Myanmar's Parallel Disaster: World Animal Charity Predicts Massive Animal Disaster in Myanmar Will Have Catastrophic Human Conse
May 21 2008 - 7:00PM
PR Newswire (US)
LONDON, May 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The World Society for the
Protection of Animals (WSPA) today predicted that the parallel
impact of the Myanmar disaster on animals and the subsequent affect
on people will be catastrophic. Based on UN and Myanmar Government
rapid assessment figures, the WSPA estimates that as many as 48
million animals may have been wiped out by the cyclone - a figure
equivalent to the entire human population of the country. The
surviving animals will become increasingly susceptible to
starvation and disease as their immune systems become lowered, and
diarrhoea will quickly become prevalent and will increase the risk
of cross infection. All this puts the human population at risk as
many of the animals are living alongside people in unsanitary and
disease prone environments. The death of any animal will also
threaten the livelihood of its owner, which will lead to further
psychological and financial stress. The WSPA's Director of Disaster
Management, Philip Russell MBE, said: "The death of such huge
numbers of animals will be catastrophic for the human population.
The survival of animals will help the devastated human population
survive and recover more quickly. As the human impact of the
disaster grows daily, we all desperately hope to see more aid
reaching people soon. Access for our disaster relief and recovery
veterinarians is imperative when animals are suffering and in need
of food, shelter and veterinary care." In addition, the disaster
has killed large numbers - one in five - of draught animals needed
to plough the rice fields that would feed the population for the
coming year. The WSPA estimates the long-term impact of losing
draught cattle and buffalo is that thousands of hectares of land
will be left unploughed, leaving millions of people at risk of ruin
and starvation. To minimise this impending second disaster, WSPA's
Emergency Response Team for Asia, based in Bangkok, is poised to
enter Myanmar at the request of the UN to help the Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO) to assess the scale of the problem
and the necessary steps that should be taken to alleviate further
suffering through immediate relief aid for animals as well as a
longer-term recovery plan for Myanmar. For more information or to
make a donation to help animals and the people who depend on them
in Myanmar, please visit: http://www.wspa-usa.org/. DATASOURCE:
World Society for the Protection of Animals CONTACT: Barbara
Castleman, WSPA Boston office, +1-617-896-9291, , or Sarah
Pickering, WSPA London Headquarters, (011) 44 20 7587 5048, (011)
44 7801 386670, Web Site: http://www.wspa-usa.org/
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