Many people hunt and eat wild animal meat on Tet
In recent years, dishes made from wild animals such as wild animals (wild boars, bamboo rats, donkeys, weasels…), reptiles (monitor lizards, turtles) or wild birds, have been viewed by a part of Vietnamese people. is a specialty, a “luxury dish” to welcome guests.
Most Vietnamese people still have the hobby of hunting rare wild animal meat on holidays or special events such as Tet because they believe that “forest specialties are classy…”. In particular, during the holidays, the demand for “natural” specialties increases. Many people believe that eating wild animal meat at the beginning of the year will help bring luck and fortune.
Pangolins are captured before being transported to users. Photo cut from video: Dan Viet
Exchange with PV Dan VietMs. Hoang Bich Thuy, Chief Representative, Wildlife Conservation Society, Vietnam Office (WCS Vietnam) said that currently, during Tet, many people tend to enjoy dishes that are beneficial to health, and are both unique and strange. and does not harm the natural environment.
Ms. Hoang Bich Thuy, Chief Representative, Wildlife Conservation Society, Vietnam Office (WCS Vietnam). Photo: NVCC
However, if we look back at the situation over the past decade, the world and Vietnam have witnessed many disease outbreaks (AIDS, Ebola, SARS, Covid-19 bird flu,…) that originated from species. wild animals. It is human activities such as hunting, transporting, slaughtering, trading, consuming… wild animals that cause diseases transmitted between humans and animals to break out and spread.
Up to now, more than 700 million people worldwide have been infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus with nearly 7 million deaths. Besides the serious effects on human health and life, the epidemic also leads to many other consequences such as many companies and businesses having to close or fall into difficulty, unemployment rate increasing, Trade is stagnant, tourism is limited and undeveloped, and education also faces many difficulties.
Many people tend to use wild animal meat to show class. Photo: Provided by WCS Vietnam
According to Ms. Thuy, the wildlife supply chain, whether legal or illegal, has potential risks of disease transmission between humans and animals. Specifically, such as poor hygiene and biosecurity practices such as cramped, unsanitary cages, keeping many species together including sick/sick animals and healthy animals, not using Using personal protective equipment when contacting and caring for animals… will create ideal conditions for the proliferation, dissemination and spread of infectious agents from wild animals to animals. humans and vice versa, potentially causing outbreaks of epidemics and pandemics.
Eating wild animal meat: Hidden danger not only for yourself
About this issue, talk to PV Dan VietAssociate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Huy Nga, former Director of the Department of Preventive Medicine (Ministry of Health), said that wild animals often carry bacteria and viruses and they have the risk of being transmitted to humans, causing harm to animals. infected people.
“The risk of disease transmission from wild animals is not only encountered by people who eat it, but can also occur throughout the supply chain from hunting, transporting, trading, butchering, and processing (especially re-eating, eating, etc.) live like eating blood pudding)”, Associate Professor. Huy Nga said.
Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Huy Nga, former Director of the Department of Preventive Medicine (Ministry of Health). Photo: NVCC
Mr. Nga also gave specific evidence such as the SARS pandemic that occurred in Vietnam in 2003, which was determined to be caused by a virus transmitted from civet cats to humans and transmitted from person to person. Or the latest example is the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic (caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus) with many casualties.
There have been some studies that suggest that the SARS-CoV-2 virus originated in bats and there is evidence of detecting this virus in a number of other wild animals such as tigers, lions, leopards, deer, and monkeys. In addition, a virus similar to the SARS-CoV-2 virus was also discovered in pangolins…
“The process of transporting and keeping wild animals in unsanitary conditions, requiring cages… and most importantly, has shortened the contact distance between wild animals and humans. can create opportunities for pathogens from animals to easily spread to humans and vice versa. Initially, pathogens spread from animals to humans, causing epidemics.
Wild animal meat is sold at some festivals in Hanoi. Photo: Huy Hoang
When adapted to the human body, these pathogens can form annual endemic diseases in humans. The risk of infection with pathogens from wild animals is great and is becoming more and more complicated due to hunting, keeping, and eating wild animals. Eating wild animal meat does not make you healthier or more luxurious, but will actually increase the risk of eating diseases,” Mr. Nga warned.
Sharing the same opinion as above, Associate Professor. Dr. Tran Dac Phu, former Director of the Department of Preventive Medicine (Ministry of Health), said that Vietnam is also one of the “sensitive” countries that easily spread infectious diseases from animals.
“In particular, exchanges between countries have become popular, people like to go to the forest to explore, then returning to the civilized world also poses the risk of many strange and dangerous diseases transmitted from animals. Another reason is from raising, capturing, and slaughtering wild animals to serve human needs,” Mr. Phu said.
A number of illegal wildlife trade cases were seized. Photo: Provided by WCS Vietnam
Faced with the current situation, Ms. Thuy warned that there are potential risks affecting human health as well as the risk of outbreaks and spread of emerging and re-emerging diseases related to the wildlife supply chain. is possible. If we continue to hunt, trade, consume, and eat wild animals, we will still be at risk of facing many new infectious diseases.
According to Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Huy Nga, Vietnam has built a fairly complete legal framework for wildlife protection, with strict sanctions.
WCS representatives also gave their concurrence. Accordingly, currently, violations of regulations on wildlife management and protection such as hunting, captivity, storing, transporting, and illegally trading wild animals… can be Penalties of up to 12 years in prison (for individuals), fines of up to 6 billion VND, suspension of operations for up to 3 years (for legal entities) according to the provisions of Article 234 of the 2015 Penal Code (amended and supplemented). year 2017); or imprisonment of up to 15 years in prison (for individuals) and a fine of up to 15 billion VND, permanent suspension of operations (for legal entities) according to the provisions of Article 244 of the Penal Code in 2015 (amended and supplemented in 2015). 2017).
Besides, we also have many legal regulations on prevention and control of diseases transmitted between humans and animals in related fields such as: prevention and control of infectious diseases; food safety; veterinary medicine. Although the legal system is relatively diverse, in practice there are still some problems and inadequacies in implementation.
“Currently, most current regulations on the control and prevention of diseases transmitted between animals and humans in the fields of infectious disease prevention and control, veterinary medicine or food safety only refer to animals. animals in general, has not directly mentioned the control and prevention of infectious diseases originating from wild animals.
Meanwhile, wild animals are natural residents, with environments, habitats and behaviors very different from livestock. In addition, we also do not have sanctions to handle the act of consuming (eating meat) of wild animals,” a representative of WCS Vietnam shared.
WCS representative said that due to limited awareness of the importance of wild animals to the natural environment, illegal hunting, captivity, transportation, and trading of wild animals for commercial purposes is common. The consumption and use of wildlife and wildlife products is still ongoing. This can lead to unpredictable consequences in terms of the risk of disease transmission, as well as create conditions for other violations and derivative crimes to arise.
“Therefore, in order to well implement the goals set out in the National Strategy on Biodiversity to 2030, with a vision to 2050 approved by the Prime Minister, strengthening the implementation of measures Measures to prevent and combat crime and law violations related to crime in biodiversity protection are very important,” Ms. Thuy added.