ZooMap: Mapping the Role of Culture in Zoonosis

Getting to know the role of culture in the consumption and trade of the Philippine pangolin (Manis culionensis) and the Tarbagan marmot (Marmota sibirica)

The COVID-19 pandemic has put wildlife into the spotlight as potential hosts of infectious bacteria and viruses. One of the proposed responses is stricter biodiversity conservation and wildlife protection. However, these are atomistic approaches and mostly focus on ecological systems with social systems as an afterthought, rather than taking the systemic approach needed for pandemic prevention and addressing zoonotic diseases at the social-ecological interface. In this digital event, we introduce the ZooMap project and how it promotes understanding the role of culture in zoonosis: consumption of the Tarbagan marmot is a cultural practice in Mongolia, and the use of pangolin scales as traditional Chinese medicine drives trading of the Philippine pangolin.