Hello, I am Dr. Scarlett Magda, a veterinarian and Founding President of Veterinarians International, a non – profit organization that aims to improve the health and welfare of animals and their communities globally. We are proud to be a partner in the We Don't Have Time platform, and wish to shed light on the impact climate change, and our actions are having on animals, communities and shared ecosystems around the world. I would like to start our journey here by telling you a story that doesn’t get heard very often, and it is my wish that when you're done reading, you will look at animals and the world differently. When I was a veterinary student, my dream was to work with elephants. I made it over to the Thai Elephant Conservation Center, and my first assignment was to help care for KrungSri, a 43 year old landmine victim who needed daily bandage changes.
We would go on short strolls for exercise as she would walk gingerly on her partially blown up foot.
Krungsri’s story is one of unintended consequences. Consequences that occur when we act from a place of greed and exploitation. Much like this sloth bear, a victim of a snare trap intended to keep wild boars off farmers properties. Our colleagues at the Elephant Transit Home, Department of Wildlife Conservation in Sri Lanka, deal with these types of injuries on a daily basis.
Not all animals impacted by our actions will present as clear as Krungsri or this sloth bear, but I can tell you for the most part, the animal kingdom is suffering. Suffering more now than at any other time in human history. In the last 150 years alone, we have lost 83% of wildlife biomass. We are losing species 100 to 1000 times the natural extinction rate. Humans and livestock now make up 96% of mammalian biomass.
So you may say, but I don’t like animals, why should I care? Well, besides wondering what is wrong with you to not love animals, let’s get serious here and go beyond the cute and fuzzy feel good stories. Something you should know is that more disease comes from animals to people than any other source – in fact 75% of emerging infectious diseases come from wildlife. Humans often provide opportunities for zoonoses – that is diseases that go between humans and animals, by invading habitats of animals like bats, chimps, gorillas or migrating birds which are reservoirs for disease. Leptospirosis is the most common zoonotic disease and can be found globally from Central Park to China. It’s a disease passed in wildlife urine and can infect your dog and even you causing life-threatening kidney or liver failure.
Deforestation has been attributed to being the number one source of zoonotic disease emergence. When people clear forests for agriculture, lumber or their homes, forests become increasingly fragmented increasing the chances of humans and their livestock coming into contact with wildlife and contracting disease. And let’s remember, the biggest drivers of deforestation are agricultural products which are often exported to more affluent countries. And as human civilization expands, the potential for a pandemic becomes more pressing. The more we invade habitats and interact with animals, the more likely we are to contract a virus from them. So you see, deforestation not only leads to rising C02 emissions and erosion causing climate change, but increases disease emergence as well. Studies by ecologists have shown that populations of plants, mammals, birds and insects living in ecosystems with low biodiversity – that is with fewer individual species of each, tend to be more susceptible to diseases, and more effective at spreading them, than populations with ecosystems with high biodiversity. If you imagine a pig farm with thousands of pigs, vs a rainforest with thousands of different animals, it’s going to be pretty easy for a disease to run through the pig farm as its preferred targeted host is staring right at them in the face. It is clear that we are continuing to have devastating impacts on animals through our irresponsible and inappropriate interactions with them and their environment, with climate change compounding the issue. The most alarming impact is seeing what's happening with sea turtles. Since the sex of a sea turtle is determined by the heat of sand incubing their eggs, populations at the world's most important green sea turtle rookery in Eastern Australia are severely skewed, with females outnumbering males by at least 116 to 1. Furthermore, rising sea levels have destroyed nest sites by drowning eggs, and beach erosion can create small cliffs causing adults to fall on their backs and die, unable to right themselves.
Brodie Moss rescues sea turtle flipped over on its back in Australia. Source: Buzzfeed
I hope you are able to see the linkages between climate change, habitat destruction, animal welfare and emerging diseases. But I'd like to leave you with some hope and solutions. By being kind to animals, AND considering our daily actions we can all make a difference. The clothes you wear, the food you eat ALL has an impact – because as Leonardo DiVinci said over 500 years ago – everything is interconnected.
By applying the Hippocratic oath to your life and your business – we will all be better off. This concept has been proven by thought leader and professor Raj Sisodia, where he evaluated companies like Unilever and found them to be more profitable, than those that act from a position of greed. So please be kind, not only will your heart and mind be more prosperous, but your pocket as well!
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Humans can learn a tremendous amount from elephants. Thank you.
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Most definitely. You're so welcome!
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Thanks a lot for this eye-opening thread (text & image combo) I hope you will be posting more such stuff.
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You're very welcome! You got it!
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What comments can you make about the factory farming and possibility of zootonic disease transmission in developed countries like UK, Canada, United Stated, Italy, France.
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Factory farming should be banned. It is imperative we resort to traditional farming methods such as rotational grazing and multi-crop systems if we wish to save ourselves and our planet. Factory farming creates highly unnatural, high-stress conditions pre-disposing animals to disease and the risk for zoonosis. The greatest risk is when wildlife, primarily waterfowl interact with farms (think avian flu) and the viruses which they may carry have a chance to spread through the farm like wildfire as the animals are all lined up like an all-you can eat buffet as there is no biodiversity in the system. A 2013 study in PNAS concluded that more zoonoses will emerge as factory farming intensifies.
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Compelling, story that leads to actionable work in different places where your presence has been felt.
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Thank you for your kind words. It's an honor and a privilege to serve the communities we work in.