A shocking new report has revealed that Facebook has become the primary online marketplace for illegal wildlife trade, with South Africa among the countries affected by the growing digital trafficking of endangered species. The study by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, using the ECO-SOLVE Global Monitoring System (GMS), found that nearly three-quarters of all detected wildlife-trafficking advertisements worldwide were posted on Facebook between April 2024 and March 2026.
Researchers Russell Gray and Simone Haysom recorded more than 21,900 adverts linked to over 266,000 wildlife products across 61 online platforms. Of these, more than 16,000 were found on Facebook alone, accounting for about 74% of the total. This staggering figure highlights the scale of the problem and the need for urgent action to prevent the exploitation of endangered species.
Wildlife Trafficking on Facebook: A Growing Concern
The report notes that countries selected for analysis included those scoring highly on organised crime indices and those with active online wildlife markets. South Africa, already flagged for high levels of environmental crime, forms part of the global monitoring network tracking the trade. According to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), many of the species being traded are protected under international law.
An example search for ‘pangolin scales sale’ yielded several groups and pages on Facebook, where users inquire about buying pangolins/scales and provide their contact details. Researchers found videos and images on the pages that showed users with pangolins, bags of pangolin scales, and even lion cubs advertised for sale. The total advertised value of these products exceeded $66 million, with almost all of it linked to Facebook.
How Facebook Facilitates Wildlife Trafficking
Facebook groups are the main hubs for this activity, accounting for the majority of listings. In many cases, users were exposed to illegal content without actively searching for it, suggesting that the platform’s recommendation systems are pushing such material to wider audiences. This raises serious concerns about the role of social media platforms in facilitating wildlife trafficking.
- Pangolin scales, cobras, bats, scorpions, and slow lorises are among the species being traded on Facebook.
- Over 80% of Facebook-linked adverts are tied to the most strictly regulated categories.
- The total advertised value of wildlife products on Facebook exceeds $66 million.
The report argues that voluntary measures by social media platforms are insufficient to address the scale of the problem. Instead, regulatory action is needed to prevent the exploitation of endangered species and to hold platforms accountable for facilitating wildlife trafficking.
