With their brisk trade in endangered and poached animals, wildlife markets in many countries are driving the extinction of species. The markets are also breeding grounds for diseases that can also be deadly to humans. There is no excuse for the existence of these markets – it’s time to shut them down NOW.

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To: the President of the People’s Republic of China and host of the UNCBD Conference, Xi Jinping; Elizabeth Maruma Mrema (UNCBD); Member States of the UN “Wildlife markets encourage the poaching of endangered species and facilitate the spread of diseases. It’s time to shut them down.” Read letter

The outbreak of coronavirus in Wuhan, China, cast a harsh light on wildlife markets. The Huanan Seafood Market, which offers an apalling variety of live and freshly slaughtered animals, is suspected to be the pandemic’s Ground Zero. According to genetic analyses, bats are the original hosts of the virus, but animals from the wildlife market may have transmitted them to humans.

In addition to seafood, the meat of 30 terrestrial animal species is available there, including pangolins, civets, squirrels, pheasants, scorpions, snakes and a variety of rats.

Such markets not only play a role in the spread of disease: by selling poached, endangered animals such as pangolins, they are pushing species toward extinction.

Illegal hunting and the wildlife trade, like climate change and habitat destruction, are among the causes of the dramatic global extinction of species. In late 2019, a UN report issued a stark warning about the scope of the catastrophe, predicting that up to one million animal and plant species could soon be extinct.

Some forests are already deemed “empty” in the wake of rampant hunting and poaching.

This problem goes beyond China and the current coronavirus pandemic and is driving the extinction of species in many countries, so we are calling for the worldwide closure of wildlife markets.

From the 15th to the 28th of October 2020, China will host the UN Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, where representatives of nearly 200 countries will seek ways to stop the mass extinction. We need to have a worldwide ban in place by then at the latest.

Please sign and share our petition and speak out against these barbaric markets.

To: the President of the People’s Republic of China and host of the UNCBD Conference, Xi Jinping; Elizabeth Maruma Mrema (UNCBD); Member States of the UN Dear Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen, The outbreak of coronavirus in Wuhan, China, cast a harsh light on wildlife markets. The Huanan Seafood Market, which offers a wide range of live and freshly slaughtered animals, is suspected as the pandemic’s point of origin. However, such markets not only play a role in the spread of disease: by selling poached, endangered animals such as pangolins, they are pushing species toward extinction. We call on you to shut down markets where poached or endangered animals are sold. The ban must not be limited to meat and animals for human consumption, but must also apply to wild animal parts and products for allegedly medicinal purposes and jewelry, as well as the sale of animals – both captured and bred in captivity – as pets. Without a complete ban, the trade could continue to drive demand for such products and provide incentives for poaching and other illegal activities. The ban must also extend to restaurants, mail order and online trading platforms. The protection of human health and the fight against mass extinction will require a firm response. Yours faithfully,

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