Why We Should Put An End To The Illegal Wildlife Trade, To Prevent Another COVID-Like Pandemic
It has been just over a year since COVID-19 aka Coronavirus, aka Sars CoV o2 first reported in China.
The deadly virus first emerged in the wet markets of Wuhan, China and has since spread across the world, with no one knowing if and when this will end.
While China is yet to come clean on the dubious origins of the virus, there is a general consensus among the scientific community that the virus reached humans from bats through pangolins, which are widely sold in the wet markets in Wuhan.
As COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc across the world, there is a growing call to end the wildlife trade to prevent another such outbreak in the future.
UK-based animal charity World Animal Protection has been campaigning to get world leaders to ban the illegal trade of wild animals.?
Urging PM Modi to support call for global ban
They are also urging Prime Minister Narendra?to support the call for a global ban on the trade of wild animals, during the meeting of G20 leaders in Saudi Arabia, later this month.
World Animal Protection has also written to Prime Minister Modi to take note of the strong support from the people of India to the petition.?
The petition has over one lakh signatures from Indians so far.
In its letter, World Animal Protection states that it is crucial that the G20 shows global leadership on the issue of COVID-19, by both bringing this current pandemic under control and taking steps to prevent future pandemics.
World Animal Protection is urging the G20 leadership to include the commitment to pandemic prevention and preparedness with linkages to wildlife in their Leaders Communique after the summit.
"We appeal to Prime Minister, Shri. Narendra Modi and the Government of India to support the call for a global ban on wildlife trade. The signatures of 1,00,220 Indian citizens is a reflection of the growing demand to give wild animals a better life.?India is an important member of G20 and its voice of support on this issue will push G20 nations to take this vital decision to end all wildlife trade," Gajender K Sharma, Country Director, World Animal Protection India said.
Wild animals are traded for the purpose of our entertainment, for medicine and are treated as products. This cruel trade causes the suffering of millions of animals and endangers the health of people with pandemics like COVID-19. It also has a terrible impact on our environment.
World Animal Protection has also requested World Health Organisation to permanently ban all wildlife markets around the globe in the wake of coronavirus pandemic and to take a highly precautionary approach to the wildlife trade.
The aggravated risk to human health caused from close contact to wild animals in the wildlife trade and in entertainment can no longer be ignored.
