The Fate of Animals and Wildlife During COVID-19

 


Figure 1. Manis crassicaudata brachyura (Subspecies of Indian pangolin). 

Note: Manis crassicaudata brachyura (Subspecies of Indian pangolin). Wikimedia Commons. Public domain.

 

The Fate of Animals and Wildlife During COVID-19

by Vicky L. Oldham, September 17, 2020

The origins of the COVID-19 pandemic remain a mystery to researchers.  Still, there are strong clues by comparing the genetic similarity of the causative agent, the SARS-coV-2 novel coronavirus infecting humans, with coronaviruses found in other animals.  Bats have long served as an incubator to a wide range of viruses, including coronaviruses (Misra, 2020, para.1).  However, the strain causing illness in people may have required a process of genetic refinement from bats to other mammalian species. Current data suggests that humans first became infected with SARS-coV-2 at the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market, a "wet market" in Wuhan, China, known for selling meat of wild animals (Maron, 2020, para. 1).  Among the first animals suspected in the animal-to-human, or "zoonotic," transmission of the coronavirus is the pangolin (Quammen, 2020).  An endangered Asian mammal related to anteaters, the pangolin often turns up illegally in wet markets. Surprisingly, the coronavirus it carries is 99.9% similar to the strain infecting humans (Sandoiu, 2020, para. 10).  Fear of zoonotic diseases is nothing new; however, we live in a time when so many wild animals are critically endangered or nearing extinction.  Zoos and animal parks often provide the last hope for species when their habitat has been destroyed, whether directly by humans or the ravages of climate change.  Currently, no vaccine or specific remedy is available for COVID-19, and the pandemic shows no signs of abating.  Although not well understood, troubling connections between the SARS-coV-2 virus and other animals continue to mount, and there are growing concerns about transmission between animals and people.  Suppose ignorance and fear escalate to public hysteria.  In that case, rare or endangered species could be needlessly killed, affecting types of wildlife that may otherwise have no connection to the virus’ spread.  Pending the success of a vaccine for COVID-19, we will need a heroic leap of faith and reliance on human kindness to protect animals during these times, especially as the pandemic continues to spread throughout the United States and the world.

Zoos in the U.S. closed their doors to the public when the pandemic lockdown occurred in March 2020.  Without revenue from ticket and gift shop sales, zoos and wildlife parks went to extreme measures to meet their animals' needs.  While much of the staff worked remotely, keepers continued to care for their animals, despite the crisis (Thompson & Tormes, 2020, para. 2).  During this time, some zoo animals, including several tigers, had tested positive for Covid-19 (Wildlife Conservation Society, 2020, para. 1-2).  Not only was the pandemic causing great distress from an economic standpoint, but now questions arose about risks to many other species of wild animals.

It turns out that a wide variety of mammals may be vulnerable to the same SARS-coV-2 virus strain that affects humans.  From tigers to domestic pets, to endangered primates, and even dolphins and whales, a diversity of wildlife has shown susceptibility to infection by the coronavirus (Mathavarajah et al., 2020).  Ominously, scientists have discovered that many animals, once exposed to SARS-coV-2, may unwittingly act as asymptomatic reservoirs for the virus, prioritizing the need to learn whether or not it is further transmissible to a broader range of species.

Sadly, it appears that some mammals not only catch COVID-19 but also transmit the virus to people and other animals.  The general public is just beginning to learn that the mink, a weasel-like animal captive-bred for the fur industry, can contract the virus—while also transmitting it back to humans (Mallapaty, 2020, para. 1-4).  Authorities in Europe and the U.S. have recently ordered the euthanizing of minks, amounting to millions of animals.

Why would governments on two continents go to such extreme measures and order the wholesale destruction of minks?  It turns out that, like people, minks can also become sick and die from COVID-19.  Furthermore, due to the way minks are kept together in small, crowded cages, opportunities for new virus mutations abound.  To date, the World Health Organization has identified a particular Sars-coV-2 mutation known as the "cluster 5" variant infecting minks as well as their human handlers.  This mutation shows no greater virulence or transmissibility but is potentially troubling due to its "moderately decreased sensitivity to neutralizing antibodies" (WHO, 2020, para. 2).  Alarmed by this development (which could imperil the success of a vaccine), scientists felt compelled to recommend the destruction of the animals to prevent any chance of developing more deadly virus strains. Following a New York Times story about orders to cull untold numbers of minks, most reader-comments expressed outrage, not only over the sad killing of so many animals but also over the evils of the fur industry (Gorman, 2020). It is fortunate that, at least for now, people are sympathetic to the plight of hapless animals caught in the tragic wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Diseases transmitted from animals to humans have been with us for the span of our evolution.  Bubonic plague, responsible for the death of one-third of Europe's population in the Middle Ages, lives on in the fleas of ground squirrels (Howard, 2020, para. 13). Hantavirus, carried by deer mice, made headlines in the 1990s when it resulted in the deaths of Native Americans in the southwest U.S. (Grady, 1993).  Leprosy, a renowned scourge of biblical times, persists today in armadillos found in the southeast U.S.  Measures to limit the spread of dangerous zoonotic diseases have been met with varying levels of success, but there has never been total eradication of the causative agents.  More commonly, biological vectors affecting people in the U.S. today include arthropods: ticks, which carry several serious diseases such as Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and mosquitoes and flies known for West Nile virus, malaria, typhoid fever, and encephalitis (SciLine, 2019). Public outcry seems minimized as long as outbreaks are relatively infrequent or receive little publicity.

What will happen if, during the pandemic, it becomes public knowledge that many different kinds of animals can catch and transmit COVID-19, especially those in captive conditions, in close contact with people?  How would zoos, aquariums, and wildlife parks be affected?  Will animals be tolerated if people believe they or their families are at risk?

Conclusion

We are in the midst of an unprecedented, global pandemic; depending on how long it takes to control, its impact could be profound and far-reaching to life on earth.  Vaccines under development offer hope but require time to develop, test, and distribute.  If the public suddenly blames animals for the spread of COVID-19 or perceives them as dangerous vectors of disease, will the reaction be harsh?  Will zookeepers be permitted to maintain close contact with their animals if we learn that coronaviruses in other species pose an increased threat to human health?  These are questions that remain unanswered and undoubtedly complicate the stewardship and survival of wildlife in an already precarious situation.  The fate of animals may ultimately depend on finding a cure to COVID-19—hopefully, sooner than later.


References

Gorman, J. (2020, November 29). Mink and the coronavirus: what we know. New York Times.

https://www.nytimes.com/article/mink-coronavirus-mutation.html

Grady, D. (1993, January 18). Death at the corners. Discover Magazine. https://www.discovermagazine.com/health/death-at-the-corners

Howard, J. (2020, July 6). Plague was one of history’s deadliest diseases—then we found a cure. National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/health-and-human-body/human-diseases/the-plague

Mallapaty, S. (2020, November 13). COVID mink analysis shows mutations are not dangerous — yet. Nature. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-03218-z

Maron, D.F. (2020, April 15). 'Wet markets' likely launched the coronavirus. Here's what you need to know. National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2020/04/coronavirus-linked-to-chinese-wet-markets

Mathavarajah, S., Stoddart, A.K., Gagnon, G., Dellaire, G. (2020, October 29). Pandemic danger to the deep: The risk of marine mammals contracting SARS-CoV-2 from wastewater. Science of The Total Environment, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143346

Misra, V. (2020, September 14). Bats and viruses. The Lancet. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(20)30743-X/fulltext

Quammen, D. (2020, August 24). Did Pangolin Trafficking Cause the Coronavirus Pandemic? The New Yorker.  https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/08/31/did-pangolins-start-the-coronavirus-pandemic

Sandoiu, A. (2020, February 11). Coronavirus: Pangolins may have spread the disease to humans. Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/coronavirus-pangolins-may-have-spread-the-disease-to-humans

SciLine (2019, April 15). Vector-borne Diseases in the United States. American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). https://www.sciline.org/evidence-blog/vector-borne-diseases

Thompson, A. & Tormes, L. (2020, June 19). Zoos find creative ways to cope with coronavirus lockdowns. Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/zoos-find-creative-ways-to-cope-with-coronavirus-lockdowns

WHO (2020, November 6). SARS-CoV-2 mink-associated variant strain – Denmark. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/csr/don/06-november-2020-mink-associated-sars-cov2-denmark/en

Wildlife Conservation Society (2020, April 22). Update: Bronx Zoo tigers and lions recovering from COVID-19. WCS.ORG. https://newsroom.wcs.org/News-Releases/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/14084/Update-Bronx-Zoo-Tigers-and-Lions-Recovering-from-COVID-19.aspx

 

TIMELY UPDATES TO ORIGINAL ESSAY

Cha, A.E. (2022, May 20). Tracking coronavirus in animals takes on new urgency. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2022/05/20/tracking-coronavirus-variants-animals/ 

Ungar, L. (2021, December 10). Pandemic mystery: Scientists focus on COVID’s animal origins. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-health-pandemics-covid-19-pandemic-083bd75a801f9824e0b9ad7316062a5c  

Branswell, H. (2021, Dec. 2). Some experts suggest Omicron variant may have evolved in an animal host. Stat News. https://www.statnews.com/2021/12/02/some-experts-suggest-omicron-variant-may-have-evolved-in-an-animal-host/


IMAGE REFERENCE

Hardewicke, T. (1833/1834). Manis crassicaudata brachyura (Subspecies of Indian pangolin). Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pangolin_Hardwicke_(white_background).jpg   

 

 

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