The New York State Wildlife Health Program (WHP) is committed to identifying and understanding the factors, both natural and anthropogenic, that impact the health of wildlife populations. We conduct disease surveillance, develop diagnostic tools, and emphasize the importance of communication and sharing. To that end, we recognize that other researchers have important questions and welcome opportunities for collaboration. We provide datasets and code through Cornell eCommons. Custom datasets are also possible following agency approval. 

Requesting Data 

At its discretion, the Wildlife Health Program (WHP) may release data and specimens for use in approved research activities that will benefit the field of wildlife health. 

WHP scientists will evaluate your research objectives to assess their potential benefit to wildlife health. If approved, the requested data and/or specimens will be securely transmitted to you for use as described in the proposal. Researchers must use WHP data and specimens in accordance with all terms and conditions of the Data Use Agreement (DUA), which describes data security, attribution, and disposal, reporting, and other requirements. You are not permitted to share the data or specimens with anyone not listed in your research proposal, and all individuals listed in the research proposal must also adhere to the DUA.

With WHP permission and in adherence with the DUA, some data may be released as open data and archived in a public repository with a persistent identifier (e.g., DOI). The WHP may request a review of the data intended for release in advance.  The WHP may request progress updates on long-term projects. Upon completion of the work, you must return or dispose of all data and/or remaining materials as agreed upon in advance. 

Appropriate attribution must be given to WHP and its personnel in any publications or other products resulting from the use of the data. In addition, you are expected to adhere to Cornell’s policies regarding scientific integrity and ethics (https://policy.cornell.edu/policy-library/research-integrity) for the proposed project.  

Please complete the form below to initiate a data request or to request additional information related to the data agreements.

WHP Data Use Inquiry

Terms & Conditions for Use of WHP Data

Provision of any Data (broadly defined to include any numerical, descriptive, narrative, pictorial, biological, or environmental information or physical specimens and samples in raw or processed form) will be made subject to the terms and conditions given below. These terms and conditions are designed to eliminate misunderstandings, avoid conflicts, and enhance the interests of the Researcher, defined as any person who will have access to the Data as approved and the WHP.

Data will be used only for the purposes described by the Researcher on the Specimen and Data Request Form and will not be redistributed or sold.

The Researcher recognizes that there may be zoonotic hazards associated with handling biological materials and hereby releases and holds harmless WHP, its veterinarian(s), and personnel from any claims, demands, actions, or causes of action whatsoever on account of or in connection with any aspect of a request for biological materials.

To avoid duplication of effort and competitive conflicts, for a reasonable period (generally the estimated time frame of the project using the original Data, plus five years or within one year following publication), WHP will not provide Data to external users for the same or similar scientific purposes as an ongoing project. To facilitate Data use for new projects, the Researcher agrees to complete any use of Data in the timeframe given, although requests for reasonable extensions of time may be given by WHP. Whenever possible, WHP will promote and facilitate collaboration among internal and external users interested in the same or similar Data.

To use Data from WHP in publications or presentations, researchers shall be required to:

  • Provide WHP with a copy of any deliverable that utilizes the Data. For journal articles, a copy will be provided at the time it is submitted for review; for lectures or presentations, at the time the abstract is submitted and a copy of the full presentation at the time of the meeting; for online resources, when it is uploaded into the public domain. Deliverables include (but are not limited to) publications, conference presentations, conference posters, webinars, media, and other written or online materials.
  • Formally cite the Data in journal articles, presentations, or other online and written products.
  • Include WHP personnel if applicable, as co-author(s) in the list of authors of journal articles, presentations, or other online and written products resulting from the use of the Data. Co-authors are those individuals who played a substantial intellectual role in the Data collection, analysis, and writing of the final publication.
  • Include relevant WHP personnel in the acknowledgments section of journal articles, presentations, or other online and written products resulting from the use of the Data. Acknowledgeable individuals or entities are those that played an instrumental role in Data procurement or management, such as but not limited to the collection, processing, curation, QA/QC, standardization, or transfer of the Data.
  • Include relevant funding sources in the acknowledgments section of journal articles, presentations, or other online and written products resulting from the use of the Data.
  • Indicate in journal articles, presentations, or other online and written products resulting from the use of the Data that WHP has not reviewed nor endorsed the researcher’s work, and the results expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the positions of the agency/funding source, its directors, officers, managers, affiliates, or its agents.

All Data use, including analyses and products of any kind (print, oral, visual, archival, internal, or external), must acknowledge and properly cite WHP using the most up-to-date citation at the time of use (to be obtained from WHP). Under no circumstances can Data or derivative products be shared with third-party recipients without explicit written permission by WHP for each specified use.

This agreement does not supersede state or federal law regarding the public's right to access public information. Data will be managed, metadata shared, and archived according to WHP policy and funding agency requirements.