The antarctic treaty system and wildlife health: Disease awareness, prevention and response

Abstract

The Antarctic Treaty System has long recognised the potential risk to Antarctic wildlife from human mediated introduction or spread of disease (reviewed by Rothwell, this volume). Precautions to reduce the risk were included in the first environmental measures adopted by the Treaty Parties in 1964 (ATCM III 1964), specifically, dogs imported into the Treaty Area were required to be inoculated against distemper, contagious hepatitis, rabies and leptospirosis. These precautions were strengthened by the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty, 1991, which prohibits the introduction of non-native species, parasites and diseases, except with a permit, and then only for laboratory plants, animals and micro-organisms, and domestic plants. The Environmental Protocol also requires that imported poultry products be inspected for evidence of disease, such as Newcastle's disease, tuberculosis and yeast infection, and that all residues of imported animals, plants and micro-organisms should be removed from the Treaty Area or treated to make them sterile.