ECO-SOLVE’s third Global Trend Report continues to reveal interesting trends in online illegal wildlife trade (IWT), particularly in digital marketplaces and social media platforms. Drawing on data from its Global Monitoring System (GMS)—with hubs in Brazil, South Africa, and Thailand—the report highlights a 265% increase in IWT advertisements between August and October 2024 compared to the previous quarter, driven largely by the inclusion of Thailand in the monitoring network.

Some key findings from the report are:

1. Thailand as a hotspot for illicit ivory trade: Over 807 elephant-related ads were detected in Thailand alone during the three-month monitoring period. The majority of these ads were for raw ivory, often disguised using emojis 🐘 or coded language to avoid detection. Thailand accounted for 77% of all ads tracked globally, underscoring the role of social media platforms like Facebook (91% of all ads globally) in perpetuating the trade.
2. Flora trafficking on the rise: The report sheds light on the illicit trade of plants, particularly rare succulents, and orchids. In South Africa, over 1.6 million succulents were seized between 2019 and 2024. These plants are trafficked globally for collectors and the ornamental trade, putting fragile ecosystems like the Succulent Karoo biome at risk.
3. Digital platforms as enablers: The anonymity of online platforms and encrypted messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram allows traffickers to evade law enforcement. Sellers use private chats and complex networks to bypass regulations, highlighting the need for stronger AI-enabled monitoring tools.

The report emphasizes the importance of using technology to monitor and disrupt IWT, combined with stricter regulations, international collaboration, and community-based solutions to combat trafficking across the supply chain. Policymakers and law enforcement agencies are encouraged to leverage the GMS’s insights to craft targeted interventions and prosecute those involved in this global crime.

ECO-SOLVE leads the charge against environmental crime with its global, collaborative, data-driven approach. Our mission: transform data insights into impactful action; support law enforcement to disrupt illicit flows; empower communities; shape effective global policies. ECO-SOLVE is an EU-funded project within the Global Illicit Flows Programme.

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