Viruses Threaten Wildlife, Too

As the coronavirus COVID-19 shuts down cities and stalls economies, it is clear a virus can impact our wellbeing. It is widely suggested that wildlife is the likely source of the virus, although we don’t yet know enough to pinpoint a species. This makes me wonder: if COVID-19 is this bad for us humans, what impacts do viruses have on wild animals? Are viruses ever serious enough to impact their populations?
Viruses are simple organisms — basically tiny packets of genetic material inside protein shells that can infect animals, plants and even bacteria. They can spread quickly by duplicating themselves…