- [Narrator] The wild animal trade
and live animal markets have been in the spotlight recently.
- These animals we don't know their history,
we don't know what kind of pathogens
or viruses that they are having.
- [Narrator] After they were linked
to the coronavirus outbreak many celebrities,
politicians, influencers, and members
of the public have campaigned to close down
live animal markets for good.
The first cases of coronavirus were linked
to the Huanan seafood wholesale market in Wuhan, China.
Most wet markets in Asia sell fruit,
vegetables, herbs, spices, and fresh meat
but this particular market had a separate section
for live and slaughtered wild animals.
- [David] That rightfully, the Chinese authorities reported
to the World Health Organization
and the World Organization for Animal Health
that they believe the origins of COVID-19 came
from what we call a wildlife wet market.
- [Narrator] In response to the outbreak,
China announced a ban on the sale of wild animals.
The live animal markets aren't exclusive to China.
Wildlife is traded for consumption in many other
Asian countries as well as the United States,
South America, across Europe, and in Africa.
As the current pandemic shows the trade is dangerous.
Animals can transfer diseases to humans.
These are called zoonotic diseases.
Experts believe bats are the most likely primary host
for the coronavirus.
It could have been transferred to humans
via another intermediate animal host,
potentially a pangolin, although this is not confirmed.
To try and prevent future pandemics,
the World Health Organization has urged governments
to rigorously enforce bans
on the trade of wildlife for food.
- As long as people eat meat,
that is going to be some risk of infection.
- [Narrator] These celebrities want to see an end
to wild animal markets and the wildlife trade for good.
Number 1, Dr. jane Goodall.
World renowned primatologist, Dr. Jane Goodall believes
that disrespect for animals caused the coronavirus outbreak.
She recently told "Agence France-Presse,"
"It is our disregard for nature and our disrespect
of the animals we should share the planet with
that has caused this pandemic, that was predicted long ago.
- There is one silver lining to this dark cloud.
This pandemic has reopened discussions
about the danger of the hunting, trafficking,
and eating of wild animals.
COVID-19 is one of those viruses
that have crossed the species barrier
and jumped from animals to humans.
I just hope that when this is over,
we're wiser and I hope that the Chinese ban
on the wet markets will A, be made permanent,
and B, extend to the use of wild animals for medicine
like pangolin scales, bear bile, and so on.
- [Narrator] Goodall acknowledged that bans
in some African countries, for example,
could impact those who rely
on wild animal meat for their livelihoods.
She said, "What we can do in our
"individual lives does depend a little bit on who we are
"but we all can make a difference.
"Everybody can."
- The world's only going to come right
when every day is an Earth Day
because we're part of the natural world, we depend on it.
- [Narrator] Number two, Ricky Gervais.
British comedian Ricky Gervais recently told the "Mirror"
that live animal markets have to close.
He said, "For the sake of people and animals,
"wildlife trade and consumption has to end.
"Now.
"We can't carry on exploiting animals,
"eating wildlife, and trashing the planet.
"The wildlife trade and markets have to close,
"otherwise it will be a case of when, and not if,
"we have another global pandemic."
- It's not the first time a terrible disease has started
because of people eating things they shouldn't.
This one comes from eating pangolins.
Pangolins, stop eating everything that moves.
It's gonna kill us all.
- [Narrator] Number three, Sir Paul McCartney.
Sir Paul McCartney recently spoke out
against China's live animal markets.
The former Beatle, Meat Free Monday co-founder,
and animal rights activist criticized live animal markets
during a Sirius XM interview with radio host Howard Stern.
- [Paul] It's a little bit medieval eating bats.
It seems like SARS and avian flu
and all sorts of other stuff that's afflicted us.
So I don't know, I really hope that this will mean
that the Chinese government, like who you say,
they've got power, it's not like their powerless.
Let's hope that they will say,
"Okay, guys, we really gotta get
super-hygienic around here."
- [Narrator] Number four, Brian May.
Queen guitarist Brian May believes that people
just need to stop eating meat altogether.
He suggested that a vegan future is the only way forward
following the pandemic.
He told NME, "If you want to get deep into it,
"I think we should be looking again
"at whether we should be eating animals.
"That's a central issue here.
"This pandemic seemed to come from people eating animals
"and it's becoming more well known that
"eating animals is not the greatest thing for our health."
- And we are farming creatures for our own benefits
without any regard for their welfare whatsoever.
It's vital at this pivotal point that we don't try
and go back to the way things were before.
This is, to me, a golden opportunity
and a vitally necessary opportunity to change things
and go forward to a different world
which is more considerate, more compassionate.
And in taking care of the environment,
takes care of us as well.
- [Narrator] Number five, Courteney Cox.
Friends star Courtney Cox recently took to Instagram
to blame the illegal wildlife trade for causing pandemics.
She wrote, "By protecting our natural ecosystems,
"we can stop the illegal wildlife trade
"which has caused the deadliest diseases of our lifetimes
"including HIV, SARS, and COVID-19."
In the same post, she urged her followers
to support Space for Giants, an international
conservation organization that works to protect
African wildlife landscapes for vulnerable elephants.
Number six, Senator Cory Booker.
66 US lawmakers including New Jersey Senator
Cory Booker have demanded a global ban
on live animal markets to prevent future pandemics.
The group wrote a letter to the directors general
of the World Health Organization,
The World Organization for Animal Health,
and the United Nations urging them to take aggressive action
toward a global ban on live animal markets.
The letter reads, "As this pandemic continues
"to threaten the lives of millions,
"pushes health care systems to the breaking point,
"and devastates economies around the world,
"it is imperative that we all take action
"as a global community to protect public health."
Number seven, Leonardo DiCaprio.
Academy award-winning actor Leonardo DiCaprio took
to social media to call for an end
to illegal wildlife trafficking.
He shared a petition called the declaration
to End the Trade on Instagram.
The declaration is a call from global wildlife conservation,
the Wildlife Conservation Society,
and Wild Aid to end the global wildlife trade.
He captioned the post, "Your voice matters
"and together we can show governments
"that public opinion around this issue is strong.
"This is among the most important decisions
"that the world community can make today
"to prevent another pathogen from jumping
"from animals to humans and spreading around the world."
Number eight, Philip Schofield.
On a recent episode of ITV's "This Morning,"
Philip Schofield said that wildlife
animal markets should be shut down.
Together with co-presenter Holly Willoughby,
he was interviewing wildlife expert Chris Packham.
Schofield said, "Nothing really
"galvanizes the world more than money.
"If we are to believe this virus originated
"in one of these exotic markets in Wuhan,
"it shut down the world.
"That's a massive responsibility on the world and China
"and other areas that have these markets."
Number 9, Chris Packham.
During his "This Morning" appearance,
TV presenter and naturalist Chris Packham spoke
about the endangered pangolin and the threat
that the wildlife trade poses to a number of animals.
He said, "Many of the species that you're talking
about are being illegally transported around the world.
"Many of them, very sadly, because the trade has persisted
for so long, have become endangered."
He recently signed an open letter
from the Born Free Foundation calling
for the end to live animal markets.
The letter stated, "The traded wildlife
"not only threatens human health,
"it is also a major contributor
"to the global decline in wildlife and biodiversity."
Number 10, Peter Egan.
British actor Peter Egan also shared the declaration
to End the Trade on Twitter.
"This pandemic is the consequence of our persistent
"and excessive intrusion in nature
"and the vast illegal wildlife trade,
"in particular, the wildlife markets.
"It was just a matter of time before something
"like this was going to happen."
Number 11, Bryan Adams.
Canadian musician Bryan Adams asked his
social media followers to tell everyone they have ever met
to help end the wildlife trade
sharing the declaration to End the Trade.
he said, "Please sign this petition calling
"for an end to the global wildlife trade,
"once and for all, and please tell everyone
"you have ever met to do the same."
Shortly after, he tweeted a Guardian article titled,
"We did it to Ourselves."
He captioned it, "I say go vegan for the planet."
Number 12, Carrie Symonds.
Carrie Symonds, who works as a senior adviser
to the ocean conservation nonprofit Oceana
and is engaged to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson,
also shared the declaration to End the Trade on Twitter.
She added, "This crisis gives us the chance
"to start doing things better.
"Let this be one of those things."
Number 13, Lucy Watson.
British entrepreneur and reality TV personality
Lucy Watson tweeted a petition
to end live animal markets in March.
She captioned the post, "Live animal markets are back up
"and running in China as if nothing ever happened.
"What is the point in all of this
"if we don't learn something and make positive changes?
"You can help end this, please sign the petition."
Number 14, Bill Maher.
On a recent episode of HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher,"
the talk show host said he had received bipartisan praise
for critiquing the Chinese government's decision
to open wet markets.
He then turned his attention
to US industrial animal agriculture.
- Americans should not get too high and mighty
about wet markets while we are doing this.
To thwart the coronavirus, we've been told
to create distance, avoid others who were sick,
lower stress, and exercise.
Are you surprised that diseases flourish among animals
when they're forced to live in conditions
that are the complete opposite of all of that.
They're on top of each other,
they can't move, they're stressed out.
I've seen airports treat luggage better
than we treat animals.
- [Narrator] Number 15 and 16,
Joaquin Phoenix and Rooney Mara.
Academy award-winning actor Joaquin Phoenix
and his fiance actor and activist Rooney Mara
recently spoke out about the dangers
of factory farming in live animal markets.
The pair penned an op-ed for "The Washington Post"
where they called live animal markets the perfect
environment for zoonotic diseases to leap
from an infected creature to a human.
- People are not in a panic in the way that they should be.
These are very dire times.
So I felt like I had to do something.
- [Narrator] But China is hardly the only country
where live animal markets and other
squalid operations are common.
Some 80% of them operate
within the five boroughs of New York City alone.
According to Slaughter Free NYC,
a nonprofit group that opposes them,
they are near residences, schools, and public parks.
They also referred to the threat of concentrated
animal feeding operations in the United States.
They wrote, "These factory farms warehouse thousands
"of animals that wallow in their own waste
"with limited or no air space routinely creating conditions
"for the proliferation of superbugs and zoonotic pathogens."
Number 17, Edie Falco.
Actor and activist Edie Falco recently wrote a letter
to New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio asking him
to shut down live animal markets in the city.
She wrote, "You're uniquely positioned to help stop
future pandemics and set an example for other leaders
by closing the city's live animal markets immediately.
That step could be pivotal in stopping other
deadly viruses from ever jumping to humans.
What do you think?
Will we see a global ban on live animal markets implemented?
Should factory farms be shut down too?
Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.
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(gentle music)