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The red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris, hereafter referred to as the squirrel) is a protected species in the Netherlands. Research by the Dutch Wildlife Health Centre (DWHC) on dead squirrels has found that trauma is the most common direct cause of death. This trauma can be caused by a fall, but also by collisions or

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is an inflammation of the brain and/or its membranes caused by the tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), and as the name suggests, it is transmitted by infected ticks.

ENETWILD is an international European consortium in which research institutions specializing in wildlife and animal diseases collaborate with a large open network of partners on questions posed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The management and monitoring of fauna are studied, mainly in relation to

At the end of January 2024, the DWHC received a report of a dying fox by the roadside in the city Groesbeek, which was picked up by the animal ambulance of Nijmegen. The fox was taken to a veterinarian, who euthanized the suffering animal. The DWHC collected the fox for examination.

In recent years, we have repeatedly faced increased or even massive bird mortality among wild birds as a result of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). However, this was not the case in the first quarter of 2024. Although there were occasional indications that HPAI was still circulating among wild birds,

As in 2023, the beaver (Castor fiber) is the focus species at DWHC in 2024. The choice for the beaver as the focus species is motivated by the desire to receive more dead beavers for research into their cause of death. This allows us to better investigate what health issues beavers may have and to gain more

In early March 2024, a hare (Lepus europaeus) was found in the village Callantsoog, province of North-Holland, with a large growth on its head. The hare was dying. A few months earlier, another dead hare had been found at the same location, but that animal showed no external abnormalities. The dead hare with the

Enetwild is an international European consortium in which research institutions specializing in wildlife and animal diseases collaborate with a large open network of partners, addressing questions posed y the European Food Safety Agency. The management and monitoring of wildlife populations are studied, mainly in

The RIVM (National Institute for Public Health and the Environment) and the DWHC are repeating their research into tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) in 2024. This virus is a zoonosis that is transmitted to humans by ticks. Tick-borne encephalitis is also

Since February 1st 2024, Judith van den Brand has been the new director of the DWHC. She has continued the work of Andrea Gröne who has been the director for 15 years and has played an important role in research into