Why wild animals catching COVID-19 is bad for everyone

+ Trumpism and the truckers US Edition - Today's top story: Deer, mink and hyenas have caught COVID-19 – animal virologists explain how to find the coronavirus in animals and why humans need to worry [View in browser]( US Edition | 17 February 2022 [The Conversation]( Since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been reports of zoo animals, pets and mink getting sick. Thankfully, wild species seem to have been spared the worst of things. But absence of evidence is not evidence of absence, and testing animals for COVID-19 is a tricky business. Reports that the coronavirus has infected large numbers of white-tailed deer in the U.S. got me wondering what other animals might be carrying the virus and how scientists go about studying this. Sue VandeWoude, Angela Bosco-Lauth and Christie Mayo are three veterinary researchers from Colorado State University who study viruses that can jump between humans and animals. They explain how scientists can sometimes test wild animals, but more often they rely on laboratory experiments and testing sick, captive animals or pets to see what species are susceptible to the virus. It turns out that a [lot of different species can get COVID-19](, but there are many unknowns when it comes to the prevalence of the virus in wild populations – and what that means for human health. Also today: - [What if Putin never intended to invade?]( - [Why female travelers pay less for flights]( - [Lessons on self care, from Yoko Ono]( Daniel Merino Assistant Science Editor & Co-Host of The Conversation Weekly Podcast White-tailed deer are one of the few wild species that scientists have found to be infected with the coronavirus – at least so far. Andrew C/WikimediaCommons [Deer, mink and hyenas have caught COVID-19 – animal virologists explain how to find the coronavirus in animals and why humans need to worry]( Sue VandeWoude, Colorado State University; Angela Bosco-Lauth, Colorado State University; Christie Mayo, Colorado State University Scientists have been testing captive and wild animals for the coronavirus since the pandemic began. Only a few wild species are known to carry the virus, but many more have been shown to be susceptible. Politics + Society - [Invading Ukraine may never have been Putin’s aim – the threat alone could advance Russia’s goals]( Ronald Suny, University of Michigan A scholar of Russian history breaks down what Putin’s aim might be in threatening military invasion, and why that might backfire. - [Understanding Canada’s crisis: Has Trumpism arrived or are people just tired of pandemic restrictions?]( Jonathan Malloy, Carleton University Canada’s international reputation as a relatively peaceful country is at odds with the noisy protests by people opposed to measures aimed at preventing COVID-19. - [Anti-Asian violence spiked in the US during the pandemic, especially in blue-state cities]( Arie Perliger, UMass Lowell A new analysis of crime data shows that anti-Asian violence, targeting people of Asian descent and their property, rose sharply during the pandemic. Ethics + Religion - [All American presidents have lied – the question is why and when]( Michael Blake, University of Washington A political philosopher argues that while all American presidents may lie, those who appear to lie for the public good are often celebrated. - [Can religion and faith combat eco-despair?]( Rita D. Sherma, Graduate Theological Union As anxiety over the climate and environmental degradation rises, a scholar argues that teachings from religion and spirituality need to inform discussions on sustainability. Arts + Culture - [Yoko Ono’s prophetic vision of self-care]( Brigid Cohen, New York University Ono’s commitment to regenerative rituals is instructive in an era of turmoil and instability. Environment + Energy - [The Supreme Court could hamstring federal agencies’ regulatory power in a high-profile air pollution case]( Albert C. Lin, University of California, Davis West Virginia v. EPA could be the opportunity that conservative justices have been seeking to curb federal power. Education - [Want better child care? Invest in entrepreneurial training for child care workers]( Anne Douglass, UMass Boston When early childhood education providers become more entrepreneurial, the quality of their programs improves, research shows. Economy + Business - [Female business travelers pay less than their male colleagues because they tend to book earlier]( Javier D. Donna, University of Florida New research shows women paid an average of $18 less per flight than men in the same position at the same company, mainly because they consistently booked earlier. Trending on site - [Does outer space end – or go on forever?]( - [Physics and psychology of cats – an (improbable) conversation]( - [50-year-old muscles just can’t grow big like they used to – the biology of how muscles change with age]( Today's graphic [A bar graph showing the charity gifts and pledges from top 50 US donors from 2000 to 2020.]( From the story, [The 50 biggest US donors gave or pledged nearly $28 billion in 2021 – Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates account for $15 billion of that total]( - More from The Conversation US - Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our weekly emails: [Politics Weekly]( • [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Weekly Highlights]( - - Do you appreciate The Conversation? Forward this newsletter or [share a link with your friends and colleagues](mailto:Insert%20your%20friends%27%20emails?subject=Check%20out%20The%20Conversation&body=I%27ve%20been%20reading%20this%20fact-based%20news%20source,%20and%20definitely%20think%20you’d%20find%20it%20interesting%20as%20well.%20It%20has%20academic%20experts%20writing%20understandably%20about%20stories%20in%20the%20news,%20based%20on%20their%20research.%20I%20learn%20something%20new%20every%20time%20I%20read%20it.%0D%0DYou%20can%20check%20it%20out%20here:%20%0D. - - About The Conversation: We're a nonprofit news organization dedicated to [helping academic experts share ideas with the public](. We can give away our articles thanks to the help of foundations, universities and readers like you. [Donate now to support research-based journalism]( [The Conversation]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation]( 303 Wyman Street, Suite 300 Waltham, MA 02451 [Forward to a friend]( • [Unsubscribe](