PODCAST: COVID-19 and Our Relationship With Wildlife

PODCAST: COVID-19 and Our Relationship with Wildlife

Are you stuck at home resenting COVID-19? While many feel this pandemic is an inconvenience, studies show it was likely our own fault[1–4]!

As we invade wildlife’s territory, we increase the odds of wild animals giving us diseases[1–4]. Research supports the idea that animals that coexist with, that are hunted by, and that are domesticated by humans tend to share more infectious diseases with us[1]. Close contact with animals gives disease the opportunity to spread[1–4]. It turns out human interaction with wildlife likely mattered in the spread of COVID-19[1–4]. We likely forced the animal that gave us COVID-19 to interact with us against its will[1–4]. A bat or an intermediary host is thought to have passed the disease to humans[3]. Bats are used in traditional Chinese medicine, which exposes people to them[3].

Basically, humans are taking over and not giving wildlife enough space, which in turn endangers us[1–4]. We are probably responsible for this coronavirus pandemic, and it is our job to prevent something like this from happening in the future[1–4]. We need to make more land protected from human interference to do so[1–4]. We have the power in our hands to make the future better. Let’s use it.