6 April 2020 – In light of World Health Day on 7 April, global animal protection organisation FOUR PAWS, together with 240 other international organisations, sent a joint letter to the World Health Organisation (WHO) asking them to speak out on the need for a global ban on wild animal markets as they pose a serious risk to human health. 

Studies have proven wildlife markets are the perfect environment for pathogens like viruses or bacteria to jump from animals to humans. With a growing demand for markets that sell live and dead wild animals such as pangolins, turtles, tigers and bats for human consumption or traditional medicine, there has never been a greater need to ban such practices considering the current global pandemic, and to help prevent future pandemics.

According to scientific journal Nature, 60 per cent of emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic and 70 per cent of these are thought to originate from wild animals. The risk of zoonotic disease transmission increases due to the severely unhygienic conditions associated with wildlife markets. Animals are crammed together in tiny spaces in the frequently crowded markets. The close proximity to humans provides the perfect opportunity for pathogens to spread. The animals have weak immune systems as a result of inadequate care, stress and trauma. They are prone to disease, which further exacerbates the risk for humans.

Live animal markets do not only sell wildlife, with dogs and cats also often found sold at the markets, side by side with pangolins, bats and more. FOUR PAWS has documented dogs and cats cruelly slaughtered and processed in close proximity to children and adults, with further concerns that dogs are a major carrier of rabies. It’s clear that live animal markets need to stop, to prevent an array of viruses from spreading to vulnerable communities.

On 3 April, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that wildlife wet markets are a “real problem” and pose a risk to people’s health, stating that it was something the World Health Organisation “should do something about.”

“The World Health Organisation and other international organisations, I think it is an area they can spend a bit of time and attention on because we can clearly see the great risks to the health and wellbeing of the rest of the world as a result of these types of places and facilities," said Mr Morrison in a press conference on Friday afternoon.

Although studies conducted by World Animal Protection (WAP) highlighted that over 80 per cent of traditional medicine consumers would prefer herbal or synthetic ingredients, wild animals, such as pangolins, bears, turtles, lions or tigers, are still processed for some medicines. Risk of disease transmission is prevalent across all aspects of wild animal products trade.

Links:

• Letter to the World Health Organisation (WHO)