Essential livelihood

Lyu Zhi, a professor of life sciences at Peking University, said, "If they rely solely on local public finances, breeders may not be given sufficient compensation, so the key is to get financial support from the central government."

In late January, Lyu was one of 19 Chinese scholars who jointly published an online appeal seeking the eradication of the illegal trade in and consumption of wild animals.

She suggested that the national poverty alleviation fund should give priority to breeders greatly affected by the pandemic, or that the central government could offer an annual subsidy, instead of a lump sum.

As an example, Lyu said that when the central government introduced a logging ban in natural forests in 1998, it introduced an annual subsidy for the individuals and forestry centers affected.

She said that in some areas of China, wildlife breeding and related trade is essential for farmers and small companies to survive, and the government should help them switch to other professions if the industry dies.

Amanda E. Fine, associate director, Asia, for the Wildlife Health Program at the Wildlife Conservation Society, said: "Viruses known to cause severe disease in humans have been found in rodents, including bamboo rats. Some of these viruses are in the coronavirus family.