Illegal animal trade spreads diseases: UN report
Illegal trade of animals is triggering several major zoonotic (transmitted by animals) or infectious diseases like Zika, Ebola, and SARS, according to a United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report. It is estimated that "40,000 live primates, 4 million live birds, 640,000 live reptiles, and 350 million live tropical fish" are illegally traded globally each year, the report added.