The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on our relationship with wildlife. The virus that causes COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, is zoonotic, which means it originated in an animal. Experts believe the virus emerged in bats then jumped to an intermediary host, possibly pangolins, before infecting humans. Evidence suggests that the virus made the first leap from animal to human in a wet market in Wuhan China where a wide variety of wild animals, including bats, crocodiles, wolf puppies, giant salamanders, snakes, rats, peacocks, and porcupines, were being bought and sold. 

That market was temporarily shut down and the city of Wuhan has vowed to end the sale of wild animals within its borders. However, the threat of a new pandemic looms. All over the world, humans are creating perfect conditions for zoonotic disease emergence. Not only are people trafficking wildlife for food, traditional medicine, and trinkets all over the world, we are destroying wilderness, forcing wild animals and people closer together. 

In the months since the COVID-19 pandemic swept the globe, scientists, conservationists, and world leaders have called for a crackdown on the sale of wild animals. However, few countries have taken meaningful steps to do so. The Chinese government said it would ban the sale of several species of wild animals, but left exemptions for wildlife products sold for use as traditional medicine. 

In this episode, environmental journalist Annie Roth speaks with Rachel Nuwer about what the future of our relationship with wildlife might look like in a post-pandemic world.

Song used in today's show: Postman Jack by Lobo Loco via Creative Commons Licensing.

There is more of this conversation! For full access, visit patreon.com/wildlenscollective.

This episode was produced by Annie Roth. For more of her work, please visit rothreporting.com. For more information about Rachel Nuwer and her work, please visit rachelnuwer.com.

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