Coronavirus: Following in China's footsteps, Vietnam bans wildlife trade

Vietnam has decided to ban the sale and consumption of wild animals. The deadly coronavirus pandemic that is currently plaguing the world began late last year in an illegal ‘wet market’ in Wuhan, China. A ‘wet market’ is a place where wild and exotic animals like bats and anteaters are sold for human consumption, and given the fact that that the deadly coronavirus originates from here, China and Vietnam have decided to ban the consumption of wild animals. 

In order to prevent any future outbreaks

As per reports, China and Vietnam are believed by several wildlife organisations to be behind the skyrocketing death rates for exotic animals like rhinoceros, elephant and the heavily trafficked pangolin which are used as food or for medicinal purposes. These animals are generally sold in illegal ‘wet markets’ and these wet markets have not just been responsible for the recent outbreak of COVID-19 but also the very similar Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) that witnessed a less deadly outbreak in 2002.

According to reports, several conservationist organizations recently sent a letter to Vietnam’s Prime Minister and suggested that action should be taken against wildlife trade so as to prevent future outbreaks of disease. The letter was signed by Pan Nature, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Animals Asia Foundation, TRAFFIC, Save Vietnam Wildlife, and Wildlife Conservation Society and was sent to Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

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While Vietnam only has 179 coronavirus cases and no deaths, the economic impact from the virus has been devastating. After receiving the letter from the organisations, Vietnam’s Prime Minister tasked the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) with the task of formulating a step by step plan to ban the trade and consumption of wildlife. The Ministry has been given until April 1 to submit its plan. Back in January of this year, China had imposed a ban on the consumption of ‘terrestrial wildlife of important ecological, scientific and social value’. This move is expected to be ratified into law later this year.

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