Wildlife Trade, COVID-19, and Zoonotic Disease Prevention

The COVID-19 pandemic renewed global attention on the links between wildlife trade, wet markets, and zoonotic disease emergence — with significant implications for animal welfare, public health policy, and conservation.

Key Facts

COVID-19 most likely emerged via wildlife trade with bats as the ultimate reservoir; intermediate host species remain under investigation
Approximately 60% of emerging infectious diseases in humans originate in animals, with wildlife trade a major pathway
Wet markets that sell live wild animals create conditions for viral mixing across species that accelerate zoonotic emergence
SARS, MERS, Ebola, and HIV all have wildlife origins linked to trade or consumption of wild animals
Banning wildlife trade reduces both zoonotic risk and the significant welfare harm experienced by traded animals

Welfare Considerations

The COVID-19 pandemic provides a powerful alignment between zoonotic disease prevention and animal welfare — reducing wildlife trade benefits both human health and animal welfare simultaneously. Traded wildlife experience severe welfare harm during capture, transport, and market holding. Regulatory closure of high-risk live wildlife markets and reduction in wildlife trade volumes would reduce zoonotic risk while eliminating a significant source of animal suffering.

What You Can Do

Support campaigns for the closure of high-risk live wildlife markets and international wildlife trade reform
Avoid consuming wild-caught wildlife products or attending markets selling live wild animals
Donate to One Health organisations working on wildlife trade reform as both a welfare and public health priority
Engage with the policy debate on wildlife trade from a combined welfare and zoonotic disease perspective