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Palm Oil: A Recipe for Disaster in India
Given the widespread destruction of rainforests and native biodiversity caused by oil palm plantations in Southeast Asia, environmental experts and politicians are warning that the move to promote …Palm Oil Detectives
Why humans kiss: It might have evolved from our ape ancestors grooming
New research suggests that kissing evolved from the grooming behaviour of ancient ape ancestors of humans.Evrim Yazgin (Cosmos Magazine)
Giant Pangolin Smutsia gigantea
Endangered
Extant (resident)
Cameroon; Central African Republic; Congo; Congo, The Democratic Republic of the; Côte d’Ivoire; Equatorial Guinea (Equatorial Guinea (mainland)); Gabon; Ghana; Guinea; Guinea-Bissau; Liberia; Nigeria; Rwanda; Senegal; Sierra Leone; South Sudan; Tanzania, United Republic of; Uganda
Presence Uncertain
Benin; Burkina Faso; Kenya; Niger
The Giant Pangolin is are the largest and heaviest of the pangolin species weighing up to 33 kilos. Males can be up to 1.8 metres long. These majestic creature are cloaked in keratin armour and embark on nightly quests through Central and West Africa’s lush landscapes. By the light of the moon, they use their keen sense of smell to hunt down ants and termites. As they navigate a world fraught with dangers from habitat destruction, poaching and illegal hunting, the survival of these enigmatic beings hangs in balance, urging us to reflect on our impact on their dwindling world. Help them to survive every single time you shop and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycottmeat, be #vegan and #Boycott4Wildlife.
The largest and heaviest #pangolin in the world is the Giant Pangolin of #Uganda 🇺🇬 #Congo 🇨🇩 #WestAfrica. Endangered by #palmoil and #cocoa #deforestation and #poaching Help them survive when u #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife #COP16 @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-7jM
Help the #endangered Giant Ground #Pangolin 🙏🌿 of #Africa and boycott #Chinese medicine using them. Spoiler alert: their scales DO NOT CURE ANYTHING! Another threat is #palmoil #deforestation #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife #COP16 @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-7jM
Giant pangolins have several quirky traits: they consume up to 70 million insects annually, primarily through nocturnal feasts, and lack teeth, instead swallowing stones to aid digestion. They walk on the sides of their wrists to protect their claws and have a keen sense of smell to compensate for their poor vision.
Appearance & Behaviour
Unique among mammals, their scales are made of keratin, the same material as human hair and nails. These account for around 20% of their body weight. These characteristics underscore their unique ecological niche and fascinating adaptations.
The Giant Pangolin is the of the pangolin species. With males around 1.8 meters in length and females reaching up to 1.36 meters in length.
Their bodies are adorned with thick, keratin scales that serve as armour against predators. These scales, combined with their significant size, set them apart as majestic creatures of the west African jungle.
Giant Pangolins are nocturnal and rely upon their exceptional sense of smell to locate the 19 specific species of ants and termites that comprise their diet. Despite their poor eyesight, they are adept at navigating their diverse habitats, from forested swamps to moist tropical forests across Central and West Africa. Their methodical consumption of insects, aided by ingesting small stones for digestion, highlights their crucial ecological role as pest controllers.
Threats
- Hunting and Poaching: The primary threat to Giant Pangolins comes from hunting and poaching for bushmeat and traditional medicine. This significantly impacts their populations across Africa.
- Bushmeat: These animals are desirable on the illegal bushmeat markets, contributing to an increased pressure on their numbers.
- Illegal International Trade: Despite protections, a substantial illegal trade persists, with significant quantities of scales trafficked internationally, posing a major threat to their survival.
- Habitat Loss: Deforestation and habitat degradation for palm oil, meat and cocoa along with mining especially in West Africa, pose severe threats to their habitats, impacting their area of occupancy and survival rates.
Habitat
The Giant Pangolin inhabits a diverse range of environments across Africa, from primary and secondary rainforests to gallery and swamp forests, as well as forest-savannah mosaics and wooded savannahs. Their presence extends from sea level in Gabon to high altitudes in the Democratic Republic of Congo, indicating a versatile adaptation to various ecosystems. This species is thought to rely on access to permanent water sources. Their wide geographic range underscores the importance of varied habitats for their survival, from Uganda’s savannah woodlands to Tanzania’s miombo woodlands.
Diet
The Giant Pangolin’s diet is highly specialised and focuses almost exclusively on ants and termites. They are capable of consuming around 70 million insects per year. They are therefore known as the forest ecosystem’s natural pest controllers. Their eating habits are unique, involving up to 90 meals in a single night, with each meal lasting about a minute. This efficient feeding strategy is facilitated by their long, sticky tongues, adept at extracting insects from nests, despite the pangolins’ lack of teeth, requiring them to ingest small stones to aid in grinding their food.
Mating and breeding
Giant pangolins have a unique reproductive cycle, with little known about their breeding habits. They usually give birth once, following a gestation of around 140 days, to a single young that is born with open eyes and soft scales. These newborns, weighing about 500g, initially move on their bellies and display a defense mechanism by secreting a yellow substance from their anal glands. The mother’s care extends to nursing for 3-4 months and includes carrying the young on her tail during foraging. This intimate parenting underscores the species’ complex social behaviors within their habitats, spanning from rainforests to savannah woodlands, indicating a reliance on diverse ecosystems and possibly on permanent water sources.
Support Giant Pangolins by going vegan and boycotting palm oil in the supermarket, it’s the #Boycott4Wildlife
Gorongosa National Park: Pangolin rehabilitation programme
Further Information
Nixon, S., Pietersen, D., Challender, D., Hoffmann, M., Godwill Ichu, I., Bruce, T., Ingram, D.J., Matthews, N. & Shirley, M.H. 2019. Smutsia gigantea. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T12762A123584478. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T12762A123584478.en. Accessed on 29 February 2024.
Quaglia, Sofia; Endangered giant pangolin spotted in Senegal after nearly 24 years. Nature.
Giant Pangolin Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_pangolin
Giant Pangolin Animalia.bio: https://animalia.bio/giant-pangolin
How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?
Take Action in Five Ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
Wildlife Artist Juanchi Pérez in His Own Words
Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings
Anthropologist and author of ‘In the Shadow of the Palms’ Dr Sophie Chao: In Her Own Words
Health Physician Dr Evan Allen: In His Own Words
The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
Learn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture
Global
South America
S.E. Asia
India
Africa
West Papua & PNG
Solomon Islands skink Corucia zebrata
Andean Mountain Cat Leopardus jacobita
Irrawaddy Dolphin Orcaella brevirostris
Sambar deer Rusa unicolor
African Golden Cat Caracal aurata
Philippine tarsier Carlito syrichta
Learn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing
Read more about RSPO greenwashing
Lying
Fake labels
Indigenous Land-grabbing
Human rights abuses
Deforestation
Human health hazards
A 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)
https://palmoildetectives.com/2024/10/27/giant-pangolin-smutsia-gigantea/
#Africa #animals #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottMeat #BoycottPalmOil #Cameroon #Chinese #cocoa #Congo #COP16 #deforestation #endangered #EndangeredSpecies #EquatorialGuinea #Gabon #Ghana #GiantPangolinSmutsiaGigantea #hunting #Mammal #Nigeria #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #pangolin #poaching #Rwanda #Tanzania #Uganda #vegan #WestAfrica
The largest and heaviest #pangolin in the world is the Giant Pangolin of #Uganda 🇺🇬 #Congo 🇨🇩 #WestAfrica. Endangered by #palmoil and #cocoa #deforestation and #poaching Help them survive when u #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife #COP16 @palmoildetect
http://palmoildetectives.com/2024/10/27/giant-pangolin-smutsia-gigantea/
Giant Pangolin Smutsia gigantea
Endangered
Extant (resident)Cameroon; Central African Republic; Congo; Congo, The Democratic Republic of the; Côte d’Ivoire; Equatorial Guinea (Equatorial Guinea (mainland)); Gabon; Ghana; Guinea; Guinea-Bissau; Liberia; Nigeria; Rwanda; Senegal; Sierra Leone; South Sudan; Tanzania, United Republic of; Uganda
Presence Uncertain
Benin; Burkina Faso; Kenya; Niger
The Giant Pangolin is are the largest and heaviest of the pangolin species weighing up to 33 kilos. Males can be up to 1.8 metres long. These majestic creature are cloaked in keratin armour and embark on nightly quests through Central and West Africa’s lush landscapes. By the light of the moon, they use their keen sense of smell to hunt down ants and termites. As they navigate a world fraught with dangers from habitat destruction, poaching and illegal hunting, the survival of these enigmatic beings hangs in balance, urging us to reflect on our impact on their dwindling world. Help them to survive every single time you shop and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycottmeat, be #vegan and #Boycott4Wildlife.The largest and heaviest #pangolin in the world is the Giant Pangolin of #Uganda 🇺🇬 #Congo 🇨🇩 #WestAfrica. Endangered by #palmoil and #cocoa #deforestation and #poaching Help them survive when u #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife #COP16 @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-7jM
Help the #endangered Giant Ground #Pangolin 🙏🌿 of #Africa and boycott #Chinese medicine using them. Spoiler alert: their scales DO NOT CURE ANYTHING! Another threat is #palmoil #deforestation #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife #COP16 @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-7jM
Giant pangolins have several quirky traits: they consume up to 70 million insects annually, primarily through nocturnal feasts, and lack teeth, instead swallowing stones to aid digestion. They walk on the sides of their wrists to protect their claws and have a keen sense of smell to compensate for their poor vision.
Appearance & Behaviour
Unique among mammals, their scales are made of keratin, the same material as human hair and nails. These account for around 20% of their body weight. These characteristics underscore their unique ecological niche and fascinating adaptations.The Giant Pangolin is the of the pangolin species. With males around 1.8 meters in length and females reaching up to 1.36 meters in length.
Their bodies are adorned with thick, keratin scales that serve as armour against predators. These scales, combined with their significant size, set them apart as majestic creatures of the west African jungle.
Giant Pangolins are nocturnal and rely upon their exceptional sense of smell to locate the 19 specific species of ants and termites that comprise their diet. Despite their poor eyesight, they are adept at navigating their diverse habitats, from forested swamps to moist tropical forests across Central and West Africa. Their methodical consumption of insects, aided by ingesting small stones for digestion, highlights their crucial ecological role as pest controllers.
Threats
- Hunting and Poaching: The primary threat to Giant Pangolins comes from hunting and poaching for bushmeat and traditional medicine. This significantly impacts their populations across Africa.
- Bushmeat: These animals are desirable on the illegal bushmeat markets, contributing to an increased pressure on their numbers.
- Illegal International Trade: Despite protections, a substantial illegal trade persists, with significant quantities of scales trafficked internationally, posing a major threat to their survival.
- Habitat Loss: Deforestation and habitat degradation for palm oil, meat and cocoa along with mining especially in West Africa, pose severe threats to their habitats, impacting their area of occupancy and survival rates.
Habitat
The Giant Pangolin inhabits a diverse range of environments across Africa, from primary and secondary rainforests to gallery and swamp forests, as well as forest-savannah mosaics and wooded savannahs. Their presence extends from sea level in Gabon to high altitudes in the Democratic Republic of Congo, indicating a versatile adaptation to various ecosystems. This species is thought to rely on access to permanent water sources. Their wide geographic range underscores the importance of varied habitats for their survival, from Uganda’s savannah woodlands to Tanzania’s miombo woodlands.Diet
The Giant Pangolin’s diet is highly specialised and focuses almost exclusively on ants and termites. They are capable of consuming around 70 million insects per year. They are therefore known as the forest ecosystem’s natural pest controllers. Their eating habits are unique, involving up to 90 meals in a single night, with each meal lasting about a minute. This efficient feeding strategy is facilitated by their long, sticky tongues, adept at extracting insects from nests, despite the pangolins’ lack of teeth, requiring them to ingest small stones to aid in grinding their food.Mating and breeding
Giant pangolins have a unique reproductive cycle, with little known about their breeding habits. They usually give birth once, following a gestation of around 140 days, to a single young that is born with open eyes and soft scales. These newborns, weighing about 500g, initially move on their bellies and display a defense mechanism by secreting a yellow substance from their anal glands. The mother’s care extends to nursing for 3-4 months and includes carrying the young on her tail during foraging. This intimate parenting underscores the species’ complex social behaviors within their habitats, spanning from rainforests to savannah woodlands, indicating a reliance on diverse ecosystems and possibly on permanent water sources.Support Giant Pangolins by going vegan and boycotting palm oil in the supermarket, it’s the #Boycott4Wildlife
Gorongosa National Park: Pangolin rehabilitation programmeFurther Information
Nixon, S., Pietersen, D., Challender, D., Hoffmann, M., Godwill Ichu, I., Bruce, T., Ingram, D.J., Matthews, N. & Shirley, M.H. 2019. Smutsia gigantea. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T12762A123584478. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T12762A123584478.en. Accessed on 29 February 2024.Quaglia, Sofia; Endangered giant pangolin spotted in Senegal after nearly 24 years. Nature.
Giant Pangolin Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_pangolin
Giant Pangolin Animalia.bio: https://animalia.bio/giant-pangolin
How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?
Take Action in Five Ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
Wildlife Artist Juanchi Pérez in His Own Words
Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings
Anthropologist and author of ‘In the Shadow of the Palms’ Dr Sophie Chao: In Her Own Words
Health Physician Dr Evan Allen: In His Own Words
The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
Learn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture
Global
South America
S.E. Asia
India
Africa
West Papua & PNG
Solomon Islands skink Corucia zebrata
Andean Mountain Cat Leopardus jacobita
Irrawaddy Dolphin Orcaella brevirostris
Sambar deer Rusa unicolor
African Golden Cat Caracal aurata
Philippine tarsier Carlito syrichta
Learn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing
Read more about RSPO greenwashing
Lying
Fake labels
Indigenous Land-grabbing
Human rights abuses
Deforestation
Human health hazardsA 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)
https://palmoildetectives.com/2024/10/27/giant-pangolin-smutsia-gigantea/
#Africa #animals #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottMeat #BoycottPalmOil #Cameroon #Chinese #cocoa #Congo #COP16 #deforestation #endangered #EndangeredSpecies #EquatorialGuinea #Gabon #Ghana #GiantPangolinSmutsiaGigantea #hunting #Mammal #Nigeria #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #pangolin #poaching #Rwanda #Tanzania #Uganda #vegan #WestAfrica
Talaud Bear Cuscus Ailurops melanotis
Talaud Bear Cuscus Ailurops melanotis Critically Endangered Location: Salibabu Island, Indonesia The Talaud Bear Cuscus is listed as Critically Endangered because it is only known with certainty fr…Palm Oil Detectives
Palm Oil Increases Deaths of Baby Macaques
In Peninsular Malaysia, a new study published in Cell Biology by a team led by Dr Anna Holzner of German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig has found that infant…Palm Oil Detectives
Do humans really need other species?
Do humans really need other species? Yes! millions of organisms are needed to keep ecosystems in balance and ensure everyone can survive. Most importantly, #research shows other species make us hap…Palm Oil Detectives
Apes Enjoy Joking and Teasing Each Other
New research finds that it is not only human babies who love to playfully tease each other. Researchers reasoned that since language is not required for this behaviour, similar kinds of playful tea…Palm Oil Detectives
Pygmy Hippopotamus Choeropsis liberiensis
Pygmy Hippopotamus Choeropsis liberiensis Endangered Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast. Nigeria (Extinct) The Pygmy Hippopotamus is rarely seen because of its secretive, nocturnal habits a…Palm Oil Detectives
Wrinkled Hornbill Rhabdotorrhinus corrugatus
Discover the fascinating world of the Wrinkled Hornbill. These ancient and magnificent birds thriving in lush primary evergreen and swamp forests up to 1,000 meters above sea level. Unfortunately, …Palm Oil Detectives
Ecuadorian White-fronted Capuchin Cebus aequatorialis
Ecuadorian White-fronted Capuchin Cebus aequatorialis Extant (resident) Ecuador; Peru Critically Endangered The Ecuardorian White-fronted Capuchin is affected by deforestation and hunting for bushm…Palm Oil Detectives
Hairy-nosed Otter Lutra sumatrana
Hairy-nosed Otter Lutra sumatrana Endangered Extant (resident): Cambodia; Indonesia; Malaysia; Thailand; Vietnam Possibly Extinct: Brunei Extinct: India; Myanmar Presence Uncertain: Laos Hairy-nose…Palm Oil Detectives
The #Amazon #rainforest is threatened by rampant #deforestation 🔥🔥 and #climatechange 🥵. This makes zoonotic diseases more likely to emerge - a huge health risk in #Brazil #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife #COP16 @palmoildetectives
https://wp.me/pcFhgU-91G
The Amazon’s diverse ecosystem is under threat from rampant deforestation, degradation, a biodiversity crisis, and the climate crisis – jeopardising its ability to act as a carbon sink. This degradation increases the likelihood of zoonotic diseases emerging and spreading, posing a significant public health risk for Brazil and the world. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4WildlifeThe #Amazon #rainforest is threatened by rampant #deforestation 🔥🔥 and #climatechange 🥵. This makes zoonotic diseases more likely to emerge – a huge health risk in #Brazil 🇧🇷 Story by @MAPICC2021 #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife #COP16 @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-91G
#Amazonia🌳🥀 is the lungs 🫁 of the world 🌎 Massive #deforestation and #biodiversity loss puts zoonotic diseases 🦟🤒 closer to humans. We must stop the damage right now! Story: @MAPICC2021 #Boycottpalmoil Fight extinction at #COP16 🙏@palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-91G
Article written by Monica Piccinini. Originally published by The Canary, February 12, 2024. Republished with permission. Monica Piccinini is a freelance writer, focused on environmental, health and human rights issues. She has contributed articles for an independent British newspaper, Byline Times along with the Canary and the Ecologist. She has covered the pandemic, the use of pesticides, indigenous rights and the destruction of the Amazon rainforest in Brazil. Read original article. Follow Monica on X/Twitter and on her website.
Preserving the Amazon rainforest isn’t just an environmental concern; it’s a matter of survival. It’s the most biodiverse place on the planet, a reservoir of life-saving medicines, and a critical regulator of our planet’s climate. Our health, our survival, and the balance of our world rely on its protection.
However, the Amazon’s diverse ecosystem is under threat from rampant deforestation, degradation, a biodiversity crisis, and the climate crisis – jeopardising its ability to act as a carbon sink. This degradation increases the likelihood of zoonotic diseases emerging and spreading, posing a significant public health risk for Brazil and the world.
Brazil: infectious diseases rising at a shocking rate
Climate change, deforestation, alterations in land use, agricultural expansion, livestock farming, mining activities, biodiversity loss, urbanisation, oil and gas extraction, and large-scale infrastructure developments such as road and dam construction in the Amazon rainforest, have all been associated with the rise and spread of infectious diseases. These include dengue, yellow fever, malaria, Zika virus, Chikungunya fever, Candida auris, leishmaniasis, Oropouche virus, hantavirus, and numerous others – with the possibility of also introducing novel pathogens.In 2023, Brazil recorded 1,079 deaths from dengue fever, a 20.9% increase compared to the previous year. However, according to the Ministry of Health, between 1-30 January this year alone the country reported over 217,000 cases, marking a significant 233% increase from the same period in 2023, when there were just over 65,000 cases.
Overall, in 2024 so far Brazil has recorded approximately 408,351 potential cases of dengue, as per data from the Ministry of Health’s Arbovirus Monitoring Panel.
According to a report published by the World Health Organisation (WHO), in 2023 the country experienced around 2.9m suspected cases of dengue. This significant rise in dengue cases may be attributed to factors such as the El Niño phenomenon, deforestation, and the impact of climate change which can lead to more frequent and severe weather events.
The Aedes aegypti mosquito is the vector for transmitting diseases such as the dengue virus, yellow fever, Zika, and chikungunya viruses.
Brazil’s Health Surveillance Foundation (FVS) has recently reported that a new strain of the Oropouche virus has been responsible for outbreaks in the Brazilian Amazon region over the past two years. In the state of Amazonas alone, there were 1,066 recorded cases of the virus between 2023 and 2024.
Oropouche fever is caused by an arbovirus transmitted through the bite of a mosquito called Culicoides paraense, commonly known as maruim.
The largest biodiversity reservoir on the planet
The Amazon rainforest is recognised as one of the largest reservoirs for zoonotic diseases, which can be transmitted from animals to humans. Numerous scientists have consistently warned about the environmental imbalances linked to the escalating prevalence of infectious diseases and have drawn attention to the imminent risk of a deadly pathogen emerging from the Amazon rainforest.The interaction between humans and wild species, along with their pathogens, creates opportunities for the emergence of zoonotic diseases, facilitating the transmission of new pathogens across various host species – a phenomenon known as “spillover” – leading to the introduction of novel infections into the human population.
For spillover events to happen, there must be interaction among different species and favourable conditions for pathogens to spread among humans. One example is the transmission of bat-borne diseases, such as rabies, in the Amazon rainforest. This is often associated with factors like deforestation, agricultural expansion, and the presence of livestock which increase contact between these animals and humans and facilitate the transmission of infections.
Various types of animals, including monkeys, bats, and mosquitoes, can serve as carriers or vectors of infectious diseases to humans, as they carry pathogens like viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites, and prions. Transmission of these pathogens to humans can occur through direct contact with these animals or via water, food, or the surrounding environment.
Sars, Ebola, Hendra, and Nipah are examples of pathogens from bats that have triggered outbreaks in the human population.
The climate crisis
The Canary spoke to Joel Henrique Ellwanger, biologist and researcher at the department of genetics at Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). He said:Climate change will trigger important ecological changes in the Amazon, many of them with the potential to reduce its biodiversity, facilitating the spread of known disease vectors and increasing the chances of new diseases emerging.
The impact of climate change and deforestation is causing a surge in extreme weather events and rising temperatures. These conditions are impacting the quantity of vectors, transmission patterns, and interspecies interactions – driving the spread of infectious diseases across the Amazon region and throughout Brazil.Severe droughts in the Amazon rainforest can create conditions to the spread of various diseases, such as dengue. During periods of limited rainfall, residents often resort to storing water in tanks, consequently creating breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Ellwanger noted that:
For instance, as temperatures rise, mosquitoes become more active and reproduce at a higher rate. Furthermore, changes in climate may cause animals carrying pathogens to migrate to areas where humans reside.
The increase in cases of Candida auris, a fungus resistant to multiple drugs associated with hospital-acquired infections, may be caused by higher temperatures resulting from climate change. This pathogen affects severely ill patients, including both adults and children, who are receiving intensive care in hospitals across the globe.Ellwanger explained how climate change may have played a role in the surge of Candida auris:
Climate change can influence the evolution of pathogens. Certain microorganisms, once unable to infect humans because they were accustomed to lower temperatures, are now adapting to warmer conditions that mimic the human body’s warmth.This adaptation creates the potential for these microorganisms, typically present in soil and similar settings, to infect humans and cause illnesses. This phenomenon is believed to have happened with Candida auris.
Deforestation and urbanisation
Studies suggest that deforestation, biodiversity loss, and habitat degradation create pathways for disease agents to transition from the diverse reservoir of various coronaviruses and pathogens in the region into the human population. The Amazon’s vulnerable healthcare system additionally complicates the detection and containment of any emerging pandemic from this area.When exploring the emergence of epidemics, urbanisation becomes another critical factor to consider. It contributes to the depletion of forested areas, consequently increasing the risk of infectious diseases in regions like the Amazon rainforest. The outbreak of Zika virus infection in Brazil has been associated with urbanization and the loss of forested lands.
deforestation and pandemics the connection
Infrastructure projects: the BR-319
The construction of roads in the Amazon rainforest contributes to deforestation, forest fires, biodiversity decline, increased hunting activities, and human migration – directly impacting the dynamics of infectious diseases.Between 1970 and 1973, the building of the Trans-Amazonian highway – known as BR-230 – led to the influx of around 22,000 individuals to the area. These individuals encountered disease vectors, exposing them to various illnesses such as malaria, leptospirosis, leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, Mayaro fever, yellow fever, and numerous others.
A study published in the Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities warns that the reconstruction of the Amazon’s BR-319 highway could result in devastating environmental effects, including an increased risk of zoonotic spillovers, potentially leading to new pandemics.
The Amazon’s BR-319 highway extends 885.9km and connects the central Amazonian capital Manaus to the southern boundary of the forest in Porto Velho, crossing through one of the most preserved sections of the forest. Deforestation along the central portion of the BR-319 has already resulted in a 400% increase in malaria cases.
The Belo Monte dam
A recent study published in Nature alerts that the initiatives of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s administration to construct roads and pursue oil exploration in the Amazon area may potentially trigger a new worldwide pandemic.The construction of hydroelectric dams in the Amazon rainforest also raises significant concern. One example is the Belo Monte hydroelectric dam complex in Brazil, located in the northern region of the Xingu River within the state of Pará. This project has significantly changed the landscape of the Brazilian Amazon, inundating an area of approximately 516km2.
Flooding dry regions within the rainforest leads to loss of biodiversity and creates habitats suitable for disease vectors like mosquitoes, thereby intensifying the proliferation of viral and parasitic illnesses.
Dams can lead to the displacement of communities and the migration of populations drawn to forested regions, potentially increasing human-wildlife interactions and the transmission of infectious diseases.
The implementation of proposed projects in the Amazon rainforest, including the reconstruction of BR-319 highway and the exploration of oil, could result in catastrophic and irreversible consequences – including an increase and spread of infectious diseases due to environmental degradation in the region.
Agriculture and livestock
Ellwanger told the Canary:Meat connects different points involving the degradation of the Amazon and emerging diseases. Cattle farming is one of the main factors in the degradation of the Amazon biome, thus facilitating the spread of pathogens in the region.Hunting and the consumption of wild animal meat is a problem both for the conservation of species and for public health, as it reduces animal biodiversity and increases the chances of spillover events. Regrettably, this issue remains largely overlooked and is often deemed taboo in Brazil.
Oil palm fields growing at the edges of the national park in Honduras. Photography: Fritz Pinnow.
Studies suggest that intensified agriculture and forest conversion for farming and pasture for cattle increases human-pathogen interaction – which in turn is promoting the emergence of viral, bacterial, and parasitic infections.Professionals in the meat industry regularly interact with livestock animals and may lack adequate working conditions to reduce the risk of zoonotic pathogen transmission. Additionally, they may have limited knowledge about the health risks associated with their work activities.
Slaughterhouses within the Amazon region are implicated in the processing of animals sourced from deforested areas and may be operating without any form of health inspection.
Antimicrobial resistance
Another concern is the excessive use of antimicrobial drugs in veterinary practice. The main drivers of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) include the overuse of antibiotics in livestock for growth promotion and prevent diseases, particularly in intensified livestock farming.The WHO describes AMR as the ‘overlooked pandemic’. Some of the latest figures suggest that AMR will cause 10 million deaths by 2050 – more than from cancer, diabetes, and pneumococcal diseases combined.
According to Cóilín Nunan, scientific adviser to the Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics, certain types of antibiotics used in animal farming have led to the rise and spread of livestock associated strains of MRSA and Clostidrium difficile.
Oxford University scientists published a study revealing Escherichia coli bacteria that have developed resistance to colistin in animal agriculture. Nunan highlights this as a significant concern, suggesting it might pose a greater threat than AMR by potentially increasing the likelihood of infections in humans.
Bushmeat
The hunting and consumption of bushmeat from wild animals can also lead to spillover events, as humans come into close contact with fresh meat, blood, and organs from infected animals.Approximately 473 tonnes of wild animal meat are sold annually in the Amazon rainforest and across Colombia, Peru, and Brazil.
However, it’s essential to recognise that a complete ban on bushmeat consumption in certain regions could impact the livelihoods of thousands who depend on this activity.
Crucial measures
Ellwanger noted there are some essential measures required to prevent the emergence and spread of infectious diseases in the Amazon rainforest and avert the onset of a new pandemic in the region:Certain crucial measures must be undertaken, including:
- Improving livestock sanitary measures.
- Increasing pathogen surveillance.
- Upgrading environmental sanitation systems.
- Discouraging human settlement in forested regions.
- Boosting investments in human training and specialised labs for pathogen identification.
- Creating new vaccines.
- Examining biological and social factors affecting infection susceptibility.
The loss of biodiversity in the Amazon is mainly caused by livestock farming, mining activities and monoculture cultivation, especially soy. Combating these activities is the responsibility of the Brazilian Government by strengthening environmental protection bodies, preserving, and expanding indigenous territories, and committing to a serious environmental agenda.
Furthermore, urgent action is needed to prioritise reducing greenhouse gas emissions globally, alongside combating deforestation and protecting indigenous territories.It’s crucial to reassess infrastructure projects and manage human activities in the region carefully. Suspending oil and gas exploration in the Amazon is vital, as is regulating the expansion of intensive agriculture, cattle farming, and mining projects.
Protecting the Amazon will safeguard everyone’s health
Ellwanger explained that preserving the Amazon rainforest should be in everyone’s interest:The preservation of the Amazon isn’t just about protecting nature – it’s about safeguarding our own health. Let’s commit to conserving this vital ecosystem to ensure that the threats of potential pathogens stay confined to the wild, far from endangering human lives. After all, the health of the Amazon means the health of us all.
Article written by Monica Piccinini. Originally published by The Canary, February 12, 2024. Republished with permission. Monica Piccinini is a freelance writer, focused on environmental, health and human rights issues. She has contributed articles for an independent British newspaper, Byline Times along with the Canary and the Ecologist. She has covered the pandemic, the use of pesticides, indigenous rights and the destruction of the Amazon rainforest in Brazil. Read original article. Follow Monica on X/Twitter and on her website.ENDS
Read more about human rights abuses and child slavery in the palm oil industry
How We End Gold Mining’s Ecocide For Good
Gold mining is unparalleled in its environmental destruction and human rights toll. Frustratingly, 93% of gold is used for non-essential purposes like jewellery and investments.A recent study suggests that transitioning to…
India’s Palm Oil Plans Wreak Havoc On The Ground
India’s aggressive push for palm oil plantations in Nagaland, Assam and Mizoram is wreaking havoc on both the environment and local communities. The government plans to ramp up oil palm cultivation in the…
New Research Reveals: “Sustainable” Palm Oil No Different in Land Conflicts
New research published in the journal Political Geography reveals that there is no significant difference between RSPO-certified “sustainable” palm oil companies and non-certified ones when it comes to handling land conflicts with rural…
Socfin’s Destructive Empire: Palm Oil Deforestation and Human Rights Abuses in West Africa
A six-month investigation reveals Socfin’s exploitation of rubber and palm oil in Ghana and Nigeria, leading to deforestation, landgrabbing and human rights abuses. SOCFIN is a palm oil company and member of the…
Snack giant PepsiCo allegedly sourced “sustainable” palm oil from razed Indigenous land in Peru
PepsiCo’s supply chain is linked to environmental and human rights violations in Peru, involving Amazon deforestation and Indigenous land invasion. For three years, palm oil from deforested Shipibo-Konibo territory has been used in…Load more posts
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
Take Action in Five Ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
Wildlife Artist Juanchi Pérez in His Own Words
Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings
Anthropologist and author of ‘In the Shadow of the Palms’ Dr Sophie Chao: In Her Own Words
Health Physician Dr Evan Allen: In His Own Words
The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
https://palmoildetectives.com/2024/10/24/amazon-clarion-call-pandemics-emerging-in-the-rainforest/
#Amazon #AmazonRainforest #Amazonia #biodiversity #biome #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #Brazil #childLabour #climatechange #COP16 #deforestation #ecocide #humanRights #indigenousRights #landRights #landgrabbing #PalmOil #pandemic #rainforest #zoonosis #zoonoticDisease
Cote d'Ivoire has lost 'nearly 80 percent of its forest and wildlife cover'
How can we protect wild animals when the world's forest cover continues to shrink? This is just one of the many issues under discussion at the Cop16 biodiversity summit in Cali, Colombia.RFI
Survey finds that most people believe in climate justice
The latest survey indicates that although most people do not understand the term “climate justice”, related beliefs appear to be widely endorsed acrossImma Perfetto (Cosmos Magazine)
The Amazon’s diverse ecosystem is under threat from rampant deforestation, degradation, a biodiversity crisis, and the climate crisis – jeopardising its ability to act as a carbon sink. This degradation increases the likelihood of zoonotic diseases emerging and spreading, posing a significant public health risk for Brazil and the world. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
The #Amazon #rainforest is threatened by rampant #deforestation 🔥🔥 and #climatechange 🥵. This makes zoonotic diseases more likely to emerge – a huge health risk in #Brazil 🇧🇷 Story by @MAPICC2021 #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife #COP16 @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-91G
#Amazonia🌳🥀 is the lungs 🫁 of the world 🌎 Massive #deforestation and #biodiversity loss puts zoonotic diseases 🦟🤒 closer to humans. We must stop the damage right now! Story: @MAPICC2021 #Boycottpalmoil Fight extinction at #COP16 🙏@palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-91G
Article written by Monica Piccinini. Originally published by The Canary, February 12, 2024. Republished with permission. Monica Piccinini is a freelance writer, focused on environmental, health and human rights issues. She has contributed articles for an independent British newspaper, Byline Times along with the Canary and the Ecologist. She has covered the pandemic, the use of pesticides, indigenous rights and the destruction of the Amazon rainforest in Brazil. Read original article. Follow Monica on X/Twitter and on her website.
Preserving the Amazon rainforest isn’t just an environmental concern; it’s a matter of survival. It’s the most biodiverse place on the planet, a reservoir of life-saving medicines, and a critical regulator of our planet’s climate. Our health, our survival, and the balance of our world rely on its protection.
However, the Amazon’s diverse ecosystem is under threat from rampant deforestation, degradation, a biodiversity crisis, and the climate crisis – jeopardising its ability to act as a carbon sink. This degradation increases the likelihood of zoonotic diseases emerging and spreading, posing a significant public health risk for Brazil and the world.
Brazil: infectious diseases rising at a shocking rate
Climate change, deforestation, alterations in land use, agricultural expansion, livestock farming, mining activities, biodiversity loss, urbanisation, oil and gas extraction, and large-scale infrastructure developments such as road and dam construction in the Amazon rainforest, have all been associated with the rise and spread of infectious diseases. These include dengue, yellow fever, malaria, Zika virus, Chikungunya fever, Candida auris, leishmaniasis, Oropouche virus, hantavirus, and numerous others – with the possibility of also introducing novel pathogens.
In 2023, Brazil recorded 1,079 deaths from dengue fever, a 20.9% increase compared to the previous year. However, according to the Ministry of Health, between 1-30 January this year alone the country reported over 217,000 cases, marking a significant 233% increase from the same period in 2023, when there were just over 65,000 cases.
Overall, in 2024 so far Brazil has recorded approximately 408,351 potential cases of dengue, as per data from the Ministry of Health’s Arbovirus Monitoring Panel.
According to a report published by the World Health Organisation (WHO), in 2023 the country experienced around 2.9m suspected cases of dengue. This significant rise in dengue cases may be attributed to factors such as the El Niño phenomenon, deforestation, and the impact of climate change which can lead to more frequent and severe weather events.
The Aedes aegypti mosquito is the vector for transmitting diseases such as the dengue virus, yellow fever, Zika, and chikungunya viruses.
Brazil’s Health Surveillance Foundation (FVS) has recently reported that a new strain of the Oropouche virus has been responsible for outbreaks in the Brazilian Amazon region over the past two years. In the state of Amazonas alone, there were 1,066 recorded cases of the virus between 2023 and 2024.
Oropouche fever is caused by an arbovirus transmitted through the bite of a mosquito called Culicoides paraense, commonly known as maruim.
The largest biodiversity reservoir on the planet
The Amazon rainforest is recognised as one of the largest reservoirs for zoonotic diseases, which can be transmitted from animals to humans. Numerous scientists have consistently warned about the environmental imbalances linked to the escalating prevalence of infectious diseases and have drawn attention to the imminent risk of a deadly pathogen emerging from the Amazon rainforest.
The interaction between humans and wild species, along with their pathogens, creates opportunities for the emergence of zoonotic diseases, facilitating the transmission of new pathogens across various host species – a phenomenon known as “spillover” – leading to the introduction of novel infections into the human population.
For spillover events to happen, there must be interaction among different species and favourable conditions for pathogens to spread among humans. One example is the transmission of bat-borne diseases, such as rabies, in the Amazon rainforest. This is often associated with factors like deforestation, agricultural expansion, and the presence of livestock which increase contact between these animals and humans and facilitate the transmission of infections.
Various types of animals, including monkeys, bats, and mosquitoes, can serve as carriers or vectors of infectious diseases to humans, as they carry pathogens like viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites, and prions. Transmission of these pathogens to humans can occur through direct contact with these animals or via water, food, or the surrounding environment.
Sars, Ebola, Hendra, and Nipah are examples of pathogens from bats that have triggered outbreaks in the human population.
The climate crisis
The Canary spoke to Joel Henrique Ellwanger, biologist and researcher at the department of genetics at Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). He said:
Climate change will trigger important ecological changes in the Amazon, many of them with the potential to reduce its biodiversity, facilitating the spread of known disease vectors and increasing the chances of new diseases emerging.
The impact of climate change and deforestation is causing a surge in extreme weather events and rising temperatures. These conditions are impacting the quantity of vectors, transmission patterns, and interspecies interactions – driving the spread of infectious diseases across the Amazon region and throughout Brazil.
Severe droughts in the Amazon rainforest can create conditions to the spread of various diseases, such as dengue. During periods of limited rainfall, residents often resort to storing water in tanks, consequently creating breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Ellwanger noted that:
For instance, as temperatures rise, mosquitoes become more active and reproduce at a higher rate. Furthermore, changes in climate may cause animals carrying pathogens to migrate to areas where humans reside.
The increase in cases of Candida auris, a fungus resistant to multiple drugs associated with hospital-acquired infections, may be caused by higher temperatures resulting from climate change. This pathogen affects severely ill patients, including both adults and children, who are receiving intensive care in hospitals across the globe.
Ellwanger explained how climate change may have played a role in the surge of Candida auris:
Climate change can influence the evolution of pathogens. Certain microorganisms, once unable to infect humans because they were accustomed to lower temperatures, are now adapting to warmer conditions that mimic the human body’s warmth.This adaptation creates the potential for these microorganisms, typically present in soil and similar settings, to infect humans and cause illnesses. This phenomenon is believed to have happened with Candida auris.
Deforestation and urbanisation
Studies suggest that deforestation, biodiversity loss, and habitat degradation create pathways for disease agents to transition from the diverse reservoir of various coronaviruses and pathogens in the region into the human population. The Amazon’s vulnerable healthcare system additionally complicates the detection and containment of any emerging pandemic from this area.
When exploring the emergence of epidemics, urbanisation becomes another critical factor to consider. It contributes to the depletion of forested areas, consequently increasing the risk of infectious diseases in regions like the Amazon rainforest. The outbreak of Zika virus infection in Brazil has been associated with urbanization and the loss of forested lands.
Infrastructure projects: the BR-319
The construction of roads in the Amazon rainforest contributes to deforestation, forest fires, biodiversity decline, increased hunting activities, and human migration – directly impacting the dynamics of infectious diseases.
Between 1970 and 1973, the building of the Trans-Amazonian highway – known as BR-230 – led to the influx of around 22,000 individuals to the area. These individuals encountered disease vectors, exposing them to various illnesses such as malaria, leptospirosis, leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, Mayaro fever, yellow fever, and numerous others.
A study published in the Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities warns that the reconstruction of the Amazon’s BR-319 highway could result in devastating environmental effects, including an increased risk of zoonotic spillovers, potentially leading to new pandemics.
The Amazon’s BR-319 highway extends 885.9km and connects the central Amazonian capital Manaus to the southern boundary of the forest in Porto Velho, crossing through one of the most preserved sections of the forest. Deforestation along the central portion of the BR-319 has already resulted in a 400% increase in malaria cases.
The Belo Monte dam
A recent study published in Nature alerts that the initiatives of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s administration to construct roads and pursue oil exploration in the Amazon area may potentially trigger a new worldwide pandemic.
The construction of hydroelectric dams in the Amazon rainforest also raises significant concern. One example is the Belo Monte hydroelectric dam complex in Brazil, located in the northern region of the Xingu River within the state of Pará. This project has significantly changed the landscape of the Brazilian Amazon, inundating an area of approximately 516km2.
Flooding dry regions within the rainforest leads to loss of biodiversity and creates habitats suitable for disease vectors like mosquitoes, thereby intensifying the proliferation of viral and parasitic illnesses.
Dams can lead to the displacement of communities and the migration of populations drawn to forested regions, potentially increasing human-wildlife interactions and the transmission of infectious diseases.
The implementation of proposed projects in the Amazon rainforest, including the reconstruction of BR-319 highway and the exploration of oil, could result in catastrophic and irreversible consequences – including an increase and spread of infectious diseases due to environmental degradation in the region.
Agriculture and livestock
Ellwanger told the Canary:
Meat connects different points involving the degradation of the Amazon and emerging diseases. Cattle farming is one of the main factors in the degradation of the Amazon biome, thus facilitating the spread of pathogens in the region.Hunting and the consumption of wild animal meat is a problem both for the conservation of species and for public health, as it reduces animal biodiversity and increases the chances of spillover events. Regrettably, this issue remains largely overlooked and is often deemed taboo in Brazil.
Studies suggest that intensified agriculture and forest conversion for farming and pasture for cattle increases human-pathogen interaction – which in turn is promoting the emergence of viral, bacterial, and parasitic infections.
Professionals in the meat industry regularly interact with livestock animals and may lack adequate working conditions to reduce the risk of zoonotic pathogen transmission. Additionally, they may have limited knowledge about the health risks associated with their work activities.
Slaughterhouses within the Amazon region are implicated in the processing of animals sourced from deforested areas and may be operating without any form of health inspection.
Antimicrobial resistance
Another concern is the excessive use of antimicrobial drugs in veterinary practice. The main drivers of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) include the overuse of antibiotics in livestock for growth promotion and prevent diseases, particularly in intensified livestock farming.
The WHO describes AMR as the ‘overlooked pandemic’. Some of the latest figures suggest that AMR will cause 10 million deaths by 2050 – more than from cancer, diabetes, and pneumococcal diseases combined.
According to Cóilín Nunan, scientific adviser to the Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics, certain types of antibiotics used in animal farming have led to the rise and spread of livestock associated strains of MRSA and Clostidrium difficile.
Oxford University scientists published a study revealing Escherichia coli bacteria that have developed resistance to colistin in animal agriculture. Nunan highlights this as a significant concern, suggesting it might pose a greater threat than AMR by potentially increasing the likelihood of infections in humans.
Bushmeat
The hunting and consumption of bushmeat from wild animals can also lead to spillover events, as humans come into close contact with fresh meat, blood, and organs from infected animals.
Approximately 473 tonnes of wild animal meat are sold annually in the Amazon rainforest and across Colombia, Peru, and Brazil.
However, it’s essential to recognise that a complete ban on bushmeat consumption in certain regions could impact the livelihoods of thousands who depend on this activity.
Crucial measures
Ellwanger noted there are some essential measures required to prevent the emergence and spread of infectious diseases in the Amazon rainforest and avert the onset of a new pandemic in the region:
Certain crucial measures must be undertaken, including:
- Improving livestock sanitary measures.
- Increasing pathogen surveillance.
- Upgrading environmental sanitation systems.
- Discouraging human settlement in forested regions.
- Boosting investments in human training and specialised labs for pathogen identification.
- Creating new vaccines.
- Examining biological and social factors affecting infection susceptibility.
The loss of biodiversity in the Amazon is mainly caused by livestock farming, mining activities and monoculture cultivation, especially soy. Combating these activities is the responsibility of the Brazilian Government by strengthening environmental protection bodies, preserving, and expanding indigenous territories, and committing to a serious environmental agenda.
Furthermore, urgent action is needed to prioritise reducing greenhouse gas emissions globally, alongside combating deforestation and protecting indigenous territories.
It’s crucial to reassess infrastructure projects and manage human activities in the region carefully. Suspending oil and gas exploration in the Amazon is vital, as is regulating the expansion of intensive agriculture, cattle farming, and mining projects.
Protecting the Amazon will safeguard everyone’s health
Ellwanger explained that preserving the Amazon rainforest should be in everyone’s interest:
The preservation of the Amazon isn’t just about protecting nature – it’s about safeguarding our own health. Let’s commit to conserving this vital ecosystem to ensure that the threats of potential pathogens stay confined to the wild, far from endangering human lives. After all, the health of the Amazon means the health of us all.
Article written by Monica Piccinini. Originally published by The Canary, February 12, 2024. Republished with permission. Monica Piccinini is a freelance writer, focused on environmental, health and human rights issues. She has contributed articles for an independent British newspaper, Byline Times along with the Canary and the Ecologist. She has covered the pandemic, the use of pesticides, indigenous rights and the destruction of the Amazon rainforest in Brazil. Read original article. Follow Monica on X/Twitter and on her website.
ENDS
Read more about human rights abuses and child slavery in the palm oil industry
How We End Gold Mining’s Ecocide For Good
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A recent study suggests that transitioning to…
India’s Palm Oil Plans Wreak Havoc On The Ground
India’s aggressive push for palm oil plantations in Nagaland, Assam and Mizoram is wreaking havoc on both the environment and local communities. The government plans to ramp up oil palm cultivation in the…
New Research Reveals: “Sustainable” Palm Oil No Different in Land Conflicts
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Socfin’s Destructive Empire: Palm Oil Deforestation and Human Rights Abuses in West Africa
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Snack giant PepsiCo allegedly sourced “sustainable” palm oil from razed Indigenous land in Peru
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Load more posts
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Take Action in Five Ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
Wildlife Artist Juanchi Pérez in His Own Words
Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings
Anthropologist and author of ‘In the Shadow of the Palms’ Dr Sophie Chao: In Her Own Words
Health Physician Dr Evan Allen: In His Own Words
The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
https://palmoildetectives.com/2024/10/24/amazon-clarion-call-pandemics-emerging-in-the-rainforest/
#Amazon #AmazonRainforest #Amazonia #biodiversity #biome #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #Brazil #childLabour #climatechange #COP16 #deforestation #ecocide #humanRights #indigenousRights #landRights #landgrabbing #PalmOil #pandemic #rainforest #zoonosis #zoonoticDisease
Gold mining is unparalleled in its environmental destruction and human rights toll. Frustratingly, 93% of gold is used for non-essential purposes like jewellery and investments.A recent study suggests that transitioning to a fully circular gold economy, relying entirely on recycled gold, is achievable. Recycling gold eliminates mercury use, reduces carbon and water footprints, and still supports industries like technology and jewellery. Human rights groups have long called for the end of this destructive industry. To end gold mining, investors should focus on existing reserves. Governments must ensure justice and ‘land back’ for displaced indigenous peoples; along with a just transition for miners. Make sure you #BoycottGold #BoycottGold4Yanomami and demand the end to gold mining right now!
New #study finds that recycling #gold would eliminate the mercury pollution and #deforestation of #goldmining. It would also mean an end to violent #indigenous landgrabbing for #gold in #SouthAmerica #BoycottGold4Yanomami @BarbaraNavarro @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-90d
#Gold 🥇🚫 is a controversial commodity because it is unmatched in destruction to #indigenous peoples and #forests. A new study shows how we can end the #ecocide of gold #mining for good! #BoycottGold #BoycottGold4Yanomami @BarbaraNavarro @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-90d
https://youtu.be/RLsqyADpgn0?si=0as7dS8JN6v2mWr3
Written by Stephen Lezak, Research Manager at the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, University of Oxford. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Two trucks transport gold ore from Barrick Cowal Gold Mine in New South Wales, Australia. Jason Benz Bennee/Shutterstock
The 16th-century King Ferdinand of Spain sent his subjects abroad with the command: “Get gold, humanely if possible, but at all hazards, get gold.” His statement rings true today. Gold remains one of the world’s most expensive substances, but mining it is one of the most environmentally and socially destructive processes on the planet.
Around 7% of the gold purchased globally each year is used for industry, technology or medicine. The rest winds up in bank vaults and jewellery shops.
Beautiful objects and stable investments are worthwhile things to create and own, and often have significant cultural value. But neither can justify gold mining’s staggering human and ecological toll. In a recent study, my colleagues and I showed how it might be possible to end mining and instead rely entirely on recycled gold.
Despite improvements in gold mining practices over the past century and new regulations designed to limit mining’s impacts, this industry continues to wreak havoc upon landscapes across every continent except Antarctica.
In a given year, gold mines emit more greenhouse gases than all passenger flights between European nations combined. Gold mining also accounts for 38% of annual global mercury emissions, which cause millions of small-scale miners to suffer from chronic mercury poisoning, which can cause debilitating illness, especially in children.
Our research involved modelling hypothetical scenarios in which gold consumption could decline to more sustainable levels. Using current recycling rates, we examined a fully circular gold economy in which the world’s entire supply of gold came from recycled sources.
Even today, nearly one-quarter of annual gold demand is supplied through recycling, making it one of the world’s most recycled materials. The recycling process uses no mercury and has less than 1% of the water and carbon footprint of mined gold.
We found that a global decline in gold mining would not necessarily derail any of gold’s three central functions in jewellery, technology or as an investment.
Towards circularity
Gold stocks and three scenarios of gold flows. Lezak et al. (2022), CC BY-NC-ND
Our model showed that the gold used for industrial purposes (mainly in dentistry and smartphones) could be supplied for centuries even if all gold mining stopped tomorrow.We also found that jewellery could still be produced with recycled gold in a fully circular gold industry. There would just be about 55% less to go around, which would still leave more than enough for essential uses.
In order to make this future a reality, investors would have to limit their trading to existing reserves, without adding newly mined gold to their coffers.
A world with a shrinking supply of gold would likely mean that consumers would pay more for the same 24-karat pure gold ring. But more likely, jewellery purchases would shift to cheaper (and more durable) alloys of gold that are already popular. And in the future, demand for gold may decline as consumers become more concerned with making sustainable choices.
The role that invested gold plays in the global economy would likely continue to function regardless of extraction. Like Renaissance art, gold is valuable precisely because it is scarce. Ending gold mining would not put an end to the buying and selling of gold for bank vaults. Instead, it would make existing stocks of gold more valuable.
Irrespective of whether the world needs gold, our research suggests that the world does not need gold mining.
Private investors and central banks may balk at this idea. The US government, for example, is the world’s single largest owner of gold, holding US$11 (9.1) billion in reserves. But transitions to sustainability are always hard-won and the gold industry is no exception.
Inspired by other transitions
Like gold, the extraction of fossil fuels is also environmentally damaging. But unlike gold, fossil fuels provide warmth and electricity to homes and businesses, power to vehicles and fertiliser to farms. Transitioning away from this resource required decades of research and investment into clean energy technologies.By contrast, finding substitutes for gold does not require any research. Jewellery can be made more sustainable by blending gold with other metals. Investors can rely on existing gold stocks and diversify to other stable assets. And technology can continue to use recycled gold when appropriate.
Closing gold mines is the first step. But many regions have grown dependent on gold mining, and artisanal mining alone supports as many as 19 million miners and their families worldwide, mostly in developing economies.
These miners deserve a just transition that ensures they do not become collateral damage in the shift to sustainability. Governments must provide a robust safety net for former gold miners and their families. That includes offering low-cost training and reskilling to ensure that miners can find employment in more sustainable industries.
Steps toward sustainability
Responsibly drawing down gold extraction will take time. But several measures are available to begin the transition today.On the demand side of the industry, major jewellery brands, including Pandora, have already committed to using only recycled gold by 2025. Global technology firm Apple has also recently set a goal to use exclusively recycled materials by 2030.
On the supply side, mining companies should begin retiring mines that extract only gold. Many copper mines produce gold as a byproduct, which will likely continue into the future.
Meanwhile, institutional investors should stop investing in new gold mines. That includes groups like the World Bank, which has invested US$800 (£660) million in gold mines in Africa, Asia, South America and the Pacific Islands since 2010.
Justice-minded fund managers, such as those overseeing endowments, should add gold mining firms alongside coal producers to their divestment lists. And central banks should redirect their future investments toward other stable stores of value, or at least source exclusively recycled gold.
The world is filled with difficult sustainability trade-offs. Gold mining is not one of them. Drawing down this industry stands out as a relatively easy way to reduce humanity’s footprint on a fragile planet.
Written by Stephen Lezak, Research Manager at the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, University of Oxford. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
ENDS
Read more about human rights abuses and greenwashing in the gold mining industry. Make sure that you #BoycottGold4Yanomami!
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Gold mining kills indigenous peoples throughout the world like the Yanomami people of Brazil and Papuans in West Papua. The bloody, violent and greedy landgrabbing that goes on for gold forces indigenous women…
Barbara Crane Navarro: Artist Her Words
Barbara Crane Navarro is a French-American artist, writer, Indigenous and animal activist who lives near Paris. From 1968 to 1973 she studied at Rhode Island School of Design, then she went on to…
13 Reasons To Boycott Gold for Yanomami
Hunger for Gold in the Global North is fueling a living hell in the Global South. Here are 20 reasons why you should #BoycottGold4YanomamiTake Action in Five Ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
Wildlife Artist Juanchi Pérez in His Own Words
Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings
Anthropologist and author of ‘In the Shadow of the Palms’ Dr Sophie Chao: In Her Own Words
Health Physician Dr Evan Allen: In His Own Words
The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
https://palmoildetectives.com/2024/10/20/how-we-end-gold-minings-ecocide-for-good/
#BarbaraCraneNavarro #corruption #deforestation #goldMining #humanRights #indigenousRights #Yanomami
#Amazonia🌳🥀 is the lungs 🫁 of the world 🌎 Massive #deforestation and #biodiversity loss puts zoonotic diseases 🦟🤒 closer to humans. We must stop the damage right now! Story: @MAPICC2021 #Boycottpalmoil Fight extinction at #COP16 🙏@palmoildetect
http://palmoildetectives.com/2024/10/24/amazon-clarion-call-pandemics-emerging-in-the-rainforest/
The Amazon’s diverse ecosystem is under threat from rampant deforestation, degradation, a biodiversity crisis, and the climate crisis – jeopardising its ability to act as a carbon sink. This degradation increases the likelihood of zoonotic diseases emerging and spreading, posing a significant public health risk for Brazil and the world. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4WildlifeThe #Amazon #rainforest is threatened by rampant #deforestation 🔥🔥 and #climatechange 🥵. This makes zoonotic diseases more likely to emerge – a huge health risk in #Brazil 🇧🇷 Story by @MAPICC2021 #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife #COP16 @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-91G
#Amazonia🌳🥀 is the lungs 🫁 of the world 🌎 Massive #deforestation and #biodiversity loss puts zoonotic diseases 🦟🤒 closer to humans. We must stop the damage right now! Story: @MAPICC2021 #Boycottpalmoil Fight extinction at #COP16 🙏@palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-91G
Article written by Monica Piccinini. Originally published by The Canary, February 12, 2024. Republished with permission. Monica Piccinini is a freelance writer, focused on environmental, health and human rights issues. She has contributed articles for an independent British newspaper, Byline Times along with the Canary and the Ecologist. She has covered the pandemic, the use of pesticides, indigenous rights and the destruction of the Amazon rainforest in Brazil. Read original article. Follow Monica on X/Twitter and on her website.
Preserving the Amazon rainforest isn’t just an environmental concern; it’s a matter of survival. It’s the most biodiverse place on the planet, a reservoir of life-saving medicines, and a critical regulator of our planet’s climate. Our health, our survival, and the balance of our world rely on its protection.
However, the Amazon’s diverse ecosystem is under threat from rampant deforestation, degradation, a biodiversity crisis, and the climate crisis – jeopardising its ability to act as a carbon sink. This degradation increases the likelihood of zoonotic diseases emerging and spreading, posing a significant public health risk for Brazil and the world.
Brazil: infectious diseases rising at a shocking rate
Climate change, deforestation, alterations in land use, agricultural expansion, livestock farming, mining activities, biodiversity loss, urbanisation, oil and gas extraction, and large-scale infrastructure developments such as road and dam construction in the Amazon rainforest, have all been associated with the rise and spread of infectious diseases. These include dengue, yellow fever, malaria, Zika virus, Chikungunya fever, Candida auris, leishmaniasis, Oropouche virus, hantavirus, and numerous others – with the possibility of also introducing novel pathogens.In 2023, Brazil recorded 1,079 deaths from dengue fever, a 20.9% increase compared to the previous year. However, according to the Ministry of Health, between 1-30 January this year alone the country reported over 217,000 cases, marking a significant 233% increase from the same period in 2023, when there were just over 65,000 cases.
Overall, in 2024 so far Brazil has recorded approximately 408,351 potential cases of dengue, as per data from the Ministry of Health’s Arbovirus Monitoring Panel.
According to a report published by the World Health Organisation (WHO), in 2023 the country experienced around 2.9m suspected cases of dengue. This significant rise in dengue cases may be attributed to factors such as the El Niño phenomenon, deforestation, and the impact of climate change which can lead to more frequent and severe weather events.
The Aedes aegypti mosquito is the vector for transmitting diseases such as the dengue virus, yellow fever, Zika, and chikungunya viruses.
Brazil’s Health Surveillance Foundation (FVS) has recently reported that a new strain of the Oropouche virus has been responsible for outbreaks in the Brazilian Amazon region over the past two years. In the state of Amazonas alone, there were 1,066 recorded cases of the virus between 2023 and 2024.
Oropouche fever is caused by an arbovirus transmitted through the bite of a mosquito called Culicoides paraense, commonly known as maruim.
The largest biodiversity reservoir on the planet
The Amazon rainforest is recognised as one of the largest reservoirs for zoonotic diseases, which can be transmitted from animals to humans. Numerous scientists have consistently warned about the environmental imbalances linked to the escalating prevalence of infectious diseases and have drawn attention to the imminent risk of a deadly pathogen emerging from the Amazon rainforest.The interaction between humans and wild species, along with their pathogens, creates opportunities for the emergence of zoonotic diseases, facilitating the transmission of new pathogens across various host species – a phenomenon known as “spillover” – leading to the introduction of novel infections into the human population.
For spillover events to happen, there must be interaction among different species and favourable conditions for pathogens to spread among humans. One example is the transmission of bat-borne diseases, such as rabies, in the Amazon rainforest. This is often associated with factors like deforestation, agricultural expansion, and the presence of livestock which increase contact between these animals and humans and facilitate the transmission of infections.
Various types of animals, including monkeys, bats, and mosquitoes, can serve as carriers or vectors of infectious diseases to humans, as they carry pathogens like viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites, and prions. Transmission of these pathogens to humans can occur through direct contact with these animals or via water, food, or the surrounding environment.
Sars, Ebola, Hendra, and Nipah are examples of pathogens from bats that have triggered outbreaks in the human population.
The climate crisis
The Canary spoke to Joel Henrique Ellwanger, biologist and researcher at the department of genetics at Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). He said:Climate change will trigger important ecological changes in the Amazon, many of them with the potential to reduce its biodiversity, facilitating the spread of known disease vectors and increasing the chances of new diseases emerging.
The impact of climate change and deforestation is causing a surge in extreme weather events and rising temperatures. These conditions are impacting the quantity of vectors, transmission patterns, and interspecies interactions – driving the spread of infectious diseases across the Amazon region and throughout Brazil.Severe droughts in the Amazon rainforest can create conditions to the spread of various diseases, such as dengue. During periods of limited rainfall, residents often resort to storing water in tanks, consequently creating breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Ellwanger noted that:
For instance, as temperatures rise, mosquitoes become more active and reproduce at a higher rate. Furthermore, changes in climate may cause animals carrying pathogens to migrate to areas where humans reside.
The increase in cases of Candida auris, a fungus resistant to multiple drugs associated with hospital-acquired infections, may be caused by higher temperatures resulting from climate change. This pathogen affects severely ill patients, including both adults and children, who are receiving intensive care in hospitals across the globe.Ellwanger explained how climate change may have played a role in the surge of Candida auris:
Climate change can influence the evolution of pathogens. Certain microorganisms, once unable to infect humans because they were accustomed to lower temperatures, are now adapting to warmer conditions that mimic the human body’s warmth.This adaptation creates the potential for these microorganisms, typically present in soil and similar settings, to infect humans and cause illnesses. This phenomenon is believed to have happened with Candida auris.
Deforestation and urbanisation
Studies suggest that deforestation, biodiversity loss, and habitat degradation create pathways for disease agents to transition from the diverse reservoir of various coronaviruses and pathogens in the region into the human population. The Amazon’s vulnerable healthcare system additionally complicates the detection and containment of any emerging pandemic from this area.When exploring the emergence of epidemics, urbanisation becomes another critical factor to consider. It contributes to the depletion of forested areas, consequently increasing the risk of infectious diseases in regions like the Amazon rainforest. The outbreak of Zika virus infection in Brazil has been associated with urbanization and the loss of forested lands.
Infrastructure projects: the BR-319
The construction of roads in the Amazon rainforest contributes to deforestation, forest fires, biodiversity decline, increased hunting activities, and human migration – directly impacting the dynamics of infectious diseases.Between 1970 and 1973, the building of the Trans-Amazonian highway – known as BR-230 – led to the influx of around 22,000 individuals to the area. These individuals encountered disease vectors, exposing them to various illnesses such as malaria, leptospirosis, leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, Mayaro fever, yellow fever, and numerous others.
A study published in the Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities warns that the reconstruction of the Amazon’s BR-319 highway could result in devastating environmental effects, including an increased risk of zoonotic spillovers, potentially leading to new pandemics.
The Amazon’s BR-319 highway extends 885.9km and connects the central Amazonian capital Manaus to the southern boundary of the forest in Porto Velho, crossing through one of the most preserved sections of the forest. Deforestation along the central portion of the BR-319 has already resulted in a 400% increase in malaria cases.
The Belo Monte dam
A recent study published in Nature alerts that the initiatives of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s administration to construct roads and pursue oil exploration in the Amazon area may potentially trigger a new worldwide pandemic.The construction of hydroelectric dams in the Amazon rainforest also raises significant concern. One example is the Belo Monte hydroelectric dam complex in Brazil, located in the northern region of the Xingu River within the state of Pará. This project has significantly changed the landscape of the Brazilian Amazon, inundating an area of approximately 516km2.
Flooding dry regions within the rainforest leads to loss of biodiversity and creates habitats suitable for disease vectors like mosquitoes, thereby intensifying the proliferation of viral and parasitic illnesses.
Dams can lead to the displacement of communities and the migration of populations drawn to forested regions, potentially increasing human-wildlife interactions and the transmission of infectious diseases.
The implementation of proposed projects in the Amazon rainforest, including the reconstruction of BR-319 highway and the exploration of oil, could result in catastrophic and irreversible consequences – including an increase and spread of infectious diseases due to environmental degradation in the region.
Agriculture and livestock
Ellwanger told the Canary:Meat connects different points involving the degradation of the Amazon and emerging diseases. Cattle farming is one of the main factors in the degradation of the Amazon biome, thus facilitating the spread of pathogens in the region.Hunting and the consumption of wild animal meat is a problem both for the conservation of species and for public health, as it reduces animal biodiversity and increases the chances of spillover events. Regrettably, this issue remains largely overlooked and is often deemed taboo in Brazil.
Studies suggest that intensified agriculture and forest conversion for farming and pasture for cattle increases human-pathogen interaction – which in turn is promoting the emergence of viral, bacterial, and parasitic infections.Professionals in the meat industry regularly interact with livestock animals and may lack adequate working conditions to reduce the risk of zoonotic pathogen transmission. Additionally, they may have limited knowledge about the health risks associated with their work activities.
Slaughterhouses within the Amazon region are implicated in the processing of animals sourced from deforested areas and may be operating without any form of health inspection.
Antimicrobial resistance
Another concern is the excessive use of antimicrobial drugs in veterinary practice. The main drivers of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) include the overuse of antibiotics in livestock for growth promotion and prevent diseases, particularly in intensified livestock farming.The WHO describes AMR as the ‘overlooked pandemic’. Some of the latest figures suggest that AMR will cause 10 million deaths by 2050 – more than from cancer, diabetes, and pneumococcal diseases combined.
According to Cóilín Nunan, scientific adviser to the Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics, certain types of antibiotics used in animal farming have led to the rise and spread of livestock associated strains of MRSA and Clostidrium difficile.
Oxford University scientists published a study revealing Escherichia coli bacteria that have developed resistance to colistin in animal agriculture. Nunan highlights this as a significant concern, suggesting it might pose a greater threat than AMR by potentially increasing the likelihood of infections in humans.
Bushmeat
The hunting and consumption of bushmeat from wild animals can also lead to spillover events, as humans come into close contact with fresh meat, blood, and organs from infected animals.Approximately 473 tonnes of wild animal meat are sold annually in the Amazon rainforest and across Colombia, Peru, and Brazil.
However, it’s essential to recognise that a complete ban on bushmeat consumption in certain regions could impact the livelihoods of thousands who depend on this activity.
Crucial measures
Ellwanger noted there are some essential measures required to prevent the emergence and spread of infectious diseases in the Amazon rainforest and avert the onset of a new pandemic in the region:Certain crucial measures must be undertaken, including:
- Improving livestock sanitary measures.
- Increasing pathogen surveillance.
- Upgrading environmental sanitation systems.
- Discouraging human settlement in forested regions.
- Boosting investments in human training and specialised labs for pathogen identification.
- Creating new vaccines.
- Examining biological and social factors affecting infection susceptibility.
The loss of biodiversity in the Amazon is mainly caused by livestock farming, mining activities and monoculture cultivation, especially soy. Combating these activities is the responsibility of the Brazilian Government by strengthening environmental protection bodies, preserving, and expanding indigenous territories, and committing to a serious environmental agenda.
Furthermore, urgent action is needed to prioritise reducing greenhouse gas emissions globally, alongside combating deforestation and protecting indigenous territories.It’s crucial to reassess infrastructure projects and manage human activities in the region carefully. Suspending oil and gas exploration in the Amazon is vital, as is regulating the expansion of intensive agriculture, cattle farming, and mining projects.
Protecting the Amazon will safeguard everyone’s health
Ellwanger explained that preserving the Amazon rainforest should be in everyone’s interest:The preservation of the Amazon isn’t just about protecting nature – it’s about safeguarding our own health. Let’s commit to conserving this vital ecosystem to ensure that the threats of potential pathogens stay confined to the wild, far from endangering human lives. After all, the health of the Amazon means the health of us all.
Article written by Monica Piccinini. Originally published by The Canary, February 12, 2024. Republished with permission. Monica Piccinini is a freelance writer, focused on environmental, health and human rights issues. She has contributed articles for an independent British newspaper, Byline Times along with the Canary and the Ecologist. She has covered the pandemic, the use of pesticides, indigenous rights and the destruction of the Amazon rainforest in Brazil. Read original article. Follow Monica on X/Twitter and on her website.ENDS
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Take Action in Five Ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
Wildlife Artist Juanchi Pérez in His Own Words
Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings
Anthropologist and author of ‘In the Shadow of the Palms’ Dr Sophie Chao: In Her Own Words
Health Physician Dr Evan Allen: In His Own Words
The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
https://palmoildetectives.com/2024/10/24/amazon-clarion-call-pandemics-emerging-in-the-rainforest/
#Amazon #AmazonRainforest #Amazonia #biodiversity #biome #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #Brazil #childLabour #climatechange #COP16 #deforestation #ecocide #humanRights #indigenousRights #landRights #landgrabbing #PalmOil #pandemic #rainforest #zoonosis #zoonoticDisease
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