The COVID-19 is the infectious disease caused by the most recently discovered coronavirus at an animal market in Wuhan, China. Many wildlife species have been suggested as possible intermediate sources for the transmission of COVID-19 virus from bats to humans. The quick transmission of COVID-19 outbreak has imposed quarantine measures across the world, and as a result, most of the world's towns and cities fell silent under lockdowns. The current study comes to investigate the ways by which the COVID-19 outbreak affects wildlife globally. Hundreds of internet sites and scientific reports have been reviewed to satisfy the needs of the study. Stories of seeing wild animals roaming the quiet, deserted streets and cities during the COVID-19 outbreak have been posted in the media and social media. The strong link between wildlife markets and COVID-19 resulted in international calls asking countries to shut down wildlife markets forever. Poorer and vulnerable people around the world overexploit natural resources including wildlife. Roadkills became minimal because of the lockdown measures. The reduction in noise pollution level is expected to improve wildlife health and ecology including breeding success. The shortage of food items provided to zoo and park animals constituted a real threat to animals and the institution harboring them. The increase in fish biomass comes as a result of the sharp decline in fishing activities. The isolation of antibodies from certain wildlife species is promising in saving humankind against COVID-19. The infection of wild and pet animals with COVID-19 virus from humans and the interspecific transmission of the infection are disastrous to animal ecology. Finally, closures may enhance people to connect more and more with nature in order to acknowledge wildlife in their surrounding environments. In conclusion, the study asks the world's different parties to conserve wildlife in a sustainable fashion and to regulate exotic animal trade in wet markets in order to lower the incidence of zoonoses.
Abstract. Abd Rabou AN, Radwan ES. 2017. The current status of the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) and its uses in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. Biodiversitas 18: 1047-1061. The date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is considered one of the most important fruit crops in Palestine. It has a major socio-economic importance due to its commercial, nutritional, environmental, social, health and religious values. Because of its importance as a resistant and strategic crop facing serious local threats like pest infestation, underdeveloped marketing and mismanagement, the current study comes to investigate the status of the date palm tree and its uses in the Gaza Strip. Field surveys and institutional visits were applied to fulfill the purpose of the study. The current study revealed a total number of 250,000 trees of date palm existing in the Gaza Strip, with 40% of the dates is concentrated in the Middle Governorate. At least, 19 cultivars have been recorded locally with the 'Hayani', 'Barhee' and 'Bentaisha' being the most common. The average date production in the last few years was 12,000 -15,000 ton per year. More than 40 industries and uses associated with the date palm tree have been observed in the Gaza Strip, with the handicraft production and food industries are the main creative uses by the Palestinian community. Finally, the study recommends the improvement of the processes of date palm cultivation, production, protection, and marketing. The cooperation of different parties is very essential to ensure good sustainable development and uses of the date palm in the Gaza Strip, Palestine.
In spite of its small area, Palestine (27,000 km 2) is home to more than 500 species of ornithofauna, inhabiting all types of terrestrial and aquatic habitats. The Gaza Strip (365 km 2), which represents 1.5% of Palestine, has a considerable number of ornithofaunistic species as well. Al-Mawasi ecosystem (14 m 2), which lies in the far southwest of the Gaza Strip, has never been orinthologically studied. Thus, the current study comes to survey the ornithofauna prevailing at Al-Mawasi ecosystem as a natural to semi-natural environment. Ornithofauna were monitored using direct observations and binoculars for the lasted ten years (2009-2018). A total number of 135 ornithofaunistic species, belonging to 45 families and 17 orders were encountered at Al-Mawasi ecosystem. Passeriformes was the largest order and comprised 57 (42.2%) of the recorded species, while the non-passerines constituted the remaining 78 species (57.8%). Muscicapidae was the largest among the recorded families; represented by 13 species (9.6%), and followed by 10 species of Scolopacidae, (7.4%), 8 species of Ardeidae and Fringillidae (5.9%) for each and 7 species of Accipitridae (5.0%). Aquatic ornithofaunistic species represented 44 (32.6%) of the total species recorded, while the terrestrial ones represented 91 (67.4%). The Palestine Sunbird (Nectarinia osea) is a common endemic Palestinian species in Al-Mawasi ecosystem. The Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) has become an actual source of financial income for its catchers, and as a result, it is extensively hunted in vast areas of the Gaza Strip. Finally, the study recommends carrying out more research on ornithofauna inhabiting the natural, agricultural and urban environments of the Gaza Strip. The establishment of a specialized center dealing with bird surveys and conservation is very essential in the Gaza Strip, which is an actual hot spot experiencing an escalating environmental degradation.
Many plant and animal species have disappeared in the Gaza Strip during the last 5-6 decades. No effort has been made to stop such disappearance and/or to conserve the biodiversity. This survey deals with the terrestrial vertebrate fauna in the Northern Governorate of the Gaza Strip. The ecological awareness of people (n=75) towards wildlife was investigated using a questionnaire specially designed for this purpose. A total number of 119 terrestrial, wild vertebrate species (13 mammals, 86 birds and 20 reptiles), in addition to many localy extinct mammalian species were recorded. Many wildlife species are on their way to extinction where anthropogenic factors, including overpopulation and urban expansion, lack of environmental awareness and education, destruction of habitats, overgrazing, poaching and hunting, over-use of pesticides, poor enforcement of environmental laws and legislations, and various military operations imposed by the Israeli occupation and settlements, were found to threaten wildlife resources in the area. Although population studies have not conducted in this survey, the populations of many species appear to have diminished. The hazards imposed by wildlife on both people's health and properties were also investigated. More than three-quarters of the interviewed sample 57 (76.0%) believed in the role of the wastewater treatment facility and its effluent pond in attracting biodiversity species. The majority of respondents (86.7%) stressed the importance of implementation of environmental laws and legislation to conserve nature and wildlife. Finally, the authors recommend improving cooperation of different parties to enhace the public awareness regarding the wildlife protection.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.