Examining Instagram’s role in the illegal trade of the Caucasian squirrel

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

Illegal wildlife trade is a major threat to biodiversity. In recent years, online platforms, particularly Instagram, have facilitated the widespread marketing of wild animals, enabling the trade. In this study, we analyzed Instagram posts to examine the illegal online trade of Caucasian squirrels ( Sciurus anomalus ) in Iran from August 2021 to January 2023. We found a total of 1,204 advertisements offering 1,494 individual squirrels, with the majority being juveniles. Only 25 posts listed prices, averaging USD 11.51. Most posts lacked geographic location. However, posts with a location tag were predominantly from the capital of Iran (Tehran). We employed a reflexive thematic analysis of advertisement captions and images that revealed four themes used by sellers: (1) emphasis on tameness, (2) persuasive communication to stimulate purchase, (3) legitimizing trade through captive breeding claims, and (4) controlled access. About half of the squirrels (n = 550) were shown in hand-held poses, and over a third were outside cages. The visual strategies used in the postings aimed to promote acceptance of close human-animal interaction and to emphasize the suitability of squirrels as pets. Temporally, postings were unevenly distributed throughout the year, with the highest numbers in April and August and the lowest in the winter months. Although seasonal differences were not statistically significant, the large effect size (η 2 = 0.41) could suggest meaningful seasonal patterns in advertising dynamics. Based on these results, targeted monitoring and policy interventions on social media are needed to address the illegal wildlife trade, especially for squirrels, whose trade may contribute to the introduction of invasive species and increase the risk of zoonotic diseases.