Paradoks kepemilikan satwa liar, di tengah pandemi penyakit yang ditularkan oleh satwa liar

Abstract

Diseases that are transmitted by animals to humans are known as zoonoses. In the last few decades, there have been various zoonoses such as AIDS, SARS, MERS, ZIKA. At the beginning of 2020, a zoonotic disease emerged which resulted in a global pandemic, namely Covid-19. Researchers around the world believe that the Covid-19 pandemic is caused by diseases transmitted by bats and pangolins. This study analyzes the effect of pandemics of wild animal-borne diseases on wildlife ownership. The research was conducted in the period 2020-2021 using a literature review method from media coverage, supported by scientific articles and reports from institutions/foundations, especially the latest report by the Social Media Animal Cruelty Coalition. The results of the study show the impression that pandemics of wild animal-borne diseases have no effect on wildlife ownership, as evidenced by the widespread ownership of wild animals by the general public, community leaders, and even state civil servants. This finding is worrying because rampant wildlife ownership increases interactions between humans and wildlife which risk increasing zoonoses and possibly creating new pandemics. This issue must be addressed immediately through wider public outreach and the development of regulations regarding the risks and prohibitions against keeping wild animals.