The illegal wildlife trade is a major driver behind the global loss of wildlife and is pushing many species towards extinction. A large number of wild cat species are heavily traded: live animals a...

Overexploitation of resources represents a major factor in biodiversity loss. The illegal capture and trade of wildlife species pose a serious threat to them. Algeria is a party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) since 1982, thereby joining the dynamics of wild fauna and flora protection. The list of wildlife species was last updated by Executive Decree No. 12-235 of 24 May 2012. In Algeria, songbirds are greatly appreciated as pet animals by pet enthusiasts. Unfortunately, habitat loss as a result of repeated forest fires in the Mediterranean region and the illegal capture of these birds cause severe damage to wild populations. The European goldfinch is the preferred species of bird enthusiasts because of its beautiful colours and its very particular singing abilities. Other species like the European serin (Serinus serinus) are, however, used for breeding with the European goldfinch and thus the creation of hybrids. For the purposes of assessing both the impact on populations and the economic impact of the illegal capture and trade of wild birds, a survey has been conducted on the bird market held, on a weekly basis, in the city of Guelma. According to the results, between 3000 and 12,000 European goldfinches are caught every year and around 1200 are sold solely on this market. As far as the European serin is concerned, the capture is estimated at over 1000 birds. The economic impact of this activity only for the sale of recently caught animals is estimated at more than USD80,000 per year.

The global wildlife trade is considered one of the main threats to the conservation of a large number of imperilled species. African Grey parrots are one of the most heavily traded groups of birds,... Le commerce d’animaux et de plantes sauvages constitue une menace importante pour la conservation de nombreuses espèces. Les perroquets gris africains, sont parmi le groupe d’oiseaux les plus menac...

The surge in internet accessibility has transformed wildlife trade by facilitating the acquisition of wildlife through online platforms. This scenario presents unique ethical challenges for researchers, as traditional ethical frameworks for in‐person research cannot be readily applied to the online realm. Currently, there is a lack of clearly defined guidelines for appropriate ethical procedures when conducting online wildlife trade (OWT) research. In response to this, we consulted the scientific literature on ethical considerations in online research and examined existing guidelines established by professional societies and ethical boards. Based on these documents, we present a set of recommendations that can inform the development of ethically responsible OWT research. Key ethical challenges in designing and executing OWT research include the violation of privacy rights, defining subjects and illegality, and the risk of misinterpretation or posing risks to participants when sharing data. Potential solutions include considering participants’ expectations of privacy, defining when participants are authors versus subjects, understanding the legal and cultural context, minimizing data collection, ensuring anonymization, and removing metadata. Best practices also involve being culturally sensitive when analyzing and reporting findings. Adhering to these guidelines can help mitigate potential pitfalls and provides valuable insights to editors, researchers, and ethical review boards, enabling them to conduct scientifically rigorous and ethically responsible OWT research to advance this growing field.