Zoonotic risk perceptions and wildlife species in the bushmeat trade: insights from the Belen market in Iquitos, Peru

This dataset contains primary data from a descriptive, cross-sectional, survey-based study conducted between April 5 and 7, 2024, at the Belén Market in Iquitos, Loreto, in the Peruvian Amazon. A total of 208 participants, incluiding bushmeat vendors, general market vendors, and customers, were capture through face-to-face interviews during peak morning activity hours.Variables are grouped into three primary categories: socio-demographic characteristics (sex, age, education level, pet ownership, market tenure, and trade role), bushmeat consumption habits (species types and frequency of consumption), and perceptions of health risks (attitudes toward trade commercialization and history of zoonotic illness). This study provides insights into the dynamics of the bushmeat trade and the public’s awareness of associated sanitary risks in a major Amazonian commercial hub.