The Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) and the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands gave advice on sampling approaches for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 in wild birds in response to an inquiry by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Georgia, which has in turn been addressed by the Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia to allow for selective killing of wild birds for HPAI H5N1 surveillance.

The three Multilateral Environmental Agreements do not endorse selective shooting of wild birds as proposed by the authorities in Georgia. Stressing that sampling strategies should be related to the objectives of the surveillance programme, they suggest that rapid detection of HPAI H5N1 is most appropriately undertaken by sampling for viruses in dead birds, especially when these occur in unusual numbers and/or belong to species considered to be at higher risk of being infected by H5N1. On the other hand, assessment of presence of various avian influenza viruses, including high and low pathogenic strains, in wild bird populations is usually best undertaken by capture and sampling of live birds, sampling of freshly deposited faeces, and/or sampling of freshly shot birds killed by recreational hunting.

The advice was also consulted within the Scientific Task Force on Avian Influenza and Wild Birds.

Click here to download the full text of the advice (Technical Note).