The main objective of this study was to gain a better understanding of the trade of exotic birds in Algeria through social media platforms. Several studies worldwide (Scheffers et al., 2019; Senior et al., 2022) in the Middle East (Abi said et al.,2018; Eid et al., 2011; Sardari et al. 2022) and in North Africa (Bergin et al. 2019, Razkallah et al. 2019, Atoussi et al. 2020, 2022) have demonstrated that birds are the most traded group of animals, which has pushed several species to the brink of extinction. Our findings correspond with the outcomes of various international studies, emphasizing the role of social media in the global wildlife trade (Martin et al. 2018, Nijman et al. 2019, Nijman 2020, Siriwat & Nijman 2022). The substantial number and the diversity of parrot species displayed for sale during the research period underscores Algeria's position as a significant market for parrot pets, amplifying concerns highlighted by Hughes et al. (2023) about potential impacts on global biodiversity.
Nearly 88% of all parrots species are traded worldwide (Calzada & Pruett-Jones. 2021), our results indicates that 10% of the traded species were observed for sale online in Algeria. The identified species were a mix of those listed under different conservation categories according to IUCN, with some being labeled as threatened or endangered. Furthermore, a significant proportion of the traded species were listed under CITES Appendix I or II, highlighting the potential legal and conservation concerns associated with their trade.
The fact that a considerable number of species listed under CITES Appendix I and II, are being openly traded on social media platforms indicates gaps in regulation and enforcement. According to the extracted data from the CITES trade database on 28/08/2023, Algeria imported 331 specimens belonging to 12 species from 2000 to 2021 with no update of the database since 2018, and nearly all the parrot imports into Algeria were reported to CITES by exporter countries. The significant differences between observational data and data reported by the international regulatory body, CITES, indicate a gap between official policies and daily work activities that need to be addressed to align with the international commitment made by the country, and thus, contribute to reducing the observational biases in international wildlife trade (Robinson, & Sinovas. 2018; Hughes et al. 2021; Runhovde, S. R. 2022).
On the other hand the more expensive parrots are traded less which is in line with the findidngs of Yin et al. 2020. An exception is made for the African grey parrot which is the most appreciated species among parrots pets keeper in Algeria and which is listed under CITES appendix I, meaning the this trade is illegal. A previous study by Atoussi et al. in 2020, indicates that nearly half of traders are not aware of the conservation statue of the species and that the trade is illegal, the situation seems to be unchanged highlighting the need of raising awareness compaigns, and the update of the legislative body regarding wildlife conservation.
The findings presented in this study reveal that nonprofessional sellers predominantly generate the advertisements for pet parrot. In accordance with the stipulation that sellers with more than two postings for parrot sales could be indicative of professional involvement, a premise considered reasonable. Our analysis demonstrates that this subset constitutes approximately 10% of the total number of sellers. However, upon quantifying the quantity of parrot specimens listed for sale within this subset, it becomes evident that they have collectively posted 4,191 specimens, which corresponds to nearly 60% of the aggregate count. These listings encompass a diversity of 23 distinct species out of the 29 documented throughout the study period. This aligns with the conclusions of Bielby et al. (2023), who stated that the online trade of turtles and tortoises in the UK is predominantly propelled by amateur sellers. However, our study's outcomes diverge from the aforementioned research, as our results indicate that the trade is primarily steered by lucrative large-scale sales, rather than being associated with animal release.
The annual turnover calculated, based on the average prices of the traded species emphasizes the economic importance of this wildlife trade within Algeria. This financial aspect often remains undetected and could potentially be associated with other illicit activities such as corruption, drugs and counterfeit goods trafficking (Anagnostou & Doberstein 2022; Atoussi et al 2022).
Spatial and temporal patterns
The geographic distribution of online posts for parrot sales originates from 33 Algerian cities, surpassing the previous count of 10 cities as noted by Atoussi et al. (2020) in their study on the sale of African Grey Parrots. The prevalence of Algiers and other major urban centers in terms of social media utilization for parrot sales might be attributed to high urbanization rates, population density, and consumption patterns. Moreover, it becomes evident from this data and personal observations in the field that Algiers serves as a significant distribution hub for these animals.
Conservation implications
Policy and conservation measures
Limitations and future direction
The data collected during this study is only partial and represents only a portion of the parrot trade in Algeria. Therefore, monitoring other online selling platforms as well as active physical markets is essential to gain a more comprehensive understanding of this phenomenon. Furthermore, an assessment of other risks associated with the trade in wildlife in Algeria remains unknown, and to date, no study addressing the risk of introducing invasive species or the risk of zoonoses associated with these activities has been conducted in this region.