Breaking News English

COVID-19 could cut wildlife trade

Wildlife Trade - Level 0

The coronavirus pandemic could cut the trade in wildlife. COVID-19 probably started at a market selling wild animals. It crossed over to humans. Eating wild animals with diseases can be dangerous. A conservationist wants to end the wildlife trade. He said this could help to prevent the spread of disease.

London Zoo said animal markets could be "time bombs". They are perfect places for new viruses to start. About 75 per cent of new infectious diseases come from animals. Animal diseases lead to millions of illnesses and deaths worldwide. An expert said the next virus could come along soon.

SPEED READING

Speed 1    |     Speed 2    |     Speed 3

MORE

11 online activities    |    8-page printable   (PDF)

Wildlife Trade - Level 1

The coronavirus pandemic could greatly cut the trade in wildlife. COVID-19 probably started at a market selling wild animals. It came from either a bat or a pangolin and crossed over to humans. A conservation group said eating wild animals that can carry diseases can be dangerous to human health. A conservationist called for a ban in the wildlife trade. He said: "Not only will this help to prevent the spread of disease, it [might stop] species extinction."

The London Zoological Society said animal markets could be "time bombs". They are perfect places for new viruses to start. It said if we continue to trade in animals, we will be in trouble again. About 75 per cent of new infectious diseases come from animals, like SARS, MERS and Ebola. Infections from animals lead to millions of illnesses and deaths worldwide every year. An expert said, "it's just a matter of time before the next [animal] disease risk emerges".

SPEED READING

Speed 1    |     Speed 2    |     Speed 3

MORE

11 online activities    |    8-page printable   (PDF)

Wildlife Trade - Level 2

Slowest

Experts think the trade in wildlife could be greatly cut because of the coronavirus pandemic. The virus probably started at a market selling wild animals. It came from either a bat or an animal called a pangolin and crossed over to humans. The conservation group Humane Society International said eating wild animals, "which can carry diseases that can cross the species barrier poses a real threat to human health." Other conservationists called for a ban in the wildlife trade. They said: "Not only will this help to prevent the spread of disease, it will [help to stop] species extinction."

The Zoological Society of London said animal markets could be "time bombs". It said they have perfect conditions for new viruses to start. It added that if we continued to buy and sell animals, we would be in trouble again. About 75 per cent of new infectious diseases come from animals. Recent examples are SARS, MERS and Ebola. Infections from animals lead to millions of illnesses and deaths worldwide every year. An expert said the world must act soon, because, "realistically, it's just a matter of time before the next [animal] disease risk emerges".

SPEED READING

Speed 1    |     Speed 2    |     Speed 3

MORE

11 online activities    |    8-page printable   (PDF)

Wildlife Trade - Level 3

Conservation experts are saying that the trade in wildlife could be greatly cut after the coronavirus pandemic has finished. They say that the virus probably started at a market selling wild animals in China. The virus came from either a bat or an animal called a pangolin. It then crossed over to infect humans. The conservation group Humane Society International said: "The consumption of wild animals which can carry diseases that can cross the species barrier poses a real threat to human health." The Wildlife Conservation Society called for a ban of animal markets that trade in wildlife. It said: "Not only will this help to prevent the spread of disease, it will address one of the major drivers of species extinction."

A spokesman from the Zoological Society of London said animal markets could be "time bombs". He said the markets can provide perfect conditions for new viruses to start and grow. He added that if we treated animals like goods to buy and sell, we would be in trouble again in the future. Scientists say many new outbreaks of viruses start in animals. About 75 per cent of new infectious diseases come from animals. Recent examples include SARS, MERS and Ebola. Infections from animals cause millions of illnesses and deaths worldwide every year. An expert said the world must act soon, because, "realistically, it's just a matter of time before the next zoonotic disease risk emerges".

SPEED READING

Speed 1    |     Speed 2    |     Speed 3

MORE

25 online activities    |    27-page printable    |    2-page mini-lesson