Researchers found that poachers in Brazil are using Facebook groups to connect, plan illegal hunts, and post photos of their kills openly. There's "no fear of reprisal," Mongabay reported, pointing out how easy it is for illegal hunting content to spread on social media in Brazil.
Experts warn that because no one's stopping it, the problem is only getting worse. Thousands of animals, including at-risk species, are being hunted for sport. If nothing changes, ecosystems could suffer — and so could people.
What's happening?
Researchers analyzed five Brazilian Facebook poaching groups and found over 2,000 posts between 2018 and 2020 that documented 4,658 dead animals from 157 species, per Mongabay. Many of these animals, ranging from armadillos and pacas to tapirs and rare birds, were killed not out of necessity but for trophy hunting.
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Definitely 👍 The study, published in Conservation Biology, found that poaching is happening all over Brazil, from the Amazon to the Atlantic Forest and Caatinga. Researchers estimate that about 1,400 poachers hauled in nearly 32 tons of wild meat even though many aren't struggling to survive. They used expensive firearms and hunting gear to track and kill these animals.
In places where big animals have already disappeared, hunters are moving on to smaller species, making it even harder for these ecosystems to recover.
Why are healthy ecosystems important?
Tapirs help forests grow by spreading seeds, and birds keep insect numbers in check. Take them away, and forests don't regenerate as well, pests get out of control, and food and water sources become less stable. That kind of disruption can be a serious problem for people who depend on farming or tourism.
The study found that Facebook groups are running out in the open and that poachers don't seem worried about getting caught. In 2022, Brazil fined Meta, Facebook's parent company, nearly $2 million for failing to curb wildlife trafficking on its platforms, but enforcement remains weak, as Mongabay reported.
What's being done about poaching?
Experts say that stopping this crisis requires stronger digital enforcement, better wildlife protections, and more community-based conservation efforts. In Brazil, some conservation groups are teaming up with Indigenous communities to bring back wildlife and make ecotourism a better option than poaching.
Tools such as satellite tracking and artificial intelligence are helping authorities spot illegal hunting as it happens. However, as long as social media platforms look the other way, these groups will keep operating and the damage will only get worse.
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