The Wildlife of Crime

There is more to online auctions than used T-Mobile Sidekicks, Star Wars figurines, 70's American Muscle cars, and eBay CEO Meg Whitman's senior high school yearbook. You'll have to search a little deeper on the black & blue market but there are live gorillas, giraffes, tamarin monkeys, tiger cubs, and even a rhino footstool (classy!) for the taking if you're the high bidder. The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) is trying to track down and halt all illegal activity, in some cases involving endangered species. An organization representative cautiously remarks:

"Each one of us also has a responsibility to stop buying and selling wild animals and wildlife products. Trade in wildlife is driven by consumer demand, so when the buying stops the killing will too. Our message to online shoppers is simple - buying wildlife online is as damaging as killing it yourself."

Also, buyer beware: you're gonna need more than pee pads and plastic baggies for those gorillas.
Revealed: the illegal online animal trade [Independent, UK]