WWF recommends action against wildlife open markets

WWF-Pakistan maintains that there are several open markets in major cities of the country


​ Our Correspondent April 08, 2020
PHOTO: FILE

KARACHI: On World Health Day 2020, a research commissioned by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) highlights the health risks posed by unregulated wildlife markets. A survey conducted in Southeast Asia and Hong Kong shows over 90 per cent respondents in support of the government-led closure of illegal and unregulated wildlife markets. The study comes in light of COVID-19, which has brought the link between zoonotic diseases - infectious diseases transmitted from animals to humans - and wildlife markets under scrutiny.

Findings of the World Health Organistation (WHO) state that bats appear to be the reservoir of the virus. While the intermediate host(s) are yet to be identified, WHO has confirmed COVID-19 as a zoonotic disease.

According to WWF-Pakistan, there are several unregulated wildlife markets in major cities of Pakistan. The organisation stresses on action against them.

A fertile environment

According to WWF-Pakistan Director General Hammad Naqi Khan, unregulated wildlife markets provide a fertile environment conducive to the spread of zoonotic diseases, at times with fatal consequences.

WWF-Pakistan maintains that there are several open markets in major cities of the country, which deal in illegal trade of wildlife, primarily meeting the pet trade demand. Animals on sale in such markets are often poached from their natural habitats and carry the risk of spreading diseases, said Khan.

Meanwhile, WHO reportedly states that at least 60 per cent of all human pathogens are zoonotic in origin and wildlife trade aggravates the spread of such diseases.

Furthermore, unsustainable wildlife trade is stated to be the second-largest threat to biodiversity globally, after habitat destruction.

According to Khan, a majority of wildlife species, including freshwater turtles and Indian pangolins - illegally smuggled from Pakistan - make their way to Asian consumer countries. He was of the view that Pakistan, a source and transit country for illegal consignments of various wildlife species, should take stern measures to curb wildlife poaching and trafficking.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 8th, 2020.

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