Commentary on COVID-19 a threat to wildlife management
2021
Mohd Tajuddin Abdullah | Ten, Dennis Choon Yung
The COVID-19 virus is a zoonotic disease, an infectious disease caused by a pathogen (an infectious agent, such as a bacterium, virus, parasite or prion) that has jumped from an animal (usually a vertebrate) to a human. It was declared a pandemic by World Health Organization (WHO) on January 30, 2020. The COVID-19 virus is also a zooanthroponosis, that can be transmitted from human to animals. Malaysia has seven wild cats’ species and five mustelids which can be found in the forests of Peninsular Malaysia as well as in captivity, in zoos and conservation facilities. Human beings have the potential to spread the COVID-19 virus to wild mustelids and big cat species, which may threaten its populations in Peninsular Malaysia. The authorities must respond swiftly during the zoonotic phase and post-zoonotic contingency phase, with stringent policies and guidelines to control the spread of the disease into natural forest habitats that may threaten the mustelids and cat populations.
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