Researchers stunned by discovery after sifting through illegal online marketplaces: 'Society has underestimated the threat'
The researchers developed a tool that automatically collects data across 148 English-text online marketplaces to analyze online sales of threatened animal species, according to their writeup published by Phys.org.
The tool was used to search for online sales of 13,267 animal species classified as at risk of global extinction by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and 706 animal species listed in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. The search was conducted over a period of 15 weeks in 2018.
Their study revealed that the shortfin mako is one of the most targeted threatened species in online wildlife trafficking. The endangered shark species is exploited for its jaws and other body parts, which are sold on hundreds of social media sites and open markets.
The researchers also identified other threatened shark species through their study, including the longfin mako, scalloped hammerhead, sandbar, and pelagic thresher. Sharks represented nine of the 10 most threatened species identified in this study.
According to the World Wildlife Fund, not all wildlife trade is illegal, but it becomes a serious problem when it overexploits species and threatens their survival in the wild. Efforts to crack down on wildlife trafficking have been implemented, but online trafficking is hard to address.
Professor Jennifer Jacquet, one of the authors of the study, explained that online platforms typically aren't held legally responsible for sales since they're considered marketplaces where buyers and sellers can connect for transactions.
Wildlife trafficking poses a threat not only to the endangered species but also to humans. Illegally traded species may become invasive when introduced to unfamiliar environments. Some species may carry zoonotic diseases that could transfer to humans and threaten global health.
Trafficking can also negatively impact biodiversity. According to the WWF, species and organisms in the wild work together to maintain balance in ecosystems, where we get food and clean water.
"Society has underestimated the threat posed by the trade in wildlife," Jacquet warned, per Phys.org.
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While online wildlife trafficking may be difficult to track and mitigate, it isn't going unnoticed. Experts and researchers have recognized that online platforms such as social media have become a widely used marketplace for wildlife traffickers.
For example, in 2024, the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime flagged ads for 18 protected species in Brazil and South Africa. Most of the ads came from social media.
According to Jacquet, there's a small number of people who are "obsessed with buying animal parts," which has fueled online wildlife trafficking and illegal hunting of endangered species. She suggests that stigmatizing the ownership of wildlife trophies could help curb trafficking.
"We need governments and civil society groups to stigmatize the wildlife trade as a whole rather than deal with the problem species by species in a legislative way," she said.
The best thing individuals can do about online wildlife trafficking is support animal rights organizations and report suspicious listings to groups fighting the illegal wildlife trade, including Traffic.
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