Monkeys and Pigs: The protagonists of a disease story that will blow your mind!

Hey, friends! I bring you news that will leave you with a square eye: wild pigs and macaque monkeys are wreaking havoc in Southeast Asia. Yes, as you hear it, it turns out that these animals are proliferating like rabbits and that is not good for our beloved native forests, much less for livestock and people. Want to know more? Read on!

According to a study from the University of Queensland, Dr. Matthew Luskin and his team have been investigating this tricky situation. They have collected data on the populations of these species throughout the region, using secret cameras (yes, spy cameras!) to find out what is happening and here comes the interesting thing: Dr. Luskin tells us that these macaques and wild pigs are dominating the scrambled forests of Southeast Asia. And who is responsible for all this? That’s right, us! It turns out that by cutting down the forests and establishing palm oil farms, we have given these animals paradise. What a gift! Now they are up to 400% more numerous in the forests near the plantations than in the virgin forests and of course, since we have provided them with food and the ideal place to reproduce, they are in heaven.

But this is not just a matter of animal overpopulation, my dear readers; pigs and monkeys also pose a risk to our health. You know, the COVID-19 pandemic taught us that animals in human-altered ecosystems can carry all kinds of pathogens and diseases, and these little buggers are known carriers of diseases that can infect us humans. What a party! Professor Carlos Peres, from the University of East Anglia, warns us that these high populations of wildlife that are reservoirs of disease are a ticking time bomb for future epidemics.

I mean, if we don’t do something about it, we could face serious problems and not only that, my dear friends, these pigs and monkeys are wreaking havoc on the native flora. They are serial destroyers! They destroy the seeds and seedlings of our native plants, as well as eat the eggs of birds and reptiles. What a voracious appetite! So what can we do to control this population explosion of pigs and monkeys? Dr. Luskin tells us that it is necessary to take urgent and ethical measures to stop its expansion, we know that we do not want to kill animals senselessly, but the negative impacts they have on society and the ecosystem require us to find solutions. It’s time to get down to work, but with a head!

And there you have it, boys and girls, a story that shows us how our actions can have unintended consequences. In addition, it reminds us that we must find a balance between nature and our needs. Let’s not let the pigs and monkeys take over everything! Let’s do something for our environment and for ourselves!