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A series of five think-tank webinars: A future without pandemics
Unique insights from China:
COVID-19 and the wildlife trade
Together with One Health China, CBCGDF and the University of Shangdong Animal Ethics and Protection Centre, ACTAsia offers the opportunity to hear rare insights from experts in China. This series of five think-tank webinars includes discussion betweem international experts on culture, legislation and education around the international wildlife trade and associated welfare failures and risks.
We invite leading professionals in epidemiology, medical science, biology, zoology and education to examine the risks and concerns around the commercial farming and trade in wild animals. Highlighting China’s catalogue of livestock, which closed for consultation on 8 May, discussions analyse public health risks and animal welfare concerns, consider how to achieve ecological balance and prevent future outbreaks of zoonotic disease in future.
Listen to our webinar podcasts
What is the link between the exploitation of animals and pandemics? Will the ban of the wildlife trade apply for all uses, and will it be legal to eat any wild animals? How and why should the livestock list be updated? You can read our transcribed notes and listen to our podcast webinar through the link above.
Dr Barbara Maas, academic and international wildlife conservation expert will also address the underlying welfare issues compounding the risk of pandemics in commercially farmed wild animals.
Zhang Xiao Hong, Data Analyst, with expertise on the numbers of farmed animals in China and the national demand for meat. She will address the issues around the commercial use of animals and risks of pandemics through farming.
Dawn Peacock, Co-host, Programmes Director for ACTAsia, and professional in animal management, education and animal welfare issues in South East Asia will co-host the first seminar.
Pei Su, Co-host, Founder and CEO ACTAsia, sociologist and authority on animal welfare, humane education and environmental issues in China, will co-host the first seminar.
What is the scale of fur-farming in China? What zoonotic diseases do fur-bearing animals carry? Do schemes like WelFur and GOOD4FUR ensure good welfare and human safety? Listen to our podcast to hear our panelists answer these questions and many more at the second webinar. You can read our transcribed notes and listen to our podcast webinar through the link above.
Professor Lu Jia Hai, Director of One Health China, Professor at Sun Yat-Sen University in epidemiology, vaccinology, pathogenic biology and veterinary medicine. Professor Lu will discuss the prevention of zoonotic diseases through vaccine.
Dr Sara Platto, Secretary General of Biology and Science Ethics of China Biodiversity Conservation Greed Development Foundation (CBCGDF) Beijing, China and Associate Professor in Animal Behaviour and Welfare, College of Life Sciences at Jianghan University, Wuhan, China, will put forward the case for removing fur-bearing animals from the list of livestock in China.
Pei Su, Host, Founder and CEO ACTAsia, sociologist and authority on animal welfare, humane education and environmental issues in China, will co-host the first seminar.
3. Deer: are they wild or domestic? Originally broadcast Wednesday 29 April, 1pm London, 8pm Beijing, 8am New York
What is the problem with farming, eating and utilising deerfor other purposes? Are captive deer a domesticated species like other ‘livestock’? What’s the risk of zoonotic disease from farmed deer? You can read our transcribed notes and listen to our podcast webinar through the link above.
Rob Laidlaw, Biologist and Founder of wildlife protection organisation Zoocheck Canada, will put a spotlight on deer to discuss their suitability as a genus for commercial farming, and the welfare problems associated with captive breeding of wild animals.
Guo Gen, Vice Chairman of the Science and Technology Association of Beijing Academy of Science and Tecnology, Beijing Elk Ecological Experimental Centre, and Beijing Biodiversity Conservation Research Centre, an academic with expertise in animal ethics.
Professor Lu Jia Hai, Director of One Health China, Professor at Sun Yat-Sen University in epidemiology, vaccinology, pathogenic biology and veterinary medicine. Professor Lu will discuss the prevention of zoonotic diseases through vaccine.
Professor Guo Peng, Host, Associate Professor and Director for the Centre for Animal Protection Studies at Shandong University, Guo Peng brings her expertise in farmed and wild animal protection legislation to host this discussion.
Amphibians and reptiles – are they listed as livestock, wild animals or neither in China? Are amphibians and reptiles sentient? Can farming and eating them make us sick? You can read our transcribed notes and listen to our podcast webinar through the link above.
Tong Ying, Chief Reporter in Ecology Investigation and Director for China Environmental Journalists Association is an expert on environmental education, pollution and protection.
Clifford Warwick, Consultant Biologist and Medical Scientist and proponent of non-invasive medical research, brings his unique expertise to the subject of amphibians and reptiles.
Xiao Qing, Host, Deputy Secretary General of CBCGDF since 2018 and international politician, who studied Politology at the University of Bonn and has expertise in German-Sino politics. He will host webinar 4, which explores the overlooked species of amphibians and reptiles.
How are endangered species farmed and used in China? Is there legislation to protect them? What does law enforcement around protecting these species look like, and what should it look like? You can read our transcribed notes through the link above.
Justin Gosling, Independent Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Specialist, with professional insights into the illegal wildlife trade will bring his unique expertise around whether farming wildlife can help to protect endangered species in the wild, and associated legislation.
Liu Hui Li, Executive Director of Let Migrant Birds Fly Fund, is an environmental journalist with inside knowledge of species protection and animal welfare. She contributes to the discussion around legislation to protect wildlife, and the role it plays.
Liu Yi Dan, Senior Bird Protection volunteer, established the Yidan Wild Protection Team in 2007, when she began exposing the capture of wild birds, and releasing them back into the wild. Her work across China has attracted much media attention, and as a result of her findings, the Jiangxi Provincial Government upgraded the Poyang Lake’s winter migratory bird protection measures, and a game-ban area was implemented in Tianjin. Dan’s work has been recognised by many conservation organisations in China.
Isobel Zhang, Host, Co-funder of ACTAsia China. She is Communist party member; Master of Basic Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen Medical University; Guangdong University of Finance and Economics Visiting Lecturer of Civil Aviation Service, Psychology of Civil Aviation; member of the Ma Hong Foundation Think Tank 100 People Association; Shenzhen Ma Hong Foundation for the Economic Improvement Research 100 Expert think tank.
