…is the only one that does not learn from its mistakes
Regards and good night from Venus
Day: April 15, 2020
Korean Dogs Newsletter 14th April 2020.
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Coronavirus: WHO urges China to close ‘dangerous’ wet market as stalls in Wuhan begin to reopen
’75 per cent of emerging infections come from the animal kingdom… It’s partly the markets, but it’s also other places where humans and animals are in close contact,’ says Dr David Nabarro
The World Health Organisation is urging countries across the world to close “dangerous” wet markets amid warnings about the risks posed by environments where humans are in close contact with animals.
Wet markets in Wuhan, the city where the coronavirus outbreak first emerged, have begun to reopen following the lifting of lockdown restrictions. This move comes despite the virus being linked to the city’s Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market.
But WHO, as well as other public health organisations and campaigners, have said the markets pose a “real danger” as pathogens can spread easily and quickly from animals to humans.
Dr David Nabarro, a WHO special envoy on Covid-19 and special representative of the United Nations secretary general for food security and nutrition, said the world health body “pleads with governments and just about everybody” to be respectful of how viruses from the animal kingdom are rife.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Dr Nabarro said while WHO is not able to tell governments what to do, their advice is to close wet markets.
He replied: “You know how WHO and other parts of the international system work – we don’t have the capacity to police the world. Instead, what we have to do is offer advice and guidance, and there’s very clear advice from the Food and Agriculture Organisation and WHO that said there are real dangers in these kinds of environments.
“75 per cent of emerging infections come from the animal kingdom. It’s partly the markets, but it’s also other places where humans and animals are in close contact. Just make absolutely certain that you’re not creating opportunities for viral spread,” added Dr Nabarro.
Traders sell fresh produce, fruit and vegetables in wet markets alongside wild and domestic animals mainly for consumption in wet markets, which are common in China, South Korea and southeast Asia. Not all wet markets sell exotic meats, but poor legal controls allow for the controversial product to enter the supply chain.
Last week, over 200 conservation groups across the world signed an open letter calling on WHO to force the closure of markets where wild meat is sold for consumption.
The joint letter calls on WHO to recommend to governments that they bring permanent bans to live wildlife markets and to exclude the use of wildlife from the organisation’s definition and endorsement of traditional medicine.
Dr Nabarro added: “We have similar concerns about bushmeat – be very very careful when you’re basically eating wild animal meat or killing wild animals. All these things are higher risk and we have to be on high alert these days for these problems.”
The Independent is calling for global action to impose tighter restrictions surrounding the trade of wild animals, in order to help reduce the risk of diseases like coronavirus from spreading.
There is some indication that Chinese authorities are heeding calls for more restrictions. Last month, Beijing banned the trade and consumption of non-aquatic wild animals, and shut down 20,000 farms raising animals such as peacocks, porcupines and ostriches.
Shenzhen became the first Chinese city to ban the sale and consumption of dog and cat meat, with central authorities declaring that dogs are companions and not for consumption.
Jinfeng Zhou, secretary general of the China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation, told The Guardian that a universal closure of wildlife markets was justified.
However, the use of wild animal meat or byproducts are still being approved for use in medication and signs that regional Chinese authorities are not enforcing the recent ban on the sale of wild animals have emerged.
Source – Independent (London) – https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/coronavirus-china-cases-deaths-who-wet-market-wuhan-a9462286.html
The zoos and animal gardens in Germany are also suffering from the corona crisis. Due to the lack of income, they are under increasing pressure. Bankruptcies are imminent – but what will become of the animals?
The animal park Neumünster has drawn up emergency plans for the slaughter of its animals because of the existential corona forced closure. It also says who will be the last to go to the slaughterhouse in the event of a fall: the 3.60 meter tall polar bear «Vitus», said Zoo Director Verena Caspari.
Vitus, the polar bear- Neumünster
The background is that the zoo currently has no income from visitors and is only kept alive by donations. “We are an association,” said Caspari. “We do not receive any urban funds, and everything we have applied for so far has not yet been received by us. We currently only survive with donations.”
That’s enough. “But if – and that’s really the worst, worst case – if I run out of money to buy feed, or if it should happen that my feed supplier can no longer deliver due to new restrictions, then I would slaughter animals to feed other animals. “
But that would be the very last step.
“It’s not as spectacular as it sounds,” said zoo director Caspari. Because killing an animal in certain cases is even mandatory for animal welfare reasons.
“Before that, you could of course also try to sell animals to other companies. But that is not so easy with all animals.”
For example Vitus, the polar bear.
With a weight of around 700 kilograms, it is one of the largest of its kind in Germany.
“If things get really tough here and the zoo has to be dissolved, I can’t just put it in a box and transport it elsewhere.”
You can’t even get such a big animal with a colleague.
“It is not a pony that you can sometimes put in a donkey stable. It is a large predator for which you need an adequate system.” But Caspari is confident that it won’t come to that. Other animal parks had promised to send fish and meat to the Neumünster residents “if the worst case would happen,” she said.
The Nuremberg zoo also issued a press release to the public at the end of March: The Association of Zoological Gardens has confirmed that the zoos need an emergency aid program in the amount of 100 million euros.
“Unlike other facilities, we cannot simply shut down our farm – our animals still have to be fed and cared for,” said Jörg Junhold, President of the Association and Zoo Director in Leipzig.
“At the moment, however, we are working with no income and consistently high expenses.”
The seriousness of the situation can be seen from the fact that a single large zoo currently has to cope with a weekly loss of sales of around half a million euros.
The corona crisis also affects the animals – “the monkeys miss the visitors ,” says the Nuremberg Zoo director.
How critical the situation is can be seen in the case of Neumünster Zoo: Zoo director Caspari says: “In the worst case, I will have to euthanize animals before I starve them to death.”
Other animal parks would also deal with this question – even if one does not like to talk about it. To prevent the disaster, the zoo in Neumünster is asking for donations.
My comment: What a disgusting mix of self-pity and manipulation!
EVERYONE who has taken responsibility for so many other beings (or rather, has seized them against their will) must have reserves for at least a few months.
And I want to say: a zoo director can’t let tigers fly in and let elephants cart in from somewhere and then say: Oops, the Easter business failed, let’s put a few penguins to sleep!
This is about sentient and healthy living things and not about things!
As long as they served as crowd pullers and brought money to the till, each zoo director spoke of a “family”.
As soon as the crisis is there, they have to be slaughtered.
Zoos have to be closed forever, now is a good opportunity.
The animals belong in freedom and should be housed in national parks.
And THAT has to be financed with donations.
My best regards to all, Venus
Spring hunt in Malta: Despite all protests by the nature conservation associations and from the population and contrary to the requirements of the EU Birds Directive, Malta has approved the spring hunt for quail.
From April 10th to 30th, 6,000 hunters can shoot a total of 5,000 of the endangered migratory birds.
That means the hunters go on the prowl for 20 days in order to allegedly kill less than one bird on average – a hardly credible calculation.
The actual number of birds shot is likely to be much higher. The police controls, which are always too tight, have been further reduced by the corona pandemic.
As a result, the two teams of the Committee against Bird Murder, which are currently in use in Malta, observe numerous violations of hunting and nature conservation law.
The use of banned electronic lure systems and shots at protected birds of prey, hoopoes and lovebirds are particularly widespread.
The last victim of the uncontrolled spring hunt is a kestrel, which a committee team found at Birzebuggia on Easter Sunday (photo). Unfortunately, the bird had to be put to sleep – its body was full of lead shot.
In our video published today, we show a whole range of violations – from bird trapping with blow nets to hunters who are illegally stalking. It has received and confirmed information that the man works as a prison guard in Corradino Correctional Facility.
https://www.facebook.com/Komitee.CABS
My comment: The hunting season in Malta lasts from September to May. There is hunting almost everywhere, and the illegal poachers don’t give a shit about the police.
Since classic game on the islands has long been eradicated, the murderers’ rage is concentrated on the migratory birds.
The list of birds officially released for hunting and fishing includes, in addition to numerous songbirds, waders and waterbirds, even highly endangered species.
A blatant case of corruption when licenses are issued for endangered species.
Bird catching is a popular sport in Malta. Unlike most other fishing areas in the Mediterranean, the captured songbirds end up as caged birds, locked up in the living room of perverted “bird friends”.
In Malta’s capital Valletta there is even a large bird market every Sunday, which is even mentioned in the travel guides as a sight.
Another big advantage of the Corona is the temporary standstill of tourism in countries that have always lived from tourism. For tourism, a lot of money is usually made with animals.
My best regards to all, Venus
World Animals Voice 