The below open letter was sent to Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and Dr Zhang Qi of the World Health Organisation on the 6th April to coincide with World Health Day and on the 21st April for World Earth Day. Please find the covering emails and open letter below.
Covering email dated 6th April 2020
On behalf of the Lion Coalition, I am sending the attached joint letter signed by 241 leading animal welfare and conservation organisations to World Health Organisation.
In the midst of a global pandemic and on the occasion of World Health Day, this letter calls upon WHO to state the proven link between wildlife markets and their serious threats to human health. We outlined concrete measures that WHO and its member States should take to be able to avert another pandemic.
We are looking forward to hear your response and stand ready to assist.
Covering email dated 21st April 2020
Further to our joint letter sent on the 6th April 2020, to which we are eagerly awaiting a response, please find attached said letter now signed by 339 leading animal welfare and conservation organisations from all around the world.
Subsequent to the original release of our letter, on the 17th April Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus held a media briefing to clarify among others the WHO’s position on “wet markets”. He stated:
We applaud WHO for stating that governments must rigorously enforce bans on the sale and trade of wildlife for food. However, in most countries such bans don’t exist. We also note that there are many ways in which wildlife is utilised, like the use of wild animals for the production of traditional medicine, that could pose a risk to human health.
Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, acting Executive Secretary of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, is another of dozens of experts, who have shared these concerns in recent weeks. She stated:
“The message we are getting is if we don’t take care of nature, it will take care of us. It would be good to ban the live animal markets as China has done and some countries.”
In addition to the concrete measures that WHO and its member States should take in order to avert future zoonotic pandemics (as outlined in the attached letter) and in light of the statements by Dr. Nabarro (WHO Special Envoy on COVID-19), Ms. Mrema, and other public health experts, scientists and political leaders, we call on the WHO to release a formal position statement containing clear advice to governments to institute comprehensive and rigorously enforced bans on live wildlife markets and to close down the commercial wildlife trade which poses a risk to public health.
We would like to emphasise our focus on the need to tackle the commercial trade in wildlife, and to close markets that sell live wild animals or products, rather than markets at which other types of fresh produce might be traded.
We are looking forward to receiving your response and stand ready to assist.
Open Letter sent on both occasions
Dear Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and Dr Zhang Qi,
The undersigned organisations acknowledge and commend the World Health Organisation’s current efforts to contain the pandemic spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
On the occasion of World Health Day, in the midst of a global pandemic believed to have originated in a live wildlife market, we call upon the WHO to publicly and unequivocally state the proven link between these markets and serious threats to human health. In line with its stated mission to serve public health at all times, we urge the WHO to recommend that governments worldwide permanently ban live wildlife markets and the use of wildlife in traditional medicine. This decisive action, well within the WHO’s mandate, would be an impactful first step in adopting a highly precautionary approach to wildlife trade that poses a risk to human health.
While a robust global response is critical in detecting, treating and reducing transmission, it is equally necessary to take vital measures to prevent similar emerging infectious diseases developing into pandemics with the associated threats to human life, and social and economic well-being.
The COVID-19 outbreak is believed to have originated at wildlife markets in China, and transmitted to humans as a result of close proximity between wildlife and people.[2] Further research suggests that bats and pangolins may have been involved in the transmission chain of the virus to people[3]. But let us stress that it was the actions of people that created the environment in which this transmission was possible.
This is not the first time that infectious diseases have been linked to wild animals in recent years. Between 2002 and 2003, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), inflicted by a coronavirus which is also believed to have emerged from wildlife markets in China, resulted in more than 8,000 human cases across 29 countries, and 774 deaths[4]. Failure to enforce permanent bans on all wildlife markets then allowed for a similar, but more severe, disease to emerge. Other significant zoonotic diseases, the transmission of which has been associated with wildlife, include Ebola, MERS, HIV, bovine tuberculosis, rabies, and leptospirosis.[5]
Zoonotic diseases are responsible for over two billion cases of human illness and over two million human deaths each year.[5] How many of these cases directly or indirectly originate from wildlife is hard to calculate, due to overlapping reservoirs in livestock and wild animal populations. However, considering the significance of wildlife as a reservoir of emerging infectious diseases, wildlife origins of zoonoses must be of primary concern. Sixty percent (60%) of emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic and 70% of these are thought to originate from wildlife.[6]
The risk of zoonotic disease transmission is heightened further by the unregulated and unhygienic conditions associated with wildlife markets, where close proximity between humans and animals provide the perfect opportunity for pathogens to spread. This risk is further exacerbated by the conditions in which animals are typically farmed or collected from the wild, transported to and held at such markets, which inevitably result in large numbers of animals of different species being held in crowded conditions in close proximity, causing immense stress and weakening their immune systems. Such conditions, coupled with close proximity to people at wildlife markets, provide the ideal situation for pathogens to replicate, spread, and potentially infect people.
Pangolins, which are considered likely by some researchers to be involved in the transmission chain of COVID-19, are commonly used as ingredients for Traditional Medicine, as are many other wildlife species such as turtles, leopards, tigers, lions and bears, with bear bile injections being officially recommended as a treatment for COVID-19.[7] These animals are either farmed or poached from the wild to supply the demand – a practice that is entirely unnecessary given the viable plant or non-wildlife based alternatives recognized by Traditional Medicine. Risk of disease transmission is prevalent across all aspects of wildlife trade, which supplies products to the Traditional Medicine industry. For example, bovine tuberculosis has been documented among wild and captive-bred lions, posing a substantial risk of zoonosis to consumers and people involved in the lion bone trade, particularly those who work in breeding farms, slaughter and processing facilities in South Africa. Reptiles such as snakes and geckos, which are also used in Traditional Medicine, are frequent sources of Salmonellosis infections in people.[8]
While Traditional Medicine is a recognized medicinal system in many countries and cultures, and can play an important health role, the vast majority of ingredients are plant or mineral based, with hundreds of recognized alternatives to ingredients derived from wildlife. The trade in wildlife and parts and products derived from them for Traditional Medicine is unnecessary and indefensible, as it poses a risk to global health. Studies have highlighted that over 80% of Traditional Medicine consumers would consider herbal or synthetic alternatives to wild animal products.[9],[10] In China, academics recognized that a ban on wildlife consumption is not enough to protect public health from wildlife-associated diseases. They called on the government to support transitioning the wildlife farming industry away from the production of Traditional Medicine.[11]
Any policies and practices that sustain the wildlife trade carry a huge and unpredictable public health risk that could lead to future outbreaks and pandemics of zoonotic diseases among human populations.
The impact of COVID-19 in terms of loss of human life, physical and mental health, the global economy, livelihoods and the quality of public life has been utterly devastating and cannot be underestimated. At the time of writing, COVID-19 has led to 1,218,114 confirmed cases and 65,841 deaths across 208 countries. According to calculations by the UN and others, the COVID-19 pandemic could cost the global economy between US$1 – 2.7 trillion and is triggering a global recession forcing states to introduce costly stimulus packages.[12],[13] The costs to the international community of fighting a global pandemic are vastly higher than the costs of preventing it in the first place, including eliminating live wildlife markets and funding the coordinated global response needed to bring an end to the wildlife trade.
In conclusion, the demand for wildlife and wildlife products is a primary cause of the emergence and spread of zoonotic diseases and a severe risk to global health. We call on the World Health Organisation to recognise that it has a significant role to play to mitigate such global health risks.
We therefore strongly urge the World Health Organisation to:
- Recommend to governments worldwide that they institute a permanent ban on live wildlife markets, drawing an unequivocal link between these markets and their proven threats to human health.
- Recommend to governments that they address the potential risks to human health from the trade in wildlife – including collection from the wild, ranching, farming, transport, and trade through physical or online markets for any purpose – and act to close down or limit such trade in order to mitigate those risks.
- Unequivocally exclude the use of wildlife, including from captive bred specimens, in the WHO’s definition and endorsement of Traditional Medicine and revise WHO’s 2014-2023 Traditional Medicine Strategy accordingly to reflect this change.
- Assist governments and lead a coordinated response among the World Trade Organisation, World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and other multilateral organisations worldwide in awareness-raising activities to clearly inform of the risks of wildlife trade to public health, social cohesion, economic stability, law and order, and individual health.
- Support and encourage initiatives that deliver alternative sources of protein to subsistence consumers of wild animals, in order to further reduce the risk to human health.
We welcome your consideration of this important matter and stand ready to assist.
For and behalf of the following 339 organisations
| AAP Animal Advocacy and Protection |
| Aaranyak – India |
| Action for Dolphins |
| Action for Elephants |
| Advocates4Earth |
| Africa Network for Animal Welfare |
| African Pangolin Working Group |
| Albert Schweitzer Stiftung für unsere Mitwelt |
| All Life In A Viable Environment |
| Alliance for Earth, Life, Liberty & Advocacy |
| Amboseli Trust for Elephants |
| Ananta Jyoti Dhayn Kendra |
| Andean Cat Alliance |
| Anima International |
| Animal Aid International |
| Animal Alliance of Canada |
| Animal Concerns Research & Education Society |
| Animal Defenders International |
| Animal Friends Croatia |
| Animal Friends Jogja |
| Animal Guardians |
| Animal Kingdom Foundation |
| Animal Law Reform South Africa |
| Animal Legal Defense Fund |
| Animal Liberation Sanctuary |
| Animal People Forum |
| Animal Projects & Environmental Education Sdn Bhd |
| Animal Protection Agency |
| Animal Protection and Environmental Sanctuary |
| Animal Protection Denmark / Dyrenes Beskyttelse |
| Animal Protection Party of Canada |
| Animal Rescue Cambodia |
| Animal Research Connections |
| Animal Rights Center Japan |
| Animal Sanctuary Trust Indonesia |
| Animal Society for the Protection of Animals (Macau) |
| Animal Talk Africa |
| Animal Welfare And Anti Harassment Society |
| Animals Asia Foundation |
| Animals Australia |
| Animals Lebanon |
| Annamiticus |
| Ape Alliance |
| ARCA Brasil |
| Association Daridibó |
| Association de Défense des Ressources Marines |
| AWARE: Animal Welfare Awareness, Research and Education |
| Baboon Matters |
| Bali Animal Welfare Association |
| Bali Street Dog Fund Australia |
| Ban Animal Trading |
| Bat Conservation Africa |
| Bat Conservation Trust |
| BatLife Europe |
| BatLife Ghana |
| Bats without Borders |
| Bears in Mind |
| Beauty Without Cruelty – South Africa |
| Big Cat Rescue |
| BIOCONCIENCIA A.C. |
| Biofuelwatch |
| Blood Lions |
| Blue Cross of India |
| Blue Sky Society Trust |
| Bolivian Bat Conservation Program |
| Bonobo Conservation Initiative |
| Born Free Foundation |
| Born Free USA |
| Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre |
| Borneo Nature Foundation |
| Brighter Green |
| Bring the Elephant Home |
| Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting |
| Campaigns and Activism for Animals in the Industry (CAAI) |
| Cape Leopard Trust |
| Captured in Africa Foundation |
| CATCA Environmental and Wildlife Society |
| Center for Biological Diversity |
| Centre for Animal Rehabilitation and Education |
| Centre for Wildlife Studies |
| Cetacean Society International |
| Change for Animals Foundation |
| Cheetah Conservation Botswana |
| Chelui4lions |
| Coalition of African Animal Welfare Organisations |
| Code Animal |
| Community Dog Welfare Kopan |
| Compassion in World Farming |
| Compassion Unlimited Plus Action |
| Compassion Works International |
| Conservación de Mamíferos Marinos de Mexico |
| Conservation Action Trust India |
| Countryside Management Association |
| CPR Environmental Education Centre |
| Danau Girang Field |
| David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation |
| Defenders of Wildlife |
| Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Taraba State University Jalingo |
| Deutscher Tierschutzbund e.V. (Germany) |
| Djurskyddet Sverige (Animal Welfare Sweden) |
| Dogstop |
| Dutch Gorilla Foundation |
| Dutch Society for the Protection of Animals (Dierenbescherming) |
| Dynamic Planet |
| Earth Island Institute Asia Pacific |
| Earth Island Institute Int’l Marine Mammal Project |
| Eco Activists for Governance and Law Enforcement (EAGLE Network) |
| Elephanatics |
| Elephant Human Relations Aid |
| Elephant Reintegration Trust |
| Elephants Alive |
| Elephants DC |
| ElephantVoices |
| Elephation |
| EMS Foundation |
| Endangered Species Coalition |
| Environmental Investigation Agency |
| Equilibrium Futures |
| Eurogroup for Animals |
| FAADA, Spain |
| Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations |
| FIAPO |
| Fish Welfare Initiative |
| FLIGHT |
| Fondation Brigitte Bardot |
| Fondation Franz Weber |
| For Elephants |
| For the Love of Wildlife (FLOW) |
| For Tigers |
| Foundation Chimbo |
| Four Paws – International |
| Four Paws – South Africa |
| Franciscan Order – Hong Kong |
| Frankfurt Zoological Society |
| Fraternité pour le respect animal |
| Freeland |
| Friendicoes SECA |
| Friendicoes SECA – India |
| Friends of Animals |
| Friends of Conservation UK |
| Friends of the Orangutans Malaysia |
| Future 4 Wildlife |
| Future for Elephants e.V. |
| Gearing Up 4 Gorillas |
| Gibbon Conservation Society |
| Global Action in the Interest of Animals |
| Global Animal Law |
| Global Biodiversity Youth Network – Kenya |
| Global March for Elephant and Rhino Poaching |
| Global Sanctuary for Elephants |
| Global White Lion Protection Trust |
| Global Youth Biodiversity Network – Kenya |
| Gordon Consulting New Zealand |
| Great Ape Project |
| Great Apes Film Initiative |
| Greek Animal Welfare Fund |
| Green Girls in Africa |
| GREY2K USA Worldwide |
| Greyhound Compassion |
| Hands Off Fernkloof |
| Help Animals India |
| Himalayan Animal Rescue Trust |
| Hollow Paws |
| Humane Research Australia |
| Humane Society International – Africa |
| Humane Society International – Australia |
| Humane Society International – Global |
| HUTAN – Kinabatangan Orang-utan Conservation Programme |
| In Defence of Animals – India |
| In Defence of Animals – USA |
| In Defense of Animals – International |
| Institute for Critical Animal Studies – Africa |
| International Aid For Animal Foundation |
| International Animal Rescue |
| International Otter Survival Fund |
| International Primate Protection League |
| International Wildlife Bond |
| Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals |
| Israeli Primate Sanctuary |
| Jakarta Animal Aid Network |
| Japan Anti-Vivisection Association |
| Japan Tiger and Elephant Fund |
| Japan Wildlife Conservation Society |
| Kasanka Trust Limited |
| Korea Animal Rights Advocates |
| KYMA sea conservation & research |
| La Fondation Droit Animal, Ethique et Sciences (LFDA) |
| Lady Freethinker |
| Landmark Foundation |
| Latin American and Caribbean Network for Bat Conservation (RELCOM) |
| Lawrence Anthony Earth Organization |
| Lawyers for Animal Protection in Africa |
| Liberia Chimpanzee Rescue & Protection |
| Lifelong Animal Protection |
| Loomus (Estonia) |
| Love Animal House Thailand |
| LUSH UK |
| Mabula Ground Hornbill Project |
| Melbourn Dolphin |
| Monkey Helpline |
| Moving Animals |
| National Association of Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty |
| National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals |
| National Council of SPCAs – South Africa |
| National Park Rescue |
| Natural Resources Conservation Network |
| Neotropical Primate Conservation |
| Nepal Animal Welfare and Research Center |
| New Zealanders for Endangered Wildlife |
| NOAH – For Animal Rights |
| Nsefu Wildlife Conservation Foundation |
| NY4Whales |
| Oceanic Preservation Society |
| Ol Pejeta Conservancy |
| One Nature Films |
| One Voice (France) |
| OneKind |
| ONG Sante Animale Afrique |
| Orangutan Appeal UK |
| Orangutan Foundation |
| Orca Rescues Foundation |
| OSCAP |
| Outraged South African Citizens Against Rhino Poaching |
| Painted Dog Conservation – Zimbabwe |
| Pan African Sanctuary Alliance |
| Panthera |
| Panthera Africa |
| PEACE (Put an End to Animal Cruelty and Exploitation) |
| Pegasus Foundation |
| Penguin Global Society |
| People for Animal Care and Kindness |
| People for Animals, Odisha |
| People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) |
| Performing Animal Welfare Society |
| PETA Asia 亚洲善待动物组织 |
| Pettus Crowe Foundation |
| Pit-Track K9 Conservation & Anti-Poaching |
| Plants and Animals Welfare Society (PAWS Asia) |
| Pro Elephant Network |
| Pro Wildlife |
| Protecting African Lions |
| Pup Aid |
| Rapad Maroc (Morocco) |
| reEarth |
| Responsabile Nazionale Diritti Animali |
| Rettet den Regenwald (Rainforest Rescue) |
| Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals |
| RSPCA Australia |
| SAI (Save Animals Initiative) Sanctuary Trust |
| Sanctuary Education Advisory Specialists |
| Sanctuary for Health & Reconnection to Animals & Nature |
| Santuário de Elefantes Brasil |
| Sarawak Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals |
| Save The Asian Elephants |
| Scorpion Foundation Indonesia |
| Sea Shepherd Legal |
| Sea Shepherd South Africa |
| SEY Animal Welfare Finland |
| Shark Research Institute |
| Showing Animals Respect and Kindness |
| Small Mammal Conservation Organisation |
| Snow Leopard Conservancy |
| Society for Dolphin Conservation, Germany |
| Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals – Selangor |
| Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals – Singapore |
| Society for the Protection of Animals Ljubimci |
| Society for Travelers Respecting Animal Welfare |
| Soi Dog Foundation |
| South Peninsula Customary Khoisan Council |
| Southern African Fight for Rhinos |
| Species Survival Network |
| Stichting Painted Dog Conservation |
| Stichting SPOTS |
| Sumatran Orangutan Society |
| Sun Bear Centre – Kalimantan |
| Sustainable Travel and Tourism Agenda – Kenya |
| Taiwan SPCA台灣防止虐待動物協會 |
| Tanglewood Foundation |
| Taraba Nature Conservation Initiative – Nigeria |
| Teyeliz, A.C |
| The Corbett Foundation |
| The Elephants and Bees Project |
| The Emergent Disease Foundation |
| The Gorilla Foundation |
| The Humane League Japan |
| The Humane Society of Canada |
| The Jane Goodall Institute – Nepal |
| The Kerulos Center for Nonviolence |
| The Philippines Animal Welfare Society |
| The Rufford Foundation |
| The Wildlife and Environmental Protection of Trinidad and Tobago |
| The Winsome Constance Kindness Trust |
| Transfrontier Africa |
| Tree of Compassion |
| Trésor Foundation |
| TRUNKS & LEAVES Inc |
| Tusk Trust |
| Two Million Tusks |
| Ulinzi Africa Foundation – Kenya |
| Unexpected Wildlife Refuge |
| Vancouver Humane Society |
| Vervet Monkey Foundation |
| Vogelgat Private Nature Reserve |
| Voice for Asian Elephants Society |
| Voice for dogs abroad |
| Voice4Lions – South Africa |
| Voice4Lions – UK |
| Voices for Animals – Russia |
| VShine Animal Protection Association |
| Water and Environment Media Network – Uganda |
| Wellbeing International |
| Wild Futures |
| Wild Law Institute |
| Wild Welfare |
| WildAid |
| WildAid Southern Africa |
| Wildlife ACT |
| Wildlife Alliance |
| Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi (WESM) |
| Wildlife At Risk International |
| Wildlife Impact |
| Wildlife Protection Society of India |
| Wildlife Rescue |
| Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Association, Guatemala |
| Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre |
| Wildlife SOS |
| Wildlife SOS – India |
| WildlifeDirect |
| Working Wild |
| World Animal Net |
| World Animal Protection – Africa |
| World Animal Protection – International |
| World Cetacean Alliance |
| World For All Animal Care And Adoptions |
| World Parrot Trust |
| Yangon Animal Shelter |
| Zimbabwe Elephant Foundation |
| Zoocheck Canada |
[1] In this document the term ‘wildlife’ refers to fauna in the wild or bred in captivity.
[2] Shereen, M.A., Khan, S., Kazmi, A., Bashir, N. and Siddique, R., 2020. COVID-19 infection: origin, transmission, and characteristics of human coronaviruses. Journal of Advanced Research.
[3] Andersen, G.A., Rambaut, A., Lipkin, W.I. et al. The proximal origin of SARS-CoV-2. Nat Med (2020)
[4] World Health Organisation. Summary of probable SARS cases with onset of illness from 1 November 2002 to 31 July 2003. https://www.who.int/csr/sars/country/table2004_04_21/en/
[5] Grace, D., Mutua, F., Ochungo, P., et al. Mapping of poverty and likely zoonoses hotspots. Zoonoses Project 4. Report to the UK Department for International Development. 2012
[6] Jones, K.E., Patel, N.G., et al. Global trends in emerging infectious diseases. Nature. 2008
[7] Office of the Chinese Medicine Bureau, General Office of the Health and Health Commission. Notice on Issuing a New Coronary Virus Pneumonia Diagnosis and Treatment Plan (Trial Version 7). issued March 03 2020. Available as PDF on http://www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/2020-03/04/content_5486705.htm
[8] Mermin, J., Hutwagner, L., Vugia, D., et al. Reptiles, Amphibians, and Human Salmonella Infection: A Population-Based, Case-Control Study. Clinical Infectious Diseases 38 (Supp 3). 2004
[9] World Animal Protection. Cruel Cures – The industry behind bear bile production and how to end it. 2020
[10] Moorhouse, T.P., Coals, P.G.R., D’Cruze, N., Macdonald, D.W. Reduce or redirect? Which social marketing interventions could influence demand for traditional medicines? Biological Conservation 242.2020
[11] Wang, H., Shao, J., Chuai, Z., et al. Wildlife consumption ban is insufficient. Science. Vol 367, Issue 6485. 2020
[12] United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. Coronavirus: Can policymakers avert a trillion-dollar crisis? 9 March 2020: https://unctad.org/en/pages/newsdetails.aspx?OriginalVersionID=2300
[13] Bloomberg. Coronavirus Could Cost the Global Economy $2.7 Trillion. 6 March 2020: https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2020-coronavirus-pandemic-global-economic-risk/
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