Pets & wildlife in peril.
Traded & tortured online.
Wildlife criminals use social media to traffic big cats, reptiles, birds, and primates for the exotic pet trade, as well as wildlife products such as elephant ivory, rhino horn, pangolin scales and marine turtle shells.
Animal abuse content also spreads widely on the surface web, from illegal dog fighting content to videos featuring the gruesome torture of kittens, monkeys and other helpless animals.
Social Media is accelerating the global extinction crisis
Elephant Ivory & Rhino Horn
Are both traded widely on Facebook and on Chinese platforms like WeChat.
Parrot & Chimp Species
Went into population collapse after their species began trading online.
Marine & Reptile Species
Are also trafficked widely online, threatening various endangered species.
Wildlife trafficking on social media isn’t driven by impoverished poachers, but by powerful organized crime networks.
Animals are also widely abused on social media
Dog Fighting
A study by Lady Freethinker found dozens of groups organizing deadly dog fights.
Torture Videos for Sale
ACCO members have tracked Facebook Groups where torture content is sold.
Fake Rescues
YouTube features videos where puppies and kittens get “rescued” from pythons.
ACCO has been working since 2018 to close down illegal markets for wildlife parts on the world’s largest platforms.
Patricia Tricorache, an expert on the online cheetah trade speaks at the 2022 CITES Meeting in Panama.
Dan Stiles, who tracks the ape trade online, working in Kinshasa.
DOWNLoaD THE ACCO Wildlife In Peril Fact Sheet
It’s free to download a pdf copy, but please consider making a $10 donation towards our research.
ACCO Reports
Today, the known global cheetah population in the wild is estimated at only 7,100 adults and adolescents.
READ MORE
Despite the prohibition of dogfighting in the United States, this type of animal abuse is easily found on Facebook.
MEDIA COVERAGE
The black-market trade in wildlife has moved online, and the deluge is 'dizzying'
How trafficked cheetah cubs move from the wild and into your Instagram feed
Holding social media companies accountable for facilitating illegal wildlife trade
YouTube Sued Over Animal Abuse Videos, Accused of Not Enforcing Ban
