With SARS-coronaviruses originating from wildlife, one major issue brought to light by COVID-19 is the connection between habitat destruction and the emergence of new infectious diseases. Researchers from New Zealand’s Massey University have charted this connection, linking human-driven tropical forest fragmentation and the emergence of the disease caused by the Ebola virus.
A similar study involved satellite data analysis of bat populations and locations in which forest cover, as well as domestic animal and human densities, were rapidly shifting. High-risk areas with recently fragmented forest cover included the region of China south of Shanghai, as well as the northern Philippines and Japan. These regions represent hotspots in which people and livestock are likely to have contact with wildlife, in particular the bats that act as hosts for Sars-related viruses.
These findings were reinforced by University of California researchers who undertook a comprehensive look at 142 viruses known to “spillover” from animals to people. Risks ranged from "zoonotic" viruses shared with domesticated animals, to wild animals that had adapted well to environments now dominated by humans.
