New research has found that traders in Togo, Africa are openly advertising and selling carcasses of wild animals, including the critically threatened pangolin. Despite international protections, this trade is thriving on social media platforms where enforcement is failing.
According to the study, undertaken by Head of Research at World Animal Protection Dr. Angie Elwin among other researchers, TikTok is becoming a hub for the illegal wild animal trade. Researchers reviewed 80 public videos from two accounts, posted between November 2022 and April 2024, which revealed:
- Over 3,500 carcasses of smoked wild animals;
- 27 different species, many of them legally protected;
- More than 130 white-bellied pangolins, an endangered species that is banned from international trade.
The videos reached massive audiences, with nearly 1.8 million views and thousands of likes and shares. One video featuring smoked pangolins alone attracted more than 216,000 views.
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