About us
MoZWE
The Monitoring and Surveillance Center for Zoonotic Diseases in Wildlife and Exotic Animals (MoZWE), Faculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol University, was established on 10 February 2004.
The purposes of establishing the center are monitoring, surveillance and control of avian influenza which outbreaks in that time, and also other epidemic and/or pandemic diseases from wildlife, exotic animals and migratory animals.
Disease Investigation
Over the past decade, MoZWE has continuously provided wildlife health services to government agencies and private sector organizations in the country. Under the One Health concept, our center develops capabilities of personnel and technology in field investigation and diagnostic laboratories. When an outbreak occurs in captive wildlife or wildlife that lives in nature, we participated in investigating teams with various agencies to prevent and control diseases.
Monitoring & Surveillance
One of the missions of MoZWE is to conduct epidemiological services to prevent important zoonotic diseases, emerging infectious diseases, and diseases in wildlife that can affect society and the ecosystem. Most emerging infectious diseases originate from wildlife. Therefore, we have been operating active and passive surveillance in wildlife with our partner organizations to strengthen the network and prepare our team for prompt epidemic response.
We have done many effective disease surveillances work, including Avian influenza, EEHV, and MERS-CoV. We continue to develop the potential of our staff and explore relevant science and technology to create a suitable response and empower our team to cope with emerging infectious diseases in the future.
Academic Service
The academic service of MoZWE is laboratory diagnosis and wildlife medicine such as monitoring and surveillance of diseases in wildlife and exotic animals. Also, there are training courses and workshops for vet students and practitioners, and creating learning media and publications.
MoZWE also places importance on knowledge management that encourages information and collaboration to prevent and mitigate One Health threats. The HEWILI (Health, Wildlife and Livelihood) discussion paper advances understanding of One Health to achieve public health, food and nutrition security, sustainable ecosystems and fair-trade facilitation. This discussion paper is expected to identify knowledge and action gaps in the linkages between sustainable wildlife management, One Health needs, and rural livelihoods and recommend good practices for strengthening these linkages. This will help strengthen the political will, decision-making, capacities and investments on the ground.
Conservation
MoZWE also work on wildlife conservation to protect wildlife and their habitats. For example;
- Cell culture technology for wildlife conservation – to conserve wildlife genetic material by cryopreserving wildlife somatic cells in liquid nitrogen.
- Siamese crocodile conservation project – the first systematic crocodile research in Thailand for reintroduction from captive breeding farms into nature.
Sustainable Development Goals
MoZWE has implemented our work and mission in line with the Sustainable Development Goals in 15 (SDG 15) of the United Nations. To conserve wild animals in their natural habitats, important actions have been taken, including urgent and necessary actions to reduce natural habitat degradation, cease the loss of wildlife biodiversity, and prevent the extinction of wildlife species that are threatened by pathogens.
MoZWE activities could develop the capacity to deal with emerging infectious diseases promptly, where emerging diseases may affect the lives of animals in the future.
Collaborations
MoZWE works with wildlife health organizations both within Thailand and overseas to enhance surveillance systems and strengthen wildlife health networking through collaboration.
MoZWE join the Wildlife Health Intelligence Network (WHIN) of the Science for Nature and People Partnership (SNAPP) Working group to create a strong evidence base for the efficient scaling of wildlife health surveillance systems.
In 2025, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) has officially designated the Monitoring and Surveillance Center for Zoonotic diseases in Wildlife and Exotic Animals (MoZWE) and the Thailand-National Wildlife Health Center (Thailand-NWHC) of the Faculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol University, as the WOAH Collaborating Centre for Wildlife Health Surveillance and Epidemiology.
We are also the Secretariat of Southeast Asian Wildlife Heath Network of WOAH from 2022 to 2027. The Purpose of SEA Wildlife Health Network is to provide a platform to facilitate effective sharing of information and advocacy to promote wildlife health agenda in Southeast Asia
Vision
To be an excellent center in scientific knowledge provider on wildlife health for better ecosystem and human well-being
Mission
Provide referencing data and information for preventing and solving One Health threats
Develop and provide diagnostic services for diseases in wildlife, exotic animals and other species
Conduct research to create body of knowledge in One Health
Carry out epidemiological tasks to solve, prevent and control important diseases in animals with impacts on society, ecosystem and scientific technology
Improve potentiality of human resources and scientific technology to respond One Health problems
Strengthen both domestic and international One Health networks on wildlife health
Contact us
The Monitoring and Surveillance Center
for Zoonotic Diseases in Wildlife and Exotic Animals
Faculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol University
999 Phuttamonthon 4 Road, Salaya,
Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand