Habitat loss: Potential threat for biodiversity loss and future pandemics

Biodiversity loss due to unprecedented anthropogenic deforestation and habitat destruction, intricated the sequence outbreak of newer diseases over the preceding century. Spill-over of pathogens from their natural hosts to human populations is a consequence of close communication of humans with the pathogens and their natural hosts. Loss of biodiversity and extinction of wildlife, as a consequence of habitat loss, exerts a selective pressure on the pathogens to find new hosts including human beings. Prevention of disease spill over, that imposes heavy toll on humanity, is therefore imperative; and wider expansion of ‘societies aware of ecological parameters’ is an invited way forward.