Read on Twitter
1/6 Amidst the #COVID19 pandemic, the role of #WildlifeTrade in spreading #diseases has come to the spotlight, and with that, several calls for #EndWildlifeTrade. But how have sellers and buyers responded to it? See our paper just published in @ELSenviron. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935120313360
2/6 We analysed the content of ~ 20,000 posts on Facebook groups devoted to wild pet trade in #Asia and #SouthAmerica to assess when and how the #Covid_19 pandemic was incorporated into the discourse within trade communities.
3/6 Only 0.04% of advertisements mentioned COVID-19. The breakpoint analyses pointed out #WHO declaring COVID-19 a pandemic as a decisive event for boosting posts with Covid-related contents. There was no sign of a decrease in trade due to the #pandemic.
4/6 Instead of discouraging it, several posts stimulated the trade in wild species during the #coronavirus #pandemic, offering special discounts, setting new forms of delivery, and even suggesting that wild animals can be good companionship during #lockdown or #Quarantine.
5/6 #COVID19 potentially offers persuasive arguments for reducing #wildlifetrade and #IWT, but its effect was yet not shown by on-the-ground actors. Regulations, #LawEnforcement and #awareness strategies are needed to prevent extinctions and reduce risk of further pandemics.
6/6 
Paper published by @TMorcatty, @FeddemaKim, @QueenFireface and @littlefireface, from @oxford_brookes and @uwanews. I thank the support of @TheWCS, @wildnetorg and @BFWGraduates #FundsForWomenGraduates.
@brookes_socsci @BrookesResearch @ResearchHSS
Paper published by @TMorcatty, @FeddemaKim, @QueenFireface and @littlefireface, from @oxford_brookes and @uwanews. I thank the support of @TheWCS, @wildnetorg and @BFWGraduates #FundsForWomenGraduates. @brookes_socsci @BrookesResearch @ResearchHSS
