PRESS RELEASE: April 2, 2026 - META Continues to Host Wildlife and Exotic Pet Traffickers & Exploiters

Growing Coalition Repeats Request for Meta to Take Immediate Action to Protect Animals

(Nairobi)  A growing coalition is amassing evidence from each corner of the globe showing that traffickers in wild animals and exotic pets, as well as poachers, are using Meta’s social media platforms to make money from their sales and abusive use of animals. 

Freeland, ENV-Vietnam, International Wildlife Trust, PEGAS, Liberia Chimpanzee Rescue and Protection are leading the coalition, and are compiling a large data set that shows active profiles on Facebook and Instagram in which endangered species, live and dead, are being sold and used to draw attention.  Many of the same profile owners are using messenger and WhatsApp to orchestrate criminal deals. 

“We ask Meta to look at our evidence and to simply scroll their own platforms where they will easily find a large amount of criminality and abuse,” said Steven Galster, Founder of Freeland, a counter-trafficking NGO with teams in Asia, Africa and Latin America.  

Kenya-based Dan Stiles of PEGAS, who has investigated the online trade for years said:  “Meta not only is the biggest host of online social media traffickers, it facilitates the trafficking and promotes networking of the traffickers."

Liberia-based Jenny Desmond, Founder of the Liberia  Chimpanzee Rescue and Protection  added:  

"In working to combat wildlife crime across platforms, social media has been immensely challenging. These platforms serve as an easy, inexpensive, and far-reaching channel for wildlife criminals. Yet, currently, companies like Meta are doing little to nothing to stop them. We are optimistic that Meta can make vast progress in fighting wildlife crime on their platforms by making it a priority and partnering with organizations experienced in combatting criminal networks. It is imminent we stop the rampant online exploitation of the world's wildlife."

To learn more about this campaign, or to join it, contact: [email protected] 

Freeland: Traffickers target people, plants and animals across our planet, ruining lives and ecosystems for billions of dollars in criminal profits every year. Freeland's team of law enforcement and technical experts find and stop traffickers, while helping governments, companies and the public develop recovery and prevention programs. We form, train and network task forces. We engage civil society and raise awareness. For more information: www.freeland.org 

ENV-Vietnam: Education for Nature – Vietnam (ENV) was established in 2000 as Vietnam’s first not-for-profit organization focused on wildlife conservation. ENV has spearheaded efforts to end Vietnam’s illegal wildlife trade by employing out-of-the-box strategies that strengthen wildlife protection legislation and its application, provide support to law enforcement in addressing wildlife crime, and engage the public to reduce consumer demand and mobilize public action to protect wildlife. ENV is committed to securing a better future for wildlife, both in Vietnam and globally.

International Wildlife Trust (IWT): IWT is committed to combatting both the causes and effects of illegal wildlife trafficking by focusing on transnational organized crime groups who have escaped the consequences of their criminal activities to date. IWT tackles the complex nature of trans-border crime and international investigations—complexity that all too often benefits organized crime and their global enterprises.

Project to End Great Ape Slavery (PEGAS): Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary secured a three-year grant (May 2014-May 2017) from the Arcus Foundation to initiate the PEGAS. PEGAS aims to understand and document the illegal trade in great apes, map trade routes and identify individuals involved as well as use information emanating from the project to create a platform to lobby for enhanced law enforcement. Where opportunities exist to repatriate illegally exported chimpanzees to Africa, PEGAS will work with Ol Pejeta Conservancy and Pan African Sanctuary Alliance (PASA) to achieve this.

Liberia Chimpanzee Rescue and Protection (LCRP): LCRP is the first and only combined chimpanzee sanctuary, protection, and conservation organization in Liberia rescuing chimpanzees who are victims of illegal bushmeat and live pet trades. Through the work of LCRP, orphaned chimpanzees are confiscated, rescued and rehabilitated. Our collaborative partnerships are propelling Liberia’s chimpanzee protection, education, and conservation initiatives forward.