Vietnam has been accused of turning a blind eye to the sale of products such as pangolin scales and rhino horns, which are often used in traditional medicine. Scientists have long warned that the wildlife trade could be an incubator for disease. With the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, Vietnam has taken steps to ban wildlife markets for such goods, including online trade. It is believed that wildlife trade is a possible carrier of virus since animals have proven to be affected by the corona virus. The disease can occur in bats and jump to humans via another route. It is yet-to-be-identified if species such as rats, caverns, and pangolins can carry the virus.
The Prime Minister of Vietnam ordered the suspension of wildlife imports of “dead or living – their eggs … parts or derivatives” on Thursday at the Vietnamese government website.
According to the order, “All citizens, especially officials should not participate in the hunting, buying, selling, transporting of illegal animals.”
The country will also permanently remove markets and trading sites where the illegal animals are traded.
Conservatives accepted this move and Steven Galster, chairman of the anti-trafficking group in Freeland stated that “Vietnam is to be congratulated for recognizing that Covid-19 and other epidemics are linked to the wildlife trade, and This trade should be banned internationally and as a matter of public health safety.”
However, one group emphasized that the ban was not enough.
“The ban on wildlife consumption in the order is not sufficient because it does not cover the use of wildlife such as kept wild animals as pets and wildlife for medicinal use are not covered,” said Nguyen Van Thai, director of Save Vietnam’s Wildlife.
In February, dozens of conservation groups sent out a joint letter urging the government that “identify and close down markets and other places where illegal wildlife can be sold,” reports Reuter’s news agency.
After being hit hard by previous epidemics, Vietnam imposed a wide, early lock-down and no corona virus deaths were reported.
Cover Photo – Ansar Khan / Life Line for Nature Society
