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| Civit (Wet market) |
The
word of the day – or the year – is “zoonotic”: “pertaining to a
zoonosis: a disease that can be transmitted from animals to people, or, more
specifically, a disease that normally exists in animals but that can infect
humans. There are multitudes of zoonotic
diseases,” including anthrax, plague, Lyme disease, monkey pox, rabies,
trichinosis, typhus, West Nile fever . . . according to Medicinenet.com.
That
word, zoonotic, is behind the pandemic now threatening, taking and changing
lives all over the world. Our surviving
it and taking action to prevent future zoonotic pandemics will be a huge
challenge, in part because it will require dramatic changes in our behaviors toward
animals.
The
Chinese city of Wuhan has been identified as the source of Covid-19, presumably
starting with an infected bat who transmitted it to a host animal yet to be definitively
ID’d but likely part of a “wet market” there. Humans came next. Then the world.
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| Nadia (Bronx Zoo) |
As
the disease and related fears spread over the last few weeks, other events have
grabbed our attention: Bronx Zoo tigers tested positive for the virus, as did a
few domestic cats and a dog in Hong Kong.
The conclusion was that pets could test positive if exposed to the virus
by their owners, but there’s no evidence that they can transmit the virus. Outbreaks around the world are driven by
person-to-person transmission.
In a podcast last Thursday, Kitty Block, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the US (HSUS), reinforced that conclusion, alluding to her organization’s continuing efforts to shut down wet markets as getting at the root causes of this pandemic.
“We
can’t look at animal and human welfare separately. They’re inextricably linked. When wild animals are trafficked, consumed . .
. we’re abusing animals and jeopardizing
our own health. People of the world
must re-think their relationship with animals.”
It’s
imperative that China establish permanent and enforceable laws –
with no exceptions for medicine or fur -- against trafficking and consuming
wild animals. End wet markets. End
regarding animals (bats, for instance) and parts (pangolin scales, for
instance) as delicacies or medical necessities.
Wet market (Libreville, Gabon)
One
small step: The Chinese city of Shenzhan has passed a law permanently
prohibiting the consumption, breeding and sale of wildlife for human
consumption, spelling out which terrestrial animals may be consumed. It also bans the consumption and production of
dog and cat meat. All this is a great
(but limited) step forward for animalkind.
Big
cat abuse
Since
years ago when African elephant Maggie was rescued from solitary confinement in
the Anchorage Alaska zoo and moved to the Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS),
in California, I have followed and admired the organization. Elephants are just one of the many rescued animals
who have found sanctuary at this Sanctuary.
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| Mungar (PAWS) |
Big
cats are also cared for there, in settings as close to their natural habitats as
possible. Regular PAWS publications include
fascinating updates on the animal residents – how they’ve adapted, who their
friends are and even how they’re medically treated.
Ed
Stewart, co-founder of PAWS, recently spoke out on the Netflix docuseries “Tiger
King,” currently a TV sensation. His
essay is so spectacularly hard-hitting that I include a link to it here, hoping
you’ll read every word. (It's also available on PAWS' Facebook page.)
I
know you’ll love this video, “The Elephants That Came to Dinner.” It happened at a lodge in Zambia, when an elephant
family – including baby Wellington -- followed its traditional route to the ripe
mangoes they love.
#
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comment at 1moreonce.blogspot.com!
Wow. What a sight! And baby Wellington is just adorable!!
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