A YEAR ago, TRAFFIC, a wildlife trade monitoring network, released a first-ever systematic study of wildlife trade on social media in peninsular Malaysia. Just half an hour’s daily monitoring of 14 Facebook groups in peninsular Malaysia for five months between 2014 and 2015 revealed a thriving illegal trade in a host of iconic and threatened animals.
The study found that over 300 apparently wild, live animals ranging from sun bears to binturong (bearcat) had been offered for sale, with some of the pages hawking these animals boasting thousands of members.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Save 30% OFF The Star Digital Access
Cancel anytime. Ad-free. Unlimited access with perks.
