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POSITION STATEMENT: Managing Wildlife Trade in the Context of Covid-19 and Future Zoonotic Pandemics
COVID-19 is causing widespread human suffering, as the most acute global public health emergency of our generation. While the origin of the novel coronavirus that causes COVID‐19 remains uncertain, several wild species (particularly bats) are known to be important hosts for this family of zoonotic diseases. More generally, there is strong evidence that zoonotic disease emergence is linked to human activities which bring wildlife, domestic animals and humans into increasingly intense contact. This includes destruction and degradation of natural areas; intensive livestock rearing; and hunting, trade and consumption of high-risk wildlife (e.g. bats and primates). In this statement, we provide key recommandations on how to best manage wildlife trade in the context of this world crisis, the COVID-19 outbreak and future zoonotic pandemics.
Oxford Martin Programme on the Illegal Wildlife Trade and Interdisciplinary Centre for Conservation Science. 2020. Position Statement: Managing Wildlife Trade in the Context of Covid-19 and Future Zoonotic Pandemics. Tools and Guidance, Oxford Martin Programme on the Illegal Wildlife Trade, University of Oxford.
Published: May 2020 | Categories: Research Briefs