Wild animals concentrate with humans can cause viral epidemics. Continuing this, we get "wars" humanity may not be able to win.
More and more people are convinced that the Korona outbreak started from local food markets in China. Bats and Pangolin appear to have been the producer and carrier of this virus.
Most of us know the bat well, but what about the Pangolin? Very few had heard of this little scale-covered animal before it appeared in the Corona case. The Pangolin could in the near future be extinct due to illegal hunting.
China and Vietnam are two countries that must bear the main blame for the extensive illegal hunting of the Pangolin. In Vietnam, the meat is highly sought after. In China it is used both for food but also the shells are used as various medicines. Although the effect is not scientifically proven, the scales have been important in traditional Chinese medicine. Keratin is the remedy they are looking for. The same is found in the horn of the rhino which is also extensively hunted illegally.
Pangolin is found in both Asia and Africa. Eventually it has become more difficult to find in Asia; therefore, much of the illegal hunting in Africa is now taking place.
China is known for widespread mistreatment of several animal species. This is shown in the book “Photographers against wildlife crime” (2018) by Keith Wilson and others. The photographers have documented that there are places in China where animals from several countries have been illegally captured, transported and placed in small cages. Many of the animals have stayed for years in these cages where they are unable to move. It is not uncommon for many to have been deformed by years of captivity in small cages.
A grotesque example is the so-called “Bile Bears”. The bears are put in small cages and tapped for bile used as traditional Chinese medicine. The Asian black bear is most often used. On Wikipedia and other sources, one can read that some of these bears are trapped as cubs and caged up to 30 years often without being able to move. They can neither sit up nor turn around in their terrible captivity.
The tiger is another animal that is treated the same way. The tiger “offers” a variety of remedies that are used – from whiskers to tail.
In Norway we are not completely free of guilt. We destroy large natural areas with various interventions such as wind turbines and associated road systems. Extensive cottage construction in mountain areas. We will decide which animals are allowed to live or be shot. We are digging wolverine cubs out of their dens just to kill them.
There is a problem that the natural areas are getting smaller and smaller. Animals and humans come closer to each other. More and more wild animals have now been observed in many large cities where they adapt excellently. This is described as a recipe for multiple virus attacks in the future. Extermination of plants and insects can also lead to problems with food production.
Can we hope that this Corona pandemic can be a wake-up call? Is it possible that we can take nature seriously? The alternative could be more and worse pandemics with enormous consequences for people. In addition, the financial consequences can be enormous – we have just seen the start.
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