@article{fdi:010088107,
  title = {{I}s social media the new wet market ? {S}ocial media platforms facilitate the online sale of bushmeat in {W}est {A}frica},
  author = {{M}oloney, {G}. {K}. and {G}osse, {K}. {J}. and {G}onedele-{B}i, {S}. and {G}aubert, {P}hilippe and {C}haber, {A}. {L}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{S}ocial media provides a platform for wildlife crime syndicates to access a global consumer-driven market. {W}hilst studies have uncovered the online trade in wildlife, the availability of wild meat (bushmeat) has not been assessed. {T}o investigate the sale of wild meat online, we analysed 563 posts published between 2018 and 2022 from six {W}est {A}frican {F}acebook pages selected using predetermined search criteria. {A}cross 1511 images and 18 videos, we visually identified 25 bushmeat species-level taxa including mammals (six {R}odentia, five {A}rtiodactyla, three {C}arnivora, two {P}holidota, one {P}rimate, two {L}agomorpha, one {H}yracoidea), birds (three {G}alliformes) and reptiles (two {S}quamata), predominately advertised as smoked (63%) or fresh (30%) whole carcasses or portions. {A}mong the species identified, 16% feature a status of concern on the {I}nternational {U}nion for {C}onservation of {N}ature ({IUCN}) {R}ed {L}ist ({N}ear {T}hreatened to {E}ndangered), 16% are listed on the {C}onvention on {I}nternational {T}rade in {E}ndangered {S}pecies of {W}ild {F}auna and {F}lora ({CITES}; {A}ppendix {I} and {II}) and 24% are either fully or partially protected by local legislation. {I}mages were commonly used as propaganda rather than to display in-ventory, where additional taxa protected from game hunting in {W}est {A}frica, such as hornbill, were exclusively listed in captions. {T}he advertisement of these protected and vulnerable species on the surface web indicates weak local and international legislative enforcement. {C}omparatively, when the same search criteria were applied to the deep web browser {T}or no results were generated, reinforcing the idea that bushmeat vendors have no need to hide their activities online. {D}espite local and international trade restrictions, the taxa advertised feature simi-larities with bushmeat seizures reported in {E}urope, alluding to the interconnectedness of the trade facilitated by social media. {W}e conclude that enhanced policy enforcement is essential to combat the online sale of bushmeat and mitigate the potential biodiversity and public health impacts.},
  keywords = {{B}iosecurity ; {C}onservation ; {F}acebook ; {I}llegal wildlife trade ; {I}nternet ; {W}ild meat ; {AFRIQUE} {DE} {L}'{OUEST}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{O}ne {H}ealth},
  volume = {16},
  numero = {},
  pages = {100503 [9 p.]},
  year = {2023},
  DOI = {10.1016/j.onehlt.2023.100503},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010088107},
}