AccScience Publishing / EER / Volume 1 / Issue 1 / DOI: 10.36922/eer.3615
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ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE

Influence of coronavirus disease 2019 on attitudes toward forest biodiversity and nature conservation

Hui Nee Au Yong1† ,  Chuan Chew Foo1 ,  Irfan Rashdi1 ,  Maryam Kalhoro2†* ,  Chee Yin Yip1 ,  Thian Hee Yiew1
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1 Department of Economics, Faculty of Business and Finance, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Kampar, Perak, Malaysia
2 Institute of Management and Commerce, University of Sindh, Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan
EER 2024, 1(1), 3615 https://doi.org/10.36922/eer.3615
Submitted: 9 May 2024 | Accepted: 1 August 2024 | Published: 24 September 2024
© 2024 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )
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Abstract

The goal of this study is to better understand public perceptions of biodiversity loss, with a focus on the connections between deforestation and the eventual extinction of plants, animals, and birds. In Malaysia, a questionnaire study covering five variables – deforestation, the extinction of mammals, birds, and plants – as well as the moderating effect of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on public attitudes toward biodiversity loss – was conducted. Using online survey methods, 505 valid responses in total were acquired, and SMART-PLS was used for data analysis. Deforestation (the independent variable) is significantly and positively correlated with the extinction of birds, mammals, and plants, respectively. The study also demonstrates how COVID-19 moderates animal extinction and its impact on public perceptions of biodiversity protection. However, statistical study shows that popular perceptions of biodiversity protection are not significantly impacted by the loss of birds or plants. This study adds to the body of knowledge on the importance of public attitudes in reducing environmental degradation by providing a thorough analysis of popular attitudes toward biodiversity protection. The research has important ramifications for governments and organizations working to promote environmentally friendly behaviors, improve ecosystem sustainability, and encourage environmentally friendly organizations.

Keywords
Biodiversity conservation attitude
Animal extinction
Birds extinction
Plant extinction
Deforestation
Coronavirus disease 2019 effect
Funding
This research project was funded by the Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman Research Fund (UTARRF) Project No. IPSR/RMC/UTARRF/2020-C1/Y05.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
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