Introduction
While wildlife, non-model animal species and biodiversity research and education present challenges and opportunities, policy and guidance on the care and use of animals has focused mainly on laboratory animal models of human disease used for biomedical research. Advancing the understanding of the biology (e.g., genetics, microbiology, physiology, zoology, marine and fisheries biology, terrestrial and aquatic ecology and medicine) of a much broader diversity of species is more important than ever for the conservation of wildlife species. The United Nations (UN) projects global human population growth1 in 2030 to reach 8.5 billion, while monitored wildlife populations (e.g., mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians) continue to rapidly decline. Although there are regional geographic and wild animal species differences related to habitat loss and overexploitation of natural resources, the effects of climate change threaten planetary health (e.g., increases in zoonotic and anthropozoonotic pathogen transmissions, as observed with the COVID-19 pandemic) and biodiversity loss at scale.
As the world confronts issues resulting from the intrinsic linkages and interdependence between animal, human, and environmental health, the 2021 operational definition of the One Health High Level Expert Panel (OHHLEP) was welcomed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH; formerly OIE), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) (Joint Tripartite and UNEP Statement2). The OHHLEP definition is as follows:
One Healthis an integrated, unifying approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimize the health of people, animals and ecosystems.
It recognizes the health of humans, domestic and wild animals, plants, and the wider environment (including ecosystems) are closely linked and inter-dependent.
The approach mobilizes multiple sectors, disciplines and communities at varying levels of society to work together to foster well-being and tackle threats to health and ecosystems, while addressing the collective need for clean water, energy and air, safe and nutritious food, taking action on climate change, and contributing to sustainable development. (OHHLEP et al. 2022)
For research and education activities with wildlife, non-model animal species and biodiversity it is the species itself that is the focus. Species have diverse physiologies and behaviors, live in diverse habitats, and have different animal welfare issues and implications for animal care and use. This makes it challenging for regulators and the regulated communities to follow the guidelines outlined in the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, commonly known as the Guide (NRC 2011), which was developed mainly to apply in a laboratory-based, biomedical-focused research context.
To explore issues associated with the unique welfare considerations of wildlife, non-model animal species and biodiversity, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (the National Academies) (under the auspices of the Roundtable on Science and Welfare in Laboratory
___________________
1 See https://www.un.org/en/global-issues/population.
2 See https://www.who.int/news/item/01-12-2021-tripartite-and-unep-support-ohhlep-s-definition-of-one-health.
Animal Use3 and the Standing Committee for the Care and Use of Animals in Research4) hosted a workshop titled Discussing and Understanding Animal Welfare Challenges in Research and Education on Wildlife, Non-Model Animal Species and Biodiversity on February 9–10, 2022. The event, held virtually and globally webcasted, included pre-recorded presentations and overarching discussions to explore this topic in breadth and depth. More than 1,800 participants from academia, industry, government, and nonprofit organizations joined the webcast. Workshop information, video recordings, and presentations from the workshop may be found on the project website, including comments, questions or responses from interactions with panelists and workshop participants.5
This proceedings summarizes key topics covered in the workshop presentations and discussions based on workshop transcripts, recordings, and speaker slide decks from the event. It was prepared by the rapporteur as a factual summary of what occurred at the workshop. The role of the planning committee was to develop the workshop agenda and session objectives with the support of Institute for Laboratory Animal Research (ILAR) staff. The views contained in the proceedings are those of individual workshop speakers and do not necessarily represent the views of all workshop participants, the planning committee, or the National Academies. References to proprietary products or services does not imply adoption or endorsement of any product or service by the National Academies or any participant in the workshop.
The workshop was intended to heighten awareness, increase sensitivity, and promote discussions on animal research and education involving non-traditional animal species used in research and education, as well as illuminate what is necessary to realize wildlife and biodiversity conservation at scale. This event explored issues of particular relevance to wildlife professionals (e.g., biologists, ecologists, veterinarians); Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees (IACUCs); and governmental agencies, professional societies, and other organizations that establish guidelines on the care and use of animals in research and education. The topics discussed will also be relevant to broader audiences including students and early-career researchers, animal welfare or environmental advocacy organizations, and the general public. While participants did not seek to establish consensus or make any recommendations, they recognized that exploring and elucidating issues around the use of wildlife species in research and education will help inform future efforts to tailor guidance for the humane care and use of a wider diversity of animals, both in traditional laboratory animal facilities and non-laboratory settings, such as captive and natural field and aquatic conditions, while maintaining the integrity of research.
Anne Maglia, University of Massachusetts Lowell, and Robert S. Sikes, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, served as the co-chairs of the workshop planning committee. They introduced the workshop and provided an overview of its purpose and context. In order to better inform efforts to establish frameworks for guiding animal research involving wild species, the workshop convened subject-matter experts from a wide range of fields and U.S.-based institutions to examine historical and current research practices and challenges along with the legal, regulatory, and ethical context for these endeavors. Organized into eight sessions, the workshop examined a wide range of issues involved in ensuring animal welfare; planning and permitting required for research activities; impact on target and non-target species; ensuring biosecurity and biosafety, including the safety of research teams in the field; providing research
___________________
3 This roundtable was created to promote the responsible use of animals in science, provide a balanced and civil forum to stimulate dialogue and collaboration, and help build trust and transparency among stakeholders. Roundtable members comprise entities with strong interests in the use of laboratory animals in research and education, including government agencies, leading pharmaceutical and consumer product companies, contract research organizations, animal advocacy groups, professional societies, and prominent academic institutions.
4 This Standing Committee engages with animal research stakeholder communities regarding new processes, formats, and topics for future updates or additions to the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (the Guide). Now in its 8th edition, the Guide serves as the basis for accreditation of institutions worldwide. The standing committee is not an advisory nor oversight committee that will make recommendations for changes to the Guide; rather it will provide a venue for the exchange of ideas and knowledge sharing among those involved in scientific research and animal care and use in the academic, government, private, and nonprofit sectors.
5 See https://www.nationalacademies.org/event/02-09-2022/animal-welfare-challenges-in-research-and-educationon-wildlife-non-model-animal-species-and-biodiversity.
oversight; and a variety of other considerations for the responsible and humane conduct of wildlife research and educational activities. Maglia and Sikes expressed their hope that the discussions would be useful not only for ongoing activities of ILAR but also for a wide range of oversight bodies, regulators, IACUC members, and investigators to better understand key considerations for wildlife research.
