treated subjects.

At the beginning of 2004 some informal talks between Paul Tavernier (Ghent University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine), Paul Heyman (Reference Center for Hantaviruses, Queen Astrid Military Hospital, Belgian Army) and Stefan Roels (Operational Direction. Interactions and Surveillance, CODA/CERVA/VAR) resulted in the decision of starting up a working group for the study and monitoring of wildlife diseases in Belgium. Very soon the enthusiasm of this team was reinforced by others from the CODA/CERVA, the Belgian Armed Forces, the University of Liege, the Institute of Tropical Medicine, the Institute for Forestry and Game Management (Flanders), and the Nature Department of the Flemish Community. Meetings took place at the Queen Astrid Military Hospital in Neder-over-Heembeek (Brussels), and later on also at other locations.

Goals. The BWDS is an independently working organisation, not related to any official instance, uniting scientists and practitioners in order to promote research and to exchange information in the field of wildlife diseases in Belgium. Though most participants are veterinarians, the BWDS is open to biologists, ecologists, bio-engineers, officials and others actively working in the field of wildlife diseases in Belgium. We believe as a matter of fact that a multidisciplinary approach is the key to a broad exchange of knowledge and the development of an efficient wildlife disease-monitoring network.

Next to the collection of basic information on wildlife diseases for the Belgian territory, the main objectives are the monitoring of unusual wildlife mortalities and the surveillance of known pathogens and emerging diseases. In connection, the organisation aims at advising the Belgian authorities about wildlife diseases in order to meet their obligations towards the OIE

Last but not least the BWDS wants to constitute a forum and an information desk for anyone interested in wildlife diseases in Belgium or trying to find answers to particular questions in this field.

Structure. The BWDS board is composed of six people who communicate intensively with each other, in order to deal with all aspects of the functioning of the BWDS, and is re-elected every four years. The current board members are Paul Tavernier (president), Paul Heyman and Stefan Roels (vice-presidents), Alexandre Dobly (treasurer), Leen Claes (secretary), Kristof Baert (website). The general assembly is open to all members and represents a group of about twenty “active” people who attend the BWDS meetings regularly. Membership of the BWDS is acquired automatically for two years for those having participated to the most recent BWDS Symposium.

As well at the national as at the international level the BWDS is interwoven in an ample network of institutions and organisations being active for at least a part of their occupation in wildlife disease related matters, and with which regular interactions are maintained. Most of the Belgian institutions and organisations with an interest in wildlife diseases have one or more representatives in the BWDS general assembly

Activities. A general assembly is held two to tree times a year during which invited speakers present a specific subject. The presentations are usually followed by an administrative part of the meeting during which organisatory subjects are discussed with the attendants. Every two years a BWDS Symposium is organized around a main theme and a number of speakers presenting subjects connected to the main theme are invited. Moreover, posters can be presented about wildlife diseases in a broad sense, covering subjects not necessarily related to the Symposium main theme.

From March 2008 to March 2010, BWDS members were active in a federal government granted project called WILDSURV in which the basic steps for the organisation of a national wildlife diseases surveillance scheme were taken. An electronic first-line risk assessment system for prioritization of wildlife-borne pathogens in Belgium and its regions was developed. Existing structures to be integrated in surveillance networks were identified and new networks were started up.