The illegal trade of Indonesian raptors through social media

The use of social media in Indonesia is changing traditional trading methods in the country, and this extends to the sale of protected wildlife such as raptors. Between January and December 2015 the authors monitored 38 Facebook groups and recorded 2,471 individuals from 21 diurnal raptor species being offered for sale. Most were juveniles, and the Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus was the most frequently offered species. The peak of raptor trading was in July and August, coincident with the breeding season of most raptors as many birds are taken as nestlings. Regular scrutiny of social media sites and increased punitive action by law enforcement agencies, and public awareness campaigns by governments and NGOs, are desperately needed to eliminate this audacious market for illegal trade