The close match to variants circulating in humans at the time suggests at least seven recent human-to-animal transmission events. Our data support that exposure to SARS-CoV-2 has been widespread in wildlife communities and suggests that areas with high human activity may serve as points of contact for cross-species transmission.

Our combined results suggest that a broad diversity of mammal species have been exposed to SARS-CoV-2 in the wild. While species like the white-tailed deer have been shown to be important hosts for SARS-CoV-2, our results highlight that evaluating the importance of each species in the context of a broader community of hosts will be critical for controlling future zoonotic disease risk