What's new

Endangered species linked to COVID-19 still for sale on Facebook

Vanguard One

FULL MEMBER
Joined
Dec 20, 2019
Messages
1,307
Reaction score
-7
Country
Ireland
Location
Ireland
An animal at risk of extinction, which has also been linked to the spread of COVID-19, is still being advertised for sale on Facebook, a research group has warned.

The Tech Transparency Project claimed pangolins, a scaly-skinned ant-eating mammal found in Africa and Asia, were being offered live for the right price on a number of pages.

The eight species of pangolin are all considered at risk of being wiped out.

https%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2Ffs%2F7763a22b-0aaa-4b1b-8ba0-e2e289408e16

Pangolins are endangered species, but also valuable on the Chinese black market. (AP)

It has been linked to the coronavirus, as a potential 'stepping stone' between the bat species where the disease likely originated, and its human victims.

Pangolin scales are used in traditional Chinese medicine, and the animals are also eaten in other parts of Asia and Africa.

Despite trade in them being forbidden internationally, pangolins are widely trafficked and live animals and scales have been offered for sale in China's wet markets – some of which are beginning to re-open following government-enforced closures.

And, it seems, trade is still booming online.

https%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2Ffs%2Feb45b278-c5dd-416a-99f3-f829f209ac5e

Pangolins are the only mammals on Earth with scales. (AP)

The TTP claimed to have found numerous pages offering live pangolins and products ranging from scales to "pangolin oil" for sale.

Such offers breach Facebook's community standards, and a spokesperson said the tech giant had teams "devoted" to stamping out the trade on their site, Newsweek has reported.

https://www.9news.com.au/national/p...k-online/a9295c26-5393-4a99-a25c-ec12931f20b9

Wow the Chinese will never learn.
 

Pakistan Affairs Latest Posts

Back
Top Bottom