Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on animals

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected animals directly and indirectly. SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is zoonotic, which likely to have originated from animals such as bats and pangolins. Human impact on wildlife and animal habitats may be causing such spillover events to become much more likely. While research is inconclusive, pet owners reported that their animals contributed to better mental health and lower loneliness during COVID-19 lockdowns. However, this could have adverse effects on pet animals. Background: SARS-CoV-2 is believed to have zoonotic origins and has close genetic similarity to bat coronaviruses, suggesting it emerged from a bat-borne virus. Cases: A small number of pet animals have been infected. There have been several cases of zoo animals testing positive for the virus, and some became sick. Cats, dogs, ferrets, fruit bats, gorillas, hamsters, minks, pumas, snow leopards, tigers, and tree shrews can be infected with and have tested positive at least once for the virus. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the risk of transmission from animals to humans and vice versa is considerably low but further studies are yet to be conducted. Animal deaths due to the disease and/or the pandemic were confirmed to have occurred. Minks- Denmark: Cluster 5, a variant of SARS-CoV-2, was found in mink populations in North Jutland, Denmark in early November 2020. The Danish government have culled an estimated number of 14 million minks as a preventive measure. United States: A wild mink in Utah was discovered to be infected with COVID-19, confirmed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Tufts University researchers who investigated the topic of wildlife infection of COVID-19 called the discovery alarming. Human–animal interaction: Reduced human presence has the potential to bring both relief and disruption to different animal habitats. It may lead to more poaching of endangered wildlife. Wild animals have been observed relaxing their avoidance of human habitats while COVID-19 lockdowns are in effect. Decreased roadkill incidence has been reported during lockdowns, including a significant decrease in roadkill deaths for mountain lions in California.