The Impact of COVID-19 on Wildlife
These past few months, the COVID-19 pandemic has swept across the world, devastating many lives. Amidst the human chaos, wild animals who normally keep to the shadows have been spotted walking in the now-empty streets of many cities. Because people are staying at home, species like coyotes and goats are no longer frightened away by human traffic and can venture outside in broad daylight¹. But it would be a mistake to assume that nature is thriving in this pandemic. Although the pandemic lockdown may have temporarily reduced pollution and allowed regrowth of natural areas, it has also had a negative effect on many species of wildlife, especially threatened species who rely on conservation organizations for their survival, like the African forest elephant or the Western Lowland Gorilla¹.
Scientists don’t completely understand which animals can be infected by the coronavirus or how they will react if infected. The most recent research has found that bats (which some scientists believe were the original source of COVID-19) and ferrets are susceptible to the virus, but mice are not². In Africa, conservationists are especially concerned that vulnerable populations of great apes, which have a genetic makeup similar to humans, could be seriously affected by the virus. Because of this, many national parks have been closed³. In the Dzanga-Sangha protected area where the Elephant Listening Project works, the team of rangers protecting the gorillas has been reduced and the remaining personnel is following strict hygiene protocols⁴.
While direct transmission of the coronavirus might be possible, most wildlife is suffering from the pandemic in an indirect way. Conservation programs that protect endangered species worldwide are suffering due to a lack of funding. Many of these programs rely on eco-tourism to bring in money, and people are no longer allowed to visit many of the conservation areas. During this economic downturn, many people also find themselves with less disposable income for donations to the conservation cause⁵. The loss of funds from tourism and charitable donations means that conservation programs had to reduce or completely shut down their field programs and research projects for several months. Some organizations have even been unable to pay for airplane patrols or their rangers’ salaries⁶.
Most seriously, the suspension of ordinary conservation work has left wildlife vulnerable to poachers. Some illegal wildlife trafficking networks have been temporarily shut down because of the suspension of international travel⁷. But in Africa especially, experts in wildlife trade say that poachers have actually become more active, emboldened by a reduction in ranger patrols and the lack of tourist presence in conservation areas⁶. In the aftermath of an economic downturn, local communities that rely on income from tourists may also increasingly resort to poaching for money or killing animals for food⁶. In countries like Kenya and Tanzania, there has already been evidence that the newly unemployed have become involved in the ivory trade⁸.
Recently, however, there have been signs of hope for Africa’s future. The Wildlife Conservation Society has teamed up with the Government of the Republic of Congo, Congo Conservation Company (CCC), and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to develop ecotourism in Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park over the next four years, once COVID-19 restrictions have lifted⁹. Nouabalé-Ndoki is the site of our acoustic monitoring grid project. The program will help create new jobs and boost the economy, which will discourage poaching. The Elephant Listening Project’s most recent research trip had to be cut short in March because of the pandemic, but in July, some ELP staff who remained in the Congo returned to the field sites. Many of the other wildlife monitoring teams in the area have resumed patrols. Several poachers have been caught, including the notorious “butcher of Nouabalé-Ndoki”, who is believed to have killed 500 elephants since 200⁸¹⁰.
The COVID-19 pandemic has reminded us that we are all interconnected, to our fellow human beings as well as to the creatures with which we share the planet. The pandemic is more than just a human tragedy. Our most endangered species are uniquely vulnerable, and if their habitat is no longer protected and poaching increases, years of conservation successes could be lost in only a few months. Now, more than ever, wildlife depends on us to take swift action. Ultimately, fighting the pandemic will not only save human lives but will also preserve the futures of the endangered species we care about.
References:
¹Simon, Matt. “The Coronavirus Lockdown Is a Threat for Many Animals, Not a Blessing.” Wired. April 02, 2020. Accessed November 15, 2020. https://www.wired.com/story/coronavirus-lockdown-conservation/
²Wu, Katherine J. “Why the New Coronavirus Affects Some Animals, but Not Others.” Smithsonian.com. April 20, 2020. Accessed November 15, 2020. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/why-new-coronavirus-affects-some-animals-not-others-180974689/.
³Wu, Katherine J. “COVID-19 Could Threaten Great Ape Populations, Researchers Warn.” Smithsonian.com. March 26, 2020. Accessed November 15, 2020. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/covid-19-could-threaten-great-ape-populations-researchers-warn-180974512/.
⁴Arranz, Luis. “Newsletter May 2020.” Dzanga Sangha Protected Areas, May 2020.
⁵“How COVID-19 Hurts Elephants.” International Elephant Foundation. July 11, 2020. Accessed November 15, 2020. https://elephantconservation.org/elephants-and-covid19/.
⁶Price, Kiley. “Poaching, Deforestation Reportedly on the Rise since COVID-19 Lockdowns.” Conservation International. April 30, 2020. Accessed November 15, 2020. https://www.conservation.org/blog/poaching-deforestation-reportedly-on-the-rise-since-covid-19-lockdowns.
⁷Nuwer, Rachel. “Coronavirus Disrupts Illegal Wildlife Trafficking, for Now.” The New York Times. April 29, 2020. Accessed November 15, 2020. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/29/science/coronavirus-disrupts-illegal-wildlife-trafficking-for-now.html.
⁸Davenport, Tim R.B. “Elephants, Ivory and COVID-19.” PBS. July 14, 2020. Accessed November 15, 2020. https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/blog/elephants-ivory-and-covid-19/.
⁹“Ecotourism to Bring Post COVID-19 Hope for Wildlife and Communities in Northern Congo.” WCS Newsroom. June 11, 2020. Accessed November 15, 2020. https://newsroom.wcs.org/News-Releases/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/14319/Ecotourism-to-Bring-Post-COVID-19-hope-for-Wildlife-and-Communities-in-Northern-Congo.aspx.
¹⁰“Congolese Elephant Poacher Sentenced to 30 Years: DW: 25.08.2020.” DW.COM. August 25, 2020. Accessed November 15, 2020. https://www.dw.com/en/congolese-elephant-poacher-sentenced-to-30-years/a-54697087.
