Share this article
Wildlife Featured in this article
- Eastern cottontail
- Raccoon
- Groundhog
- Eastern red bat
- Virginia opossum
- Deer mouse
Humans may be passing COVID-19 to common wildlife species
Raccoons, opossums and eastern cottontails were among the commonly infected species in Virginia
Food waste that humans leave outside may be helping COVID-19 pass from humans to common wildlife species. The authors of a study published recently in Nature detected the coronavirus at high rates in six common species in Virginia: deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus), Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana), raccoon (Procyon lotor), groundhog (Marmota monax), eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus), and eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis). They found that animals that use hiking trails or other places with many humans had three times higher rates of COVID-19 than those farther from people. The researchers believe the virus is infecting animals through discarded food. “The virus can jump from humans to wildlife when we are in contact with them, like a hitchhiker switching rides to a new, more suitable host,” Carla Finkielstein of Virginia Tech told The Hill.
PAID AD
Header Image: Six common species of Virginia mammals such as groundhogs had high rates of COVID-19 in areas frequented by humans. Credit: Judy Gallagher
Related Posts
Migrating birds bring ticks
Climate change may be allowing the ticks and their pathogens to persist
Wildlife Vocalizations: Krysten Schuler
Krysten Schuler discusses her journey to become a wildlife disease ecologist
Avian flu contributes to elephant seal declines
More than 17,000 elephant seals have died following the initial outbreak of H5N1