Uncovering Illegal Wildlife Trade on Social Media: Automatic Data Collection, Deep Learning Filters and Identification

Illegal wildlife trade is one of the biggest threats to biodiversity conservation, as many species, including iconic species such as rhinoceros and elephant taxa, are targeted for their meat, trophies and other body parts. Over the last years, the scale and nature of illegal wildlife trade has changed dramatically. The Internet is becoming a major market for wildlife products, as it provides cost-effective solutions, vast outreach and anonymity for illegal wildlife traders. A 2014 study by the International Fund for Animal Welfare found 33 000 items for sale on 280 online marketplaces. More recent findings suggest that the illegal market for wildlife has moved to social media and, to a less…