Animal trafficking
It Took Us Less Than 24 Hours to Order an Endangered Tiger on Facebook
Bears, pangolins, leopard cats: It’s shockingly easy to buy some of the most endangered species globally on the world's largest social media platform.
Komodo Island Is Closing Because People Keep Stealing its Dragons
Tourists will be banned from visiting the Indonesian island as of January 2020.
What Happens When an Endangered Species Goes Viral
Cute YouTube videos are driving an animal trafficking bonanza in countries like Indonesia.
Indonesia's Love of Songbirds is Driving Species to the Brink of Extinction
The legal captive breeding industry can't keep up with demand, so animal traffickers are filling the gap.
Why Do People Keep Trying to Smuggle Puppies Into Singapore?
Dogs are a big-ticket purchase in the congested city-state, where more than 80 percent of the population lives in HBD flats.
The Illegal Big Cats of Instagram
VICE investigates the Middle East's flourishing trade in animal trafficking and how it impacts the depleting wildcat populations of Central and East Africa.
Malaysia Seizes Largest Haul Of Illegal Pangolin Scales in Trafficking Bust
The scales were worth an estimated US$2 million on the black market.
How the Inspiration for a Pokémon Became the Most Trafficked Mammal on Earth
The host of the most recent episode of Black Market: Dispatches dives deeper into the illicit pangolin trade.
It’s Basically Legal for Mexican Narcos to Buy Lions, Cheetahs, and Other Exotic Pets
Many exotic animals can be obtained legally in Mexico, a system condemned by critics as “inhumane.” And these pets have become status symbols for drug-traffickers looking to flaunt their wealth and power.
Big Cats of the Gulf
VICE travels to Kuwait to meet the big cat stars of Instagram and learn about the dangers of animal trafficking—for both the pets and their owners.
The Death of a Romanian Kangaroo
”More and more kangaroos show up in Romania, like we’re turning into Australia,” an animal rights activist said. “Last year, I personally followed a driver who was transporting a kangaroo. Two other kangaroos were attacked and eaten by stray dogs.”