A study in the June issue of One Health warns that social media may be increasing the illegal sale of bushmeat in West Africa and that this growth could threaten biodiversity and raise the risk of zoonotic diseases. The article links the problem to global outbreaks such as Ebola and COVID-19 and to the wider risk of viruses jumping from animals to humans.
Researchers analysed Facebook posts from 2018 to 2022 on five pages in Côte d’Ivoire and one in Nigeria. They identified 25 bushmeat species, covering mammals, birds and reptiles. Nearly two-thirds of the items were advertised as smoked; others appeared as fresh, cooked or alive. Five of the six pages directed customers to the end-to-end encrypted private messaging service WhatsApp, with some using Facebook Messenger. The study says these tactics are "designed to evade detection", which makes tracing and regulating the trade more difficult.
Lead author Georgia Moloney, a doctoral candidate at the School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences at the University of Adelaide, said the team wanted to know whether social media links vendors in Africa with consumers elsewhere. She told SciDev.Net that it is clear platforms are being used for illegal wildlife trade despite policies and legislation to protect endangered species. In Nigeria the "Endangered Species Conservation and Protection Bill" passed a first reading earlier this year. A bushmeat seller in Ibadan defended the trade and said people need these products, while conservationist Henry Erikowa called for stronger controls at points of entry and exit, faster prosecutions and tighter regulation to reduce illegal sales.
Difficult words
- bushmeat — Meat taken from wild animals for food
- zoonotic — Infectious disease that can spread to humans
- biodiversity — Variety of living species in an ecosystem
- evade — To avoid being noticed or caught
- encrypt — To convert information into secret codeencrypted
- vendor — A person or business that sells goodsvendors
- prosecution — Legal process of charging and trying someoneprosecutions
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- How can social media platforms balance user privacy and the need to prevent illegal wildlife trade?
- What measures would you support to reduce the risk of diseases spreading from wildlife to humans?
- How should authorities respond when local people say they need bushmeat for food or income?
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