John,

As we continue to battle Covid-19, scientists predict the next pandemic will occur within a decade.

But there's something we can do.

Over the past 40 years, most major infectious disease outbreaks, including SARS, Ebola, avian flu and HIV, jumped from wildlife to people. But the problem isn't wildlife. The problem is wildlife trade and exploitation, which create the perfect breeding grounds for pathogen emergence.

And the United States is a big part of that problem, making up 20% of the global wildlife market. Our enormous appetite for pets, décor, fashion, wild meats, unproven medicines and other items drives wildlife exploitation.

This exploitation threatens not only our health through devastating disease, but also the very fabric of life on Earth. We're experiencing an extinction crisis caused by human activity, and wildlife exploitation is the second-largest driver of the loss of terrestrial species.

That's why the Center for Biological Diversity has urged the Biden administration to ban trade in wild birds and mammals, which poses the greatest threat of the emergence of new disease.

Join us in demanding action to prevent pandemics and preserve the natural world — before it's too late.