Growing evidence links environmentally harmful farming practices and jumps of diseases from animals to humans

Growing evidence shows a link between environmentally harmful land-use and farming practices and new disease outbreaks that originate from animals. That's of particular interest as the coronavirus pandemic continues to infect millions worldwide.

"Of more than 330 diseases which emerged between 1940 and 2004, nearly two-thirds were zoonotic, meaning they were transmitted from animals to humans, as with, for example, HIV/AIDS and probably Covid-19," The Economist reports. "Of those over 70% originated in wildlife, as opposed to domesticated animals. And although many factors are involved in disease transmission, including population growth, migration and climate change, scientists are increasingly turning their attention to how altering land interferes with a pathogen’s journey from animals to humans."

For example, clearing forests for farmland increases contact between humans and disease-carrying wildlife. And when farmers destroy predators' habitats, prey such as rodents, mosquitoes and bats can flourish. That can lead to more disease transmission to humans since such wildlife commonly hang out near humans and livestock in hopes of a meal.