Exploiting nature 'drives outbreaks of new diseases'

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

Seized ivory in Malaysia waiting to be destroyedImage caption: Seized ivory in Malaysia waiting to be destroyed

New evidence has emerged of a link between human exploitation of nature and pandemics.

Close contact with wild animals through hunting, trade or habitat loss puts the world at increased risk of outbreaks of new diseases, say scientists.

Coronavirus is thought to have originated in bats, with other wild animals, possibly pangolins, playing a role in transmission to humans.

And scientists have long drawn attention to human diseases that have originated in animals, including Sars, Mers and Ebola.

In the wake of coronavirus, there is growing awareness that human health is linked both with animal health and the health of the planet as a whole. You can read more about this here.