Before entering the forest in the Dzanga-Sangha Protected Areas in the Central African Republic, veterinarian Frédéric Singa and team check temperatures, wash hands, disinfect shoes, and wear masks as part of strict hygiene measures. For Dr Singa, the only wildlife veterinarian in the country for now, this is not only about protecting gorillas. It is also about protecting people. This is One Health in Practice – the understanding that the health of humans, wildlife and the forest is interconnected. “Working closely with trackers who know the forest by heart and with research assistants trained to collect non-invasive samples such as urine and faeces, we monitor the gorillas’ health very carefully,” he explains. “Once we locate the gorillas, I observe each animal through binoculars from about 10 to 15 metres away to check for injuries or any unusual behaviour.”
Urine and faeces samples are collected monthly and analysed to help detect disease risks early. This regular monitoring also makes it possible to compare results before, during and after disease outbreaks, providing useful insights into how diseases emerge, spread and evolve.
As the world marks World Zoonoses Day, we are reminded that we can’t achieve a healthy planet alone. The health of humans, animals and the environment are interdependent. When forests are degraded, wildlife habitats are disturbed and contact between people and wildlife increases. At these high interface areas, the natural barriers that help reduce zoonotic disease transmission are weakened. Zoonotic diseases are infections that can pass between animals and people. They may be caused by viruses, bacteria, or parasites and can spread through direct and indirect contact with wildlife or livestock products, unsafe handling of meat, contaminated water, or vectors such as mosquitoes and ticks. Ebola, Mpox, anthrax, Marburg disease, and brucellosis are among the many diseases of concern in African landscapes.
The current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is a stark reminder that prevention must begin long before a crisis emerges. The outbreak shows how quickly zoonotic diseases can threaten communities, economic security, health systems and regional safety, especially in areas affected by displacement, insecurity and limited access to health services. WWF action on the ground
Across key African conservation landscapes, WWF and partners are helping to strengthen prevention through the One Health approach.
In Dzanga-Sangha, Dr Singa and his team monitor wildlife health, examine animal carcasses found in the forest, manage a field laboratory, and raise awareness among local and Indigenous communities on how to reduce disease transmission risks. Their work helps detect warning signs early while supporting safer practices for people who live close to wildlife. In Cameroon’s Campo Ma’an National Park, WWF, through veterinarian Dr Michael Kuwong and partners, is developing a practical One Health framework that brings together health surveillance, disease outbreak early warning, community engagement, ecological conservation, scientific partnerships, training, improved local healthcare and governance.
“Our approach recognises that protecting wildlife such as elephants, gorillas, leopards, antelopes and intact forests also supports community wellbeing. Healthy forests contribute to water security, reduce risky human-wildlife contact, sustain livelihoods and help prevent disease spillover,” Dr Kuwong said.
“Before, when someone found a dead animal in the forest, many people did not understand the danger. Today, we know it can put the whole village at risk. We report it, keep children away and wait for the trained teams,” says Chatelle Asso, a tracker in Campo Ma’an National Park. Communities are central to prevention. Through District One health teams, they participate in reporting, local governance and the sharing of prevention measures. They are also key partners in reducing poaching and unsafe wild meat consumption.
For Paul Hatanga, Conservation Programme Manager for WWF Uganda, success can only be achieved by building resilient systems. “We want to see communities that are healthy and whose actions are conscious of the health of their environment. If wildlife and the environment are safe, then the nature-based economy in the Greater Virunga Landscape will continue to thrive,” Hatanga says. This local role matters because communities are often the first to notice unusual animal deaths, illness, risky practices or changes in the forest. When they are informed, trusted and supported, they become the first line of defence against disease risks.
Challenges and way forward
But the challenges remain serious. Poverty, dependence on wild meat, limited access to healthcare, misinformation, insecurity, weak surveillance systems and continued pressure on forests increase the risk of outbreaks. For Dr Singa, one of the biggest challenges is creating awareness and behavioural change among local communities on long-standing cultural practices like poaching and wild meat consumption that can lead to infectious disease outbreaks.
The way forward must therefore be practical and people-centred. Communities need trusted information, safe livelihood alternatives, stronger local health systems, trained frontline workers, adequately resourced laboratories and closer collaboration between conservation, veterinary and public health authorities. By investing in One Health, Africa can protect its people, wildlife and forests, while
building stronger resilience against future disease threats.