How Is the COVID-19 Outbreak Affecting Wildlife around the World?

Abstract

The COVID-19 is the infectious disease caused by the most recently discov-ered coronavirus at an animal market in Wuhan, China. Many wildlife spe-cies have been suggested as possible intermediate sources for the transmission of COVID-19 virus from bats to humans. The quick transmission of COVID-19 outbreak has imposed quarantine measures across the world, and as a result, most of the world’s towns and cities fell silent under lockdowns. The current study comes to investigate the ways by which the COVID-19 outbreak affects wildlife globally. Hundreds of internet sites and scientific reports have been reviewed to satisfy the needs of the study. Stories of seeing wild animals roaming the quiet, deserted streets and cities during the COVID-19 outbreak have been posted in the media and social media. The strong link between wildlife markets and COVID-19 resulted in international calls asking coun-tries to shut down wildlife markets forever. Poorer and vulnerable people around the world overexploit natural resources including wildlife. Roadkills became minimal because of the lockdown measures. The reduction in noise pollution level is expected to improve wildlife health and ecology including breeding success. The shortage of food items provided to zoo and park ani-mals constituted a real threat to animals and the institution harboring them. The increase in fish biomass comes as a result of the sharp decline in fishing activities. The isolation of antibodies from certain wildlife species is promis-ing in saving humankind against COVID-19. The infection of wild and pet animals with COVID-19 virus from humans and the interspecific transmis-sion of the infection are disastrous to animal ecology. Finally, closures may enhance people to connect more and more with nature in order to acknowl-edge wildlife in their surrounding environments. In conclusion, the study asks the world’s different parties to conserve wildlife in a sustainable fashion and to regulate exotic animal trade in wet markets in order to lower the inci-dence of zoonoses.