Working for primate welfare and conservation
Phase 1 of decontamination, almost three months without seeing the primates. (Well, that’s not counting some video calls. Tears of joy with the little kisses that Juanito gave me through the screen). I get out of the car, my heart races “Is it possible that Charly is already recognizing me with the mask and sunglasses from so far away?
When news of the arrival of the new virus broke, we asked ourselves one question: can non-human primates be infected?
Covid-19 has greatly affected our society. Our health and that of our loved ones has been threatened.
Primates lucky to live in MONA are also threatened, because it has been proven that they can become infected. But they cannot be taken to the ICU, nor do they maintain social distance. To keep them out of harm’s way, we canceled all activities and closed access to MONA even before confinement was mandatory, because we are terrified about the consequences of the virus entering the rescue center.
This year it has an unfortunate protagonist and is the coronavirus responsible for Covid19. That’s why stopping animal trafficking is more important than ever!
The current Covid19 situation confirms once more the risks and dangers involved in wild life trafficking, for animals and humans alike. The risk of new zoonotic diseases, transmitted between human and animal species, increases greatly due to wildlife trafficking activities and humans presence and interference in remote animal habitats.
Dengue fever, avian influenza, Ebola, the Spanish flu which cause 50 million deaths in 1918 or the Hong Kong flu that cause 700.000 deaths in 1968,among others are other zoonotic diseases humanity has suffered.
We speak with Alba Gómara, coordinator of Volunteering and the European Solidarity Corps projects, and co-head of the Primate Rehabilitation and Rescue Department.
Be part of the solution for these animals today
