back

Deforestation and urban expansion increase the risk of epidemics

Bats, civets, ticks… 60% of human infectious diseases are of animal origin. This is what increases the risk of transmission.

Animals spreading diseases to humans

How deforestation contributes to coronavirus

Not only do deforestation, faming, and urban expansion threaten the environment, but also humans: these are factors that increase the risk of epidemics. One of the primary reasons: the contact between animals and humans. 60% of human infectious diseases are of animal origin and more than two-thirds of them come from wild animals. The destruction of natural environments, due to deforestation and urban expansion, leads to animal migration and increases the risk of transmission.

In 2017, the Ebola virus appeared in deforested areas of Central and West Africa. The bats carrying the virus fed on farms and gardens, allowing transmission to humans. Another example is Lyme disease transmitted by ticks in the United States. In the northeast of the country, deforestation has driven out possums, which helped regulate tick populations. Other actions can also contribute to epidemics: factory farming, which promotes the spreading of viruses through feces, and animal trade, which brings together animals that shouldn't naturally meet. This is the probable cause of the current COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. According to scientists from the Global Virome project, wildlife is reportedly home to 1.7 million viruses still unknown.

Coronavirus scare helping some animals

In a more positive direction, the endangered pangolins are suspected of being intermediate hosts that would’ve enabled the transmission of the virus to humans. These small mammals could benefit from the pandemic. The sales of pangolin have decreased since the start of the pandemic. Over the last few days, Chinese buyers have disappeared. In China, the epicenter of the pandemic, the government has taken strong measures to curb the health crisis. In 2003, similar measures were taken to stem the SARS epidemic, but they were suspended after a few months. Other sectors are exempt from the recent bans: fur, breeding for zoological parks and traditional medicine. However, this sector should be subjected to stricter controls and quarantines.

Brut.

03/21/2020 7:31 AM
  • 38.5k
  • 46

And even more

  1. 10:21

    Sourdough bread recipe: a lockdown special

  2. 2:03

    This is the environmental footprint of bottled water

  3. 1:35

    Spirulina's is rich in nutrients and considered a superfood

  4. 3:12

    This small mammal could benefit from the pandemic

  5. 4:55

    How to be more eco-friendly when using the Internet

  6. 1:42

    Koalas released back into the wild

38 comments

  • Solati S.
    03/26/2020 00:23

    heartbreaking, poor animals...

  • Moon L.
    03/26/2020 00:07

    They should change the headline.people will assume that wild life is the cause of virus.the cause is the madness of human being

  • Schmid M.
    03/25/2020 15:26

    Im ganzen Land China müsste wiltirerei verboten werden Dan gebes keine Krankheiten und keine toten Menschen und Tiere auf der ganzen Welt in Gottes Namen stoppt das mal da in China wie auch Hunde und Katzen essen das Mus verboten werden !!!!!!!

  • Izaaz S.
    03/25/2020 15:13

    Let's do afforestation in d near future Nd let's save atleast fee of animals Nd also conserve nature,let us help those animals to live their lives happily. Let us stop killing animals from nature..

  • Tayseer B.
    03/24/2020 23:53

    I think that medicine colleges throughout the world have to focus more on infectious diseases medicine particularly in tropical regions due to large biodiversity and humid weather which elevates the prevalence of disease.

  • Selah N.
    03/23/2020 18:54

    Yet most likely we will continue our ways until it becomes our ultimate demise

  • Allison L.
    03/23/2020 12:28

    ProTip: humans are animals

  • Maryan V.
    03/23/2020 11:15

    y

  • AL C.
    03/23/2020 10:57

    Brut !!!! Please be responsible with your headlines !!! These are NOT auspicious times for animals in general .

  • Naima F.
    03/23/2020 06:23

    Turning a blind eye just because we grew up seing these everyday.

  • Linda L.
    03/23/2020 05:35

    So basically what you are saying its because of humans destroying their land and natural habitats that these animals live in their in search of shelter, food and other things they need, It is not the defenseless animals that are creating this issue. IT IS GREEDY HUMANS THAT HAVE NO REGARD FOR OUR LAND OR THE ANIMALS THAT LIVE IN THE AREAS THEIR DESTRUCTION OF THIS PLANET.

  • Tiffany K.
    03/23/2020 00:58

    I’m worried that those who are just reading the headline will assume that wildlife is THE problem therefore kill all wildlife. Human behaviour & destruction of the natural environment for the wildlife is the problem. Let that be the headline please 🙏🙏🙏🙏

  • Zerri X.
    03/22/2020 21:38

    This info must be shared but one must be careful how they put things. Knowing idiots, they'll start ignorantly attacking & killing wild animals in urban areas thinking it helps.

  • Uka D.
    03/22/2020 21:16

    ca devrait te plaire

  • Elliott A.
    03/22/2020 20:22

    I was just thinking about the human impact on the environment that is increasing epidemics. We need to stop this and prevent this from happening again.

  • Joe D.
    03/22/2020 19:15

    Bullshit humans and animals have been together since the beginning! This was a timed attack on the United states of America and the west by the damn dog eating motherfuckers in china! War!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Larry P.
    03/22/2020 17:59

    Really? You dumshtz are sensationalizing bs for subscribers. Pathetic

  • EZe Q.
    03/22/2020 17:51

    And while all this mess is happening the Chinese government and health authorities of this country still allows markets with alive animals trade... can you fuckin believe it?

  • Michael C.
    03/22/2020 17:32

    ummmmmmmm think you maye trying to make a mountain out of a mole hill.....here...

  • Claire M.
    03/22/2020 17:03

    If we were a smart species, we would do well to heed this huge, massive kick up the proverbial global backside and do everything possible to reverse the effects we have made by altering, plundering and decimating the natural world and it’s wildlife. I wonder how many people worldwide will watch this and learn from the research and science presented partially here and then care enough to ensure this does not happen again for as long as possible. Educate the masses. One lives in hope!