Time for China to announce permanent wild animal trade ban

THE Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) has welcomed the decision by Chinese authorities to ban the trade of wild animals, and called for their government to make this a permanent rather than temporary ban.

China’s ban aims to block the spread of the coronavirus.

“At this time no wildlife can be sold in or moved between markets, including online markets. The EWT recognises that international trade in wildlife has been linked to disease transmission across the globe. Illegal markets threaten endangered species and lead to overexploitation of natural resources.

“Of particular concern is the spread of contagious diseases between animals in wildlife markets and humans who come into contract with them.

“Illegal wildlife markets are therefore not only a conservation and welfare issue, but a public health issue,” EWT said in a statement.

According to EWT, the Chinese

Centre for Disease Control and Prevention tested 585 samples of wildlife specimens present at Wuhan’s Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market during the course of January and found 33 of these samples contained the coronavirus.

“In this market, as in so many throughout China, customers could purchase carcasses and live animals from local and international origins. African animals, such as crocodiles and pangolins, are on offer,” EWT said.

The Chinese government has in recent years taken increasing steps to curb the demand for wildlife products from Africa, which often end up in these wildlife markets.

In 2017 the government announced plans to shut down domestic ivory trade. In 2019, Chinese officials joined African countries in calling for an end to wildlife trafficking.

“If the demand for illegal wildlife products persists, and markets go unregulated, populations will continue to be threatened by zoonotic diseases. These markets threaten survival of endangered and threatened species and lead to overexploitation of our planet’s limited resources,” EWT said.

“The closest China has come to closing its wildlife markets was in 2003, following the Sars (severe acute respiratory syndrome) outbreak that killed almost 800 people. This effort dissipated months later

“Understanding the threats these markets represent to both humans and wildlife, now is the right time for China to announce a permanent ban on wildlife markets,” EWT said.