Some of the world’s worst infectious diseases stemmed from wildlife trade and habitat destruction, including COVID-19, SARS, Ebola, and Zika. The message is clear: Wildlife trade is a grave threat to our public health and biodiversity — and it must be stopped.
Some of the world’s worst infectious diseases have stemmed from wildlife trade and habitat destruction, including SARS, Ebola, and Zika.
COVID-19 is no different. Scientists believe it likely originated in a live animal market in China, possibly spreading from a horseshoe bat to another species before infecting humans and igniting the devastating global pandemic we’re living through today.
Wildlife trade isn’t just a problem in other parts of the world — in fact, the United States accounts for almost a quarter of the global wildlife market, including importing 224 million live animals every single year.
Wildlife trade is a grave threat to our public health and biodiversity — and it must be stopped.