COVID-19: The Unseen Effect on Wildlife
By: Nandana A
Age: 14
Atlanta, GA USA
By: Nandana A
Age: 14
Atlanta, GA USA
Wild animals are defined as animals that have not been domesticated. They live in the savannas of Africa, the rainforests of South America, the jungles of Asia, and more. But our insatiable desire to expand has meant that we have trespassed upon these animals more often than not. In the span of 44 years, 60% of the vertebrates on the earth have been wiped out because of human activity. Deforestation, agriculture, and urbanization have left them with little to no access to food, shelter, and water. Approximately 30,000 species die annually due to habitat loss; this is about three species per hour. It’s estimated that 80% of the decline in species diversity is due to this problem, and the current rate of destruction is 160,000 kilometers2.
These facts may seem sobering, but animals still have a few tricks up their sleeve (or paw). As urbanization has become more and more prevalent, and cities have only been expanding, more and more wild animals have been adapting to city life. Take the coyotes. Coyotes are native to the middle of the United States, yet they can now be found anywhere in the country, even in big cities. They hunt at night, their omnivorous nature allowing them to eat anything, and studies have shown that they are able to analyze traffic patterns for safe crossing. They have been able to hide in small nooks and dens found all over the city, raising families and foraging for food right under our noses. This sort of inventiveness and survival skills can be found in raccoons, in monkeys, and even in ants.
The COVID-19 pandemic, however, has proved both a blessing and a curse for these, animals. This spring, thousands of flamingos migrated to Mumbai, India, setting a new record for the number of flamingos and increasing the population by a third. In South Africa’s national parks, lions are venturing closer and closer to the road, since there is no traffic or tourism anywhere. Thai beaches have seen a record number of turtle nests on the shores, something that has not changed for two decades. Even pumas were found in Santiago, Chile, one managing to find its way into an apartment complex, although they were all captured and returned.
One of the species that may be most benefiting from COVID would be the pangolin, a scaly creature resembling an anteater. Pangolins are considered a delicacy in some Asian countries and are also used in Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), making them the world’s most trafficked mammal. Although many steps have been taken to reduce the hunting of pangolins, such as the Chinese government shutting down illegal trade centers for pangolins and insurance providers refusing to cover pangolin-based medicines. But the solution is far more unlikely. Researchers speculate that pangolins may have been the ones to introduce COVID-19 to Wuhan. Although there is not enough evidence to support this, there is still a lot of publicity regarding the pangolins and COVID-19. This has led to a dramatic shift in the attitude towards pangolin trafficking; a survey circulated around social media reported 100,000 responses, 90% of those which were in favor of a total ban in the trade of wild animals. China also announced a ban on wildlife markets, which are thought to spread the disease more quickly to humans, which was a critical step to not just protecting animals, but humans.
But there is a flip side to these benefits. While in big cities wildlife have been reclaiming the spaces, in rural areas, people who do not have access to food anymore have resorted to poaching animals. With unemployment rampant in the pandemic, people in places like Southeast Asia now have no idea when their next meal will be, so they are forced to resort to extreme measures. As national parks are closing down, security has become lax, allowing poachers to slip through and hunt, whether it is for food or to sell on the market.
In conclusion, COVID-19 has come with both roses and thorns for the wild animals of the world. In order to support animals at risk, there needs to be distribution of food parcels in rural areas, as well as less reliance on ecotourism for money. Also, if we support sustainable farming practices, people will be more likely to buy meat on the market instead of having to hunt meat, as well as have a stable source of income. During times of crisis, it is imperative to protect the helpless and focus on educating others and finding solutions to long-term problems.
These facts may seem sobering, but animals still have a few tricks up their sleeve (or paw). As urbanization has become more and more prevalent, and cities have only been expanding, more and more wild animals have been adapting to city life. Take the coyotes. Coyotes are native to the middle of the United States, yet they can now be found anywhere in the country, even in big cities. They hunt at night, their omnivorous nature allowing them to eat anything, and studies have shown that they are able to analyze traffic patterns for safe crossing. They have been able to hide in small nooks and dens found all over the city, raising families and foraging for food right under our noses. This sort of inventiveness and survival skills can be found in raccoons, in monkeys, and even in ants.
The COVID-19 pandemic, however, has proved both a blessing and a curse for these, animals. This spring, thousands of flamingos migrated to Mumbai, India, setting a new record for the number of flamingos and increasing the population by a third. In South Africa’s national parks, lions are venturing closer and closer to the road, since there is no traffic or tourism anywhere. Thai beaches have seen a record number of turtle nests on the shores, something that has not changed for two decades. Even pumas were found in Santiago, Chile, one managing to find its way into an apartment complex, although they were all captured and returned.
One of the species that may be most benefiting from COVID would be the pangolin, a scaly creature resembling an anteater. Pangolins are considered a delicacy in some Asian countries and are also used in Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), making them the world’s most trafficked mammal. Although many steps have been taken to reduce the hunting of pangolins, such as the Chinese government shutting down illegal trade centers for pangolins and insurance providers refusing to cover pangolin-based medicines. But the solution is far more unlikely. Researchers speculate that pangolins may have been the ones to introduce COVID-19 to Wuhan. Although there is not enough evidence to support this, there is still a lot of publicity regarding the pangolins and COVID-19. This has led to a dramatic shift in the attitude towards pangolin trafficking; a survey circulated around social media reported 100,000 responses, 90% of those which were in favor of a total ban in the trade of wild animals. China also announced a ban on wildlife markets, which are thought to spread the disease more quickly to humans, which was a critical step to not just protecting animals, but humans.
But there is a flip side to these benefits. While in big cities wildlife have been reclaiming the spaces, in rural areas, people who do not have access to food anymore have resorted to poaching animals. With unemployment rampant in the pandemic, people in places like Southeast Asia now have no idea when their next meal will be, so they are forced to resort to extreme measures. As national parks are closing down, security has become lax, allowing poachers to slip through and hunt, whether it is for food or to sell on the market.
In conclusion, COVID-19 has come with both roses and thorns for the wild animals of the world. In order to support animals at risk, there needs to be distribution of food parcels in rural areas, as well as less reliance on ecotourism for money. Also, if we support sustainable farming practices, people will be more likely to buy meat on the market instead of having to hunt meat, as well as have a stable source of income. During times of crisis, it is imperative to protect the helpless and focus on educating others and finding solutions to long-term problems.
Bibliography:
Matthews, Alexander. "The Wild Animals At Risk In Lockdown". Bbc.Com, 2020, https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200520-the-link-between-animals-and-covid-19. Accessed 9 June 2020.
Marshall, Michael. "Covid-19 – A Blessing For Pangolins?". The Guardian, 2020, https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/apr/18/covid-19-a-blessing-for-pangolins. Accessed 9 June 2020.
Will Lanzoni and Kyle Almond, CNN. "With Cities On Lockdown, Animals Are Finding More Room To Roam". CNN, 2020, https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/01/world/gallery/animals-coronavirus-trnd/index.html. Accessed 9 June 2020.
"How Wild Animals Are Hacking Life In The City". Nationalgeographic.Com, 2016, https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2016/04/160418-animals-urban-cities-wildlife-science-coyotes/. Accessed 9 June 2020.
"Facts – Wildlife | Animal Matters". Animalmatters.Org, 2020, http://www.animalmatters.org/facts/wildlife/#:~:text=Facts%20%E2%80%93%20Wildlife,are%20being%20driven%20to%20extinction.&text=Approximately%2080%20percent%20of%20the,is%20caused%20by%20habitat%20destruction. Accessed 9 June 2020.
"Earth's Wild Animal Population Plummets 60 Percent In 44 Years". Aljazeera.Com, 2018, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/10/earth-wild-animal-population-plummets-60-percent-44-years-181030030643035.html. Accessed 11 June 2020.
Matthews, Alexander. "The Wild Animals At Risk In Lockdown". Bbc.Com, 2020, https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200520-the-link-between-animals-and-covid-19. Accessed 9 June 2020.
Marshall, Michael. "Covid-19 – A Blessing For Pangolins?". The Guardian, 2020, https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/apr/18/covid-19-a-blessing-for-pangolins. Accessed 9 June 2020.
Will Lanzoni and Kyle Almond, CNN. "With Cities On Lockdown, Animals Are Finding More Room To Roam". CNN, 2020, https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/01/world/gallery/animals-coronavirus-trnd/index.html. Accessed 9 June 2020.
"How Wild Animals Are Hacking Life In The City". Nationalgeographic.Com, 2016, https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2016/04/160418-animals-urban-cities-wildlife-science-coyotes/. Accessed 9 June 2020.
"Facts – Wildlife | Animal Matters". Animalmatters.Org, 2020, http://www.animalmatters.org/facts/wildlife/#:~:text=Facts%20%E2%80%93%20Wildlife,are%20being%20driven%20to%20extinction.&text=Approximately%2080%20percent%20of%20the,is%20caused%20by%20habitat%20destruction. Accessed 9 June 2020.
"Earth's Wild Animal Population Plummets 60 Percent In 44 Years". Aljazeera.Com, 2018, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/10/earth-wild-animal-population-plummets-60-percent-44-years-181030030643035.html. Accessed 11 June 2020.