The BBC article was summarized by Lily Wolf with permission of the author, Alexander Matthews.
When it comes to Covid’s effects on wildlife populations, there are widespread differences by location. In affluent urban regions, the minimization of cars on the road and humans commandeering open spaces has led to a resurgence in wildlife. It has been reported that animals are thriving due to decreasing pollution and fewer people roaming about outside. It’s said that the environment seems to be taking a turn for the better these days as people stay home. So, in those areas, animals are experiencing a lot less impact on their habitat.
But in impoverished or rural areas, wild animals are sought out for food and products. One would think that with international travel suspended, animal trafficking would see a decline, but there’s a concomitant drop in wildlife protection that has led to humans having an easier shot at hunting them.
Alexander Matthews who writes for the BBC Future Planet, reports, “The deployment of drones with thermal-imaging technology is one solution proposed to monitor ecosystems for signs of poaching or illegal logging.” Matthews also mentions a device called the Postcode Meerkat, which uses day- and night-radar cameras to ensure no one is poaching in South Africa’s Kruger National Park. Additionally, Matthews points out that Chinese and Vietnamese bans on wildlife trade and food are still being enforced.
Matthews reports that Marie Quinney, a specialist with the World Economic Forum’s Nature Action Agenda, wrote that 70% of infectious diseases were spread to humans by eating wild animals. She says, “We have lost 60% of all wildlife in the last 50 years, while the number of new infectious diseases has quadrupled in the last 60 years.
Matthews quotes Joe Walston, Senior Vice President and head of global conservation at the Wildlife Conservation Society, “Tackling poaching and selling wild animals for food has to be part of a global effort…This is about us coming together and making a global decision that this trade now is antiquated…In a world where someone can transport a new infectious disease from one continent to another in just a few hours, continuing to trade and consume wild animals is close to societal suicide.”
We’re happy to note that two legislators in NYS are sponsoring Bill A10399/S08291. If passed into law, wet markets in NY, where animals are live-slaughtered, would be banned!
Wildlife Watch has advocated for plant-based diets as one of the best ways to solve so much of the world’s ills. To read more about the health, environmental, ecological, and financial benefits of a plant-based diet, please visit: https://www.pcrm.org/
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Lily Wolf enjoys spending her time outdoors for the serenity it often brings. She researches and writes timely articles of interest for the Wildlife Watch Binocular. A special thanks to Alexander Matthews for allowing portions of his BBC website article to be summarized and quoted. You can read the full article here:
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200520-the-link-between-animals-and-covid-19