What's the Risk from and to European wildlife from SARS-like Coronaviruses?

The current COVID-19 human pandemic had its origins in SE Asian wildlife, and although the natural, endemic host remains unknown (most likely bats), onward transmission from humans to other species including large outbreaks in farmed mink and cases in domestic cats keep occuring . The outbreak in mink in Europe and the USA with transmission back to humans has raised the spectre of the virus establishing itself in other animal hosts, creating a new reservoir for the virus, with potentially serious consequences for both humans and affected animals. Europe is home to a large number of wild mustelid species, including feral mink, along with bats known to carry SARS-like viruses and cricetid rodents thought to be susceptible to SARs-CoV2. However, we currently have no idea whether any virus spill-over or circulation is occurring in these animals. This project will perform PCR based screening of faecal and lung samples from the highest risk wildlife species for SARS-CoV-2 like viruses in the UK (bats, mustelids and cricetid rodents), including retrieval of full virus sequences from any positive animals using NGS sequencing techniques (Illumina and Nanopore). The project will determine: a) If SARS-COV-2 spill-over from humans into wildlife is currently occurring b) What other coronaviruses these animals are carrying This will enable decisions to be made as to whether SARS-CoV-2 circulation in European wildlife represents a real risk to the human population and/or to wildlife, and if monitoring or mitigation programmes are necessary