Projekt

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. The scientists will work with communities involved in wildlife consumption of Tarbagan marmot (Marmota sibirica) in Mongolia and in wildlife trade of the Philippine pangolin (Manis culionensis) in the Philippines. Both are endangered ecological keystone species, which are documented hosts of bacteria and viruses and are often found in territories of indigenous peoples and local communities. Culture is seen as a unifying thread: Eating of Tarbagan marmot is a cultural practice in Mongolia, and the use of pangolin scales as traditional Chinese medicine drives trading of the Philippine pangolin. Therefore, culture will be used as a starting point to understand how human interactions with these two species could increase and, at the same time, mitigate risk of zoonotic diseases and pandemics. Using mixed methods from the social and natural sciences, the project will map past, present, and future cultural practices associated with marmot consumption and pangolin trade, and co-create culturally sensitive zoonosis mitigation plans with societal stakeholders.

• Prof. Dr. Denise Margaret Matias

  Hochschule für nachhaltige Entwicklung
  Eberswalde
  Biosphere Reserves Institute
  Eberswalde
  

• Dr. Ganzorig Gonchigsumlaa

  Mongolian State University
  of Agriculture
  Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics
  School of Economics and Business (SEB)
  Ulaanbaatar
  Mongolei
  

• Dr. Jun Cayron

  Palawan State University
  Social Science
  College of Arts and the Humanities
  Puerto Princesa
  Philippinen