The Illegal Wildlife Market Is Booming. Encrypted Messaging Makes It Worse.

Data from a new study could help police illegal wildlife trafficking online — but it’s not clear that platforms are willing to make the effort

Credit: Dave Carr/Getty Images

Underground marketplaces for tiny mammals, resplendent birds, and prehistoric-looking reptiles are flourishing right under our noses on platforms like eBay and Facebook. The multibillion-dollar illegal wildlife trade has found refuge on social media and e-commerce websites, which have failed to thwart the criminal activity, say the authors of a new study that predicts trafficking of wildlife will accelerate if not proactively addressed.

The monumental research project, published on Thursday in Science and helmed by ecologists in the United States and United Kingdom, analyzed trading data for more than 31,000 animal species — sold both legally and illegally — to map the industry’s global footprint. Illicit wildlife sales occur locally and across borders, the study says, generating $8 billion to $21 billion annually and affecting nearly 20% of all land-dwelling vertebrates on Earth.

If the trade goes unchecked, the study theorizes that it will expand to one-third of all terrestrial…