Codewords drive Web poaching ads

Fresh carcass of an elephant killed for its ivory at the Mugie Ranch in Laikipia, northern Kenya, on February 3, 2017. PHOTO FILE | NATION

Law enforcement agencies are now tracking codewords — used by ivory sellers in Europe to advertise items for online sales — to aid the fight against illegal wildlife trade.

According to a study by the University of Kent in the UK, the Internet has become the focus of concern in controlling the illegal wildlife trade, with sales occurring over a variety of platforms including auction websites and social media.