a ground pangolin brings its hands together near a road

Volume 69 Issue 2

Summer 2020

In this Issue

AWI’s successful campaign to end wildlife-killing contests in Colorado. Reviews of two nature documentaries that aim to inspire and thoughts on how Tiger King fell short. How the COVID-19 pandemic, which has profoundly altered so much of human society, has implications for animal welfare as well—from dogs and cats in shelters to marine mammals in aquariums to bears in Yosemite. We also examine how expanding trade in wildlife and inhumane treatment of farm animals greatly increases the risk of pandemics.

About the Cover

A ground pangolin (Smutsia temminckii). Pangolins are the world’s most trafficked mammal, hunted for their meat and scales, which—though made of simple keratin—are coveted for inclusion in traditional medicines. Wildlife trade, both legal and illegal, is not just harmful to animals. It’s harmful to us. This year, we are finding out just how dangerous it can be, as the COVID-19 virus—which jumped to us from captured wildlife—spreads around the globe and wreaks havoc on human society. Read more on how wildlife trade and deadly pandemics are intertwined.

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