The Wild Africa Fund is urging world leaders worldwide to take immediate action in curbing illegal wildlife trade, deforestation, and climate change. The measures are crucial to reducing the risk of future disease transmissions from animals.
The Executive Officer of the Fund, Peter Knights, released a statement over the weekend emphasizing this urgent need.
In the statement, the Fund highlighted the growing risk faced by Africa due to population growth, rapid urbanization, deforestation, and the commercial ‘bushmeat’ trade.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there has been a 63 percent increase in the number of zoonotic outbreaks such as Ebola and Monkeypox diseases in the region from 2012 to 2022 compared to the previous decade (2001 to 2011).
Globally, over 60 percent of human infectious diseases are spread by deadly germs found in animals. Prior to COVID-19, zoonotic diseases had already caused economic losses exceeding $100 billion in the last two decades, according to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
Knights stated in the release, “Zoonotic diseases such as COVID-19, Ebola, Anthrax, Yellow fever, Marburg virus, and Monkeypox are increasingly common throughout Africa and around the world. Scientists estimate that there are approximately 700,000 unknown zoonotic diseases that can potentially jump from animals and infect humans.”
“We must address this imminent threat by educating urban consumers about the dangers of illegal bushmeat consumption, enforcing relevant laws, and preserving the remaining wildlife habitat. Simultaneously, we must develop alternative sources of income and protein for those engaged in hunting,” Knights added.
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“In the past 12 months, Africa and the world have witnessed several infectious disease outbreaks, including major zoonotic disease outbreaks,” the statement further noted.
“The recent outbreaks of anthrax, monkeypox, and Marburg virus in certain parts of Africa, as well as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, serve as a reminder that zoonotic diseases continue to pose a significant threat to our health, economies, and global security.”
The Nigerian Government recently issued an advisory warning its citizens to refrain from consuming bushmeat following the outbreak of anthrax, believed to have spread from animals in northern Ghana.
The Wild Africa Fund is running an awareness campaign across Africa using both conventional and social media platforms to emphasize the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health and the need to protect wildlife for our own well-being.
Dr. Mark Ofua, the spokesperson of the Fund, emphasized Nigeria’s role as a notable hub for illegal wildlife trafficking and stressed that the country cannot afford to be the epicenter of the next pandemic, which would have severe implications for human health and the economy.
“We must swiftly pass the new wildlife law proposed prior to the election, enhance our enforcement and awareness efforts to halt the illegal bushmeat trade, mitigate the spread of zoonotic diseases, and safeguard our environment,” Dr. Ofua added.
He continued, “If we are unaware of the pathogens present in our environment, we are unknowingly destroying ecosystems and creating opportunities for humans to encroach upon animals’ habitats, leading to deforestation and environmental degradation. This contact with wildlife increases the risk of pathogen transmission. If the human population has no previous exposure to a specific pathogen, it lacks immunity, thereby allowing for rapid spread among humans.”
