Vietnam’s Illicit Bear Bile Trade

The current COVID-19 virus health crisis is said to have been passed on by animals to humans. Suspected wildlife pinned for the spread of the pandemic include bats and pangolins – both considered delicacies in China where the virus first emerged. According to a recent study, diseases such as the new coronavirus could become more common as human activity destroys habitats and forces disease-carrying wild animals into ever-closer proximity with humans.

“Our data highlights how exploitation of wildlife and destruction of natural habitats in particular, underlie disease spill-over events, putting us at risk for emerging infectious diseases,” said Christine Johnson, from the University of California’s School of Veterinary Medicine, the lead author of the research.

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The ASEAN Post Team