THE WILDLIFE HEALTH PROGRAM AND LABORATORY WAS IMPLEMENTED IN 2004 TO PROVIDE AGENCY EXPERTISE AND VETERINARY SERVICES FOR WILDLIFE DISEASES FOR ALL WILDLIFE IN OREGON. VETERINARY AND LAB STAFF COORDINATES AGENCY RESPONSE TO DISEASE ISSUES AND OUTBREAKS FOR ALL SPECIES AND ADDRESSES WILDLIFE HEALTH ISSUES WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, WITH INTERAGENCY COOPERATORS, REGIONALLY AND NATIONALLY AS APPROPRIATE. THE POPULATION LAB PROVIDES POPULATION LEVEL INFORMATION TO HEADQUARTERS STAFF, MANAGERS AND FIELD STAFF FOR STATEWIDE MANAGEMENT DECISIONS INVOLVING HARVEST AND WILDLIFE POPULATION LEVEL STATISTICS. FUNDING FROM THIS GRANT WILL SUPPORT THE STATEWIDE LABORATORY, FIELD ACTIVITIES AND STAFF COSTS FOR BOTH OF THESE INTEGRATED PROGRAMS.THE WILDLIFE HEALTH AND POPULATION LABORATORY PROGRAM PRIMARY MISSION IS TO SERVE AS SUPPORT ALL AGENCY FIELDSTAFF, PROGRAMS AND ADMINISTRATORS THROUGH:1. PREVENTION OF EMERGING WILDLIFE DISEASES BY PROVIDING DISEASE SURVEILLANCE, MONITORING, DISEASE ERADICATION ORCONTROL TO PROTECT OREGONS WILDLIFE RESOURCE FROM EMERGING DISEASE THREATS.2. INCORPORATING ANIMAL WELFARE STANDARDS INTO RESEARCH AND MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS THROUGH INTRA-AGENCY CONSULTS,ANIMAL CARE AND USE COMMITTEE SERVICE, AND VETERINARY SUPPORT ON RESEARCH AND MANAGEMENT PROJECTS AS REQUESTED.3. PROVIDING EDUCATION AND TRAINING (ANIMAL HANDLING, DISEASE PROTOCOLS, ANIMAL CAPTURE, DRUG AND IMMOBILIZATION,ETC.) TO AGENCY STAFF, LABORATORY STAFF AND COOPERATORS AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS AND AGENCIES4. PROVIDING EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION, SUPPORT, AND SERVICE BETWEEN HEALTH STAFF AND ALL FIELD AND ADMINISTRATIONSTAFF AS WELL AS COLLABORATIVE LIAISON BETWEEN ODFW AND INTERAGENCY COOPERATORS, STAKEHOLDERS AND THE PUBLIC OFOREGON CONCERNING WILDLIFE HEALTH ISSUES5. DETERMINING SEX AND AGE STRUCTURE OF BEAR, COUGAR, BOBCAT, RIVER OTTER, MARTEN, DEER AND ELK POPULATIONSTHROUGHOUT OREGON. DETERMINE REPRODUCTIVE STATUS AND LITTER SIZE OF FEMALE BEAR, COUGAR AND MARTEN IN OREGONSTATEWIDE OR BY COUNTY.6. COORDINATING RADIO TRANSMITTER FREQUENCIES FOR FISH AND WILDLIFE TELEMETRY STUDIES AGENCY BIOLOGISTS ANDOTHER COOPERATORS STATEWIDE.