Endangered, Threatened Insects Now in Online Illegal Trade

Experts discovered illegal trade where threatened insects and certain endangered species were being marketed online.

Illegal Trade Online

A Luzon peacock swallowtail, one of the rarest butterflies that are forbidden to deal in and are categorized as endangered, was allegedly discovered for sale on Amazon for about $110.

There were also other species such as live tarantulas offered for sale that are not endangered or listed as threatened but whose trade is strictly regulated.

Professor of entomology John Losey, who is also the paper's primary author, explained that they searched the internet to see whether any rare, endangered, or commercially controlled species were for sale.

According to Losey, when species become more and more scarce, collectors value them more and more, and if collecting and selling are not done responsibly, this can have a negative influence on the species.

Ornithoptera allottei, a type of birdwing butterfly, was the most costly insect the researchers found for sale and was sold on eBay for $3,850, according to their findings.

The scientists also discovered species that should only be purchased from authorized sources, such as ladybugs released for pest management, for sale.

They claimed that unintentional releases of ill insects, the incorrect strain, or batches unsuited for certain regions might have an adverse effect on wild animal populations.

Paul Curtis, a senior co-author on the study and a specialist in extension wildlife at the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, hopes that their findings will improve the enforcement of laws preventing the sale of rare insects illegally online and safeguard those species in the wild.

The study, written by Losey, Curtis, and several colleagues, has been shared with the US Fish and Wildlife Service and was published in the journal Global Ecology and Conservation.

Online Security

eBay does not allow the selling of endangered or vulnerable animals, according to a spokeswoman for the company.

On the extremely rare occasion that such products manage to elude their filters, their security personnel will remove them from the site.

The site claims that they have block filter algorithms designed to prevent the sale of forbidden items.

According to eBay, a tiny number of listings linked to animals that are against their rules have been found, and they are being taken down.

When vendors violate this policy, eBay will also take enforcement action against violators, which may include suspending accounts or banning them permanently.

A representative for Amazon noted that third-party sellers are independent companies that must abide by all applicable laws when selling items containing animals or connected to animals as well as the company's selling policies.

The selling of endangered animals is expressly prohibited by Amazon, which also stated that it is looking into the product in issue and would take necessary action on any non-compliant listings, Yahoo News reported.

To preserve, protect, and improve fish, animals, plants, and their ecosystems for the ongoing benefit of American citizens, the US Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement oversees all international transportation of wildlife into, out of, and through the United States.

Regulations stated in the Code of Federal Regulations apply to all imports and exports of wildlife, according to US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).