China was breeding huge rats to eat before they were banned due to coronavirus. Called “bamboo rats,” the Chinese believe that eating bamboo rat meat makes them prettier and can detoxify their bodies.

Until recently, bamboo rats were a celebrated food in China. Farmers had about 25 million of the rats before the government banned them because of the coronavirus pandemic. Much larger than normal rats, the rats could grow up to 17 inches long.

Dr. Zhong Nanshan, China’s lead epidemiologist, said in January that the coronavirus epidemic might be linked to the consumption of bamboo rats or badgers. China banned all trade and wildlife consumption temporarily in February as the coronavirus pandemic increased.

“Usually, live bamboo rats would be delivered directly to restaurants and food stalls dealing exotic food,’ Dr. Peter Li, China Policy Specialist at Humane Society International told MailOnline, “A small percentage of the bamboo rats, no more than 10 per cent, would be displayed and slaughtered at the wildlife wet markets in Guangdong and Guangxi.”

Dr. Li and other conservation experts have urged China to permanently ban the wildlife trade, “China has thousands of wild animal breeding facilities that are facing closure or transition because of the government’s recent policy change from supporting wildlife breeding to phasing it out, and no doubt millions of animals are going to be impacted. The policy change is welcome and necessary but animal welfare must not be sacrificed in an effort to implement the change, ” he said.

Read more about protecting yourself from coronavirus. Check the CDC website for more information on how to protect yourself and check our latest article to learn how COVID-19 differs from the flu.

Scientists believe that the spread of COVID-19, or coronavirus, started at an exotic animal market in Wuhan, China. You can help stop the incidence of viruses like these by signing this petition to ban the wildlife trade.

This is a good time to reconsider our intake of animal products to stay healthy. Eating more plant-based foods is known to help with chronic inflammation, heart health, mental wellbeing, fitness goals, nutritional needs, allergies, gut health and more! Dairy consumption also has been linked to many health problems, including acne, hormonal imbalance, cancer, prostate cancer and has many side effects.

Interested in joining the dairy-free and meatless train? We highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App — with over 15,000 delicious recipes it is the largest plant-based recipe resource to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy! And, while you are at it, we encourage you to also learn about the environmental and health benefits of a plant-based diet.

• Weekly Vegan Meal Plans
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• Plant-Based Food & Recipes
• Plant-Based Nutrition Resources
• The Ultimate Guide to Plant-Based Nutrition
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Catch up on our latest coronavirus coverage in One Green Planet, check out these articles:

• • How Coronavirus and the Wildlife Trade are Linked
  • Jane Goodall’s Talks about Coronavirus and the Treatment of Wild Animals
  • United States Now Has Most Coronavirus Cases in the World
  • Coronavirus Update: How Emerging Diseases are Linked to Factory Farms
  • Coronavirus Update: Death Toll Surpasses SARS
  • The Difference Between COVID-19 and the Flu
  • Coronavirus Update: Quarantined Patients Given Turtles for Dinner In Spite of
  • Coronavirus Update: Your Pets are Not in Danger
  • China Acts on Coronavirus and Temporarily Bans Wildlife Trade
  • Coronavirus Update: World Global Emissions Have Dropped

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