Eating wild meat significantly increases zoonotic disease chance: UN report

The domestic consumption of meat from wild animals has significant impacts on most species protected under the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild fauna (CMS), says a new report released on Wednesday, including increasing the risk of diseases spreading from animals to humans.

According to the study, 70% of mammal species protected under the CMS are used for wild meat consumption. This has led to drastic declines, and also the extinction of several migratory mammal populations.

The outset of its kind report, constitute that wild meat is often a major commuter for legal and illegal hunting, peculiarly of ungulates – primarily large mammals with hooves - and primates, and peculiarly during times of conflict or dearth and in the course of changing state use.

About 67 of the 105 species studied were recorded equally hunted. Of these 67 species, the largest intended use (47) was for wild meat consumption. Other purposes were downward to cultural tradition, medicinal use, human-wildlife conflict, unintentional accept and for sport or trophy hunting.

Risk of zoonotic diseases

According to the report, there is stiff testify that zoonotic disease outbreaks are linked to man activities, as is strongly believed past many scientists in the case of the current COVID-19 pandemic.

The taking of wild meat and consumption has been identified as the directly and causative agent for the spill-over into humans for Monkeypox virus, SARS, Sudan Ebola virus and Zaire Ebola virus, with subsequent human-to-human transmission.

In total, lx zoonotic viral pathogens were reported as hosted by the 105 migratory species studied.

Encroachment into remaining intact habitats through infrastructure and economical activities have made vast new areas accessible for wild meat taking, increasing the risk for humans.

Executive Managing director of the United nations Environment Programme, Inger Andersen, points out that "the COVID-xix pandemic has taught that the overexploitation of nature comes at a heavy cost."

"We urgently need to depart from business as usual. In so doing, we tin can salvage many species from the brink of extinction and protect ourselves from time to come outbreaks of zoonotic diseases," she said

Domestic utilise, main concern

Global attention has largely focused on international merchandise, only the written report found that the vast bulk of taking of species for wild meat consumption is driven by direct use or domestic merchandise.

For CMS Executive Secretary, Amy Fraenkel, this report "indicates for the offset time a clear and urgent need to focus on domestic use of protected migratory species of wild fauna, across their range."

The study highlights a number of factors fueling the problem.

Scientists in Thailand work to combat zoonotic diseases at their source.

In that location is strong evidence that zoonotic disease outbreaks are linked to man activities, by CDC

National legislation and regulations may lack clarity or are outdated, while rules are often poorly enforced. A third issue is civil conflict and land use change; and, fourthly, migratory animals cross countries and regions with a wide variety of differing laws and enforcement approaches. Finally, urbanization and increased sale of wild meat as a luxury product is on the ascension.

The study too documents links between hunting and the declining population trends of several species.

Around 77 per cent, or 40 out of 52, of the CMS species that were assessed past IUCN as having decreasing populations, were recorded every bit threatened by hunting.

For instance, all chimpanzee subspecies and three of the four gorilla subspecies reported equally significantly threatened by hunting, are besides experiencing large population declines. Overall, the report finds that taking or poaching the mammals, has a directly impact on the populations of more than half of the studied species, with high impacts for at to the lowest degree 42 per cent.