A quick study by the International Fund for Animal Welfare has found some 33,000 'protected' living animals (such as tiger cubs and poison arrow frogs) and prescribed products from such beasts (such as ivory and an entire rhinoceros horn) offered for sale online (lhttp://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/nov/25/wildlife-crime-study-sale-onlinee-online). This little illegal hoard was valued at least £7m. This easily accessible activity seems likely to be the tip of a very big iceberg. One can only hope that ways will be found to discourage this form of e-commerce. Victorians at least had the excuse that most thought their natural history collections were obtained from an infinitely bounteous Earth whereas today few operate under such delusions.
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