Opinion Survey on COVID-19 and Wildlife Trade in 5 Asian Markets

INTRODUCTION AND METHODOLOGY

The novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, which is suspected to originate in Wuhan in the Hubei province of China, has now become a global pandemic. With illegal and unregulated wildlife markets likely increase likelihood of infections such as coronavirus, WWF commissioned GlobeScan to conduct a survey among the general public in Hong Kong SAR, Japan, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam to measure and better understand opinions on what support looks like for the closure of all illegal and unregulated markets, within the context of the COVID-19 global pandemic.

Between the 3rd and the 11th of March, 2020, GlobeScan interviewed n=1000 respondents in each of the 5 markets, totaling 5,000 respondents. Respondents were randomly selected and were representative of gender and age of the online population of their respective market.  In Myanmar, because it is a new market for research, the online population was skewed toward younger individuals.

Respondents were asked about their sentiments on the coronavirus outbreak in their respective country and their opinions on illegal and unregulated markets selling wildlife. For the purpose of this survey, ‘wild animals’ are defined as non-domesticated, non-livestock terrestrial animals (non-insect and non-aquatic).