Korean Website Displays Adverts for Rhino Horn, Pangolin Scales [UPDATED]

In yet another example of the flourishing online illegal wildlife trade, more than a dozen advertisements for rhino horns and one for pangolin scales are currently displayed on EC21.com, an eCommerce company based in Korea.

As in the recent incident involving eChinacities.com, tweets have been sent to EC21.com in an effort to publicly alert the company to this illegal activity. I sent a polite email on July 15 to the contact addresses listed on the website, two Facebook messages (July 15 and July 19) and a post on the EC21.com Facebook page.

According to EC21.com’s Product Listing Policy, “Wildlife and related animal products (e.g. pelts, skins, internal organs, teeth, claws, shells, bones, tusks, ivory and other parts)” are prohibited.

Of the 14 rhino horn “suppliers”, four claim to be based in Cameroon, three in South Africa, two in India, and one each in the United States, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Canada (also advertising pangolin scales), and Malaysia.

Regarding the pangolin scales advertisement — the “supplier” is using a stolen photograph, perhaps downloaded from our May 2013 article(!).

We urge EC21.com to take responsibility for the advertising content of its members and remove the listings for rhino horn and pangolin scales from its website immediately.

Rhishja Cota

I am the founder of Annamiticus and I have been researching and writing about wildlife trafficking issues since 2009. I also founded World Pangolin Day in 2012. I am the author of USAID Wildlife Asia's Pangolin Species Identification Guide: A Rapid Assessment Tool for Field and Desk. I co-facilitated and was a presenter at the USAID Wildlife Asia Pangolin Care Workshop. At the 4th Regional Dialogue on Combating Trafficking of Wild Fauna and Flora, I facilitated the species roundtables on pangolins. I have trekked with forest rangers in Cambodia, journeyed to the streets of Hanoi to research the illegal wildlife trade, and to the rainforests of Sumatra and Java to document the world’s rarest rhinos. At CITES meetings, I collaborate with colleagues from around the world to lobby in favor of protecting endangered species. I hosted the Behind the Schemes podcast and am the author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine. I enjoy music, desert gardening, herping, reading, creating, and walking with my dogs. Check out my t-shirts and stickers at snoots + teefers.