The Wildlife Data Integration Network (WDIN), formerly the Wildlife Disease Information Node, has moved to the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine as of Aug. 1, 2012.

The Wildlife Disease Information Node was created in 2002 as a mechanism to increase access to wildlife disease information for biologists, veterinarians, and other decision-makers. Historically, the project was part of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) and was funded through a collaborative agreement between UW-Madison, the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, and the USGS. The USGS National Wildlife Health Center in Madison, Wis. provided content expertise on the topic of wildlife health for the project.

In 2012, the NBII funding and Node partnerships were terminated, resulting in the discontinuation of support for any associated development and maintenance of databases, applications and systems. Subsequent to this, leadership at the School of Veterinary Medicine expressed its willingness to operate the project, and it was mutually agreed to formerly assign WDIN to UW-Madison.

We believe this represents an ideal outcome that allows this important work to continue as a university project, while also allowing for UW-Madison faculty and scientists at the National Wildlife Health Center to continue to grow their long and productive history of collaborative projects and shared interests. We look forward to a continuation of this relationship. As the WDIN continues to develop new methodologies, there is also great potential for future collaborations between UW-Madison and other federal, state, and private organizations.

Jonathan Sleeman, MA, VetMB, Dipl. ACZM, Dipl. ECZM, MRCVS
Center Director
USGS, National Wildlife Health Center

Mark D. Markel, DVM, PhD
Dean, School of Veterinary Medicine
University of Wisconsin-Madison