Dark Web Animals

Wild animal trading is rampant on the publically visible Internet (or "open web") but also lurks in concealed parts of the net called the The hidden wiki link dark web. This hidden trade puts invasive species and endangered animals at risk, and jeopardizes human health, biosecurity and biodiversity worldwide.

The team, led by University of Adelaide researchers Oliver Stringham and Phill Cassey, scoured 50 dark web marketplaces and found 153 species being sold. Most of these were plants and fungi, but some animals also made the list.
Dogs

The dark web, a hidden corner of the internet that requires special software to access, is home to a lot of illegal activities, including the trade in exotic animals. A new study has revealed that these animals are often sold for recreational drug use, rather than as pets. The team analyzed over 2 million ads on the dark web over five years and found that 90% of those advertisements were for plants or animals with psychoactive properties. This included species like the Sonoran desert toad, which releases toxins from glands that can be ingested to create a psychedelic experience.

The researchers, from the University of Adelaide, used e-commerce marketplaces, private forums and messaging apps to see what animals were being offered on these sites. They found 153 different species being traded, with most being plants and fungi. But some species, such as the Colorado River toad, are sought after for their hallucinogenic properties, and others, such as the Mimosa tenuiflora tree whose roots contain dimethyltryptamine (DMT), are used as medicinal products.

While the research team did find a few examples of more traditionally desired animals, such as cats and "Big Fish," many of these creatures were being sold to be used for recreational drug use. The sellers on these websites appeared to care little about the welfare of their customers, showing no regard for their animal's quality of life or whether it would survive in captivity. The Black Fish, for example, was in a tiny tank that made it difficult for him to swim or get oxygen. The Bed Worm looked extremely sick, attempting to bite its owner and seemingly out of breath while breathing.
Cats

A huge amount of wildlife is traded online, with e-commerce marketplaces, private forums and messaging apps the most popular ways to sell animals, plants and fungi. But there's also the dark web, a hidden section of the internet that is home to the illicit drugs, materials and pornography trade. A team from the University of Adelaide scoured 50 dark web marketplaces to find 153 different species being sold. The researchers published their findings in the journal People and Nature.

While the dark web is infamous for its shady dealings, the study found that sellers weren't trying to flog endangered species to make profit. Instead, most of the advertised species were being sold for their drug properties. Plants and fungi accounted for 90% of the items on sale, with species like the Sonoran desert toad (which secretes toxins in its skin that can cause hallucinogenic effects) being particularly sought after.

The research was aided by software developed by Canadian professor David Decary-Hetu that can peer into the buried recesses of the dark web to scrape data, without the need for complicated configurations or processes. The team scanned about 2 million ads over five years, and found that around 3,500 were for wildlife. Of those, about 90 per cent were intended for recreational drug use.

While e-commerce sites and social media have been the most common places where exotic animal traders sell their products, the dark web seems to be gaining popularity among those seeking to avoid detection by law enforcement. And that's a worrying trend for animal conservationists, as it means there are even more places where unsustainable poaching is likely taking place. It's hoped that more pressure can be brought to bear at the CITES meetings to improve efforts to track internet-based trafficking of rare and wild species.
Big Fish

Big Fish is a book and musical that combines myth and legend, imagination and reality. The central character Edward Bloom recounts his life as a series of tall and improbable tales as he travels across the southern states of America in the latter half of the 20th century.

A website called darkpets sells a variety of animals that are not found in nature including cats, dogs and Big Fish. Their website doesn’t seem very truthful, for example describing the Grey Love Dog as a real dog and lying about where the Bed Worm enters the human body (it bites the skin). The pets they sell also don’t seem to be very well cared for as the Black Fish is kept in a small box and the Goliath Spider attempts to bite Chester every time it sees him.
Bed Worm

Bed worms, also known as mattress worms, are parasitic worms that can cause itching in the skin, especially around the genital and anal areas. They can also make it hard to get a good night’s sleep. They are found primarily in homes with poor sanitation and are most often caused by unwashed clothes and bedding. They can be difficult to eradicate, but there are several effective methods.

These worms are the larvae of adult carpet beetles and moths. They are attracted to dark and humid places such as basements and dirty kitchens, but they can also find their way into bedrooms through gaps and cracks or by stray crumbs left behind on pillows and blankets. They are often found in college dorms, old houses, and apartment buildings where people don’t keep their living spaces clean.

Larvae of these pests usually do not harm humans, but they can wreak havoc on natural fibers like carpets, fabrics, books, and clothing in homes and museums. Clothes moth larvae, in particular, are attracted to bed sheets and clothing. They can wreak more serious damage to fabrics if they are not washed frequently and thoroughly.

To get rid of bed worms, wash all your fabric-based bedding and clothing in hot water. You should then dry them with high heat to kill any remaining worms and eggs. You can also try exposing your bedding and clothes to the sun to kill the worms, eggs, and feces. Using a vacuum cleaner with a powerful suction is another efficient method of getting rid of these creatures. Alternatively, you can pack any infested clothes and bedding into vacuum-sealed plastic bags and place them in the freezer for 30 days to eliminate them.
Goliath Spider

The Goliath Bird Eating Tarantula (Theraphosa blondi) earned its name because of its large size and fierce appearance. It's actually not as dangerous as it looks, though it does bite when threatened. Its venom contains neurotoxins that act as a form of paralysis. The tarantula uses its inch-long fangs to kill prey and to break down the soft tissue so it can liquefy the insides and suck them dry.

In the wild, Goliaths hunt a variety of animals that are smaller than them, including invertebrates like earthworms, insects and mice as well as reptiles and frogs. They don't make webs to trap their prey but rather lay in wait and ambush them. They're most active at night and spend their day burrowing in the rainforest floor.

These solitary spiders have poor eyesight but use their modified leg hairs to sense vibration, which can warn them of danger. If they're threatened, Goliaths can release harpoon-shaped hairs from their abdomens, called urticating bristles, tipped with sharp stinging barbs. If a predator gets too close, the tarantula can rear up on its hind legs and display its large fangs as an additional defense mechanism.

A goliath tarantula requires a larger enclosure than most tarantulas in captivity. Give yours a terrarium that's 20 to 30 gallons or more and keep it in a dark, cool area with a high humidity level of about 80%. A water dish and reduced ventilation are necessary as is a substrate such as peat moss or mulch that's damp to the touch but not soaked.

Goliaths need a varied diet in captivity with gut-loaded live food like mealworms, dubia roaches and crickets. Young tarantulas need more frequent feedings to support their growth. Goliaths are among the least friendly tarantulas and should only be handled by experienced owners or those who know how to handle large arachnids safely.