Quantifying an online wildlife trade using a web crawler

Abstract Legally protected plants are illegally traded through online sales platforms and orchids a significant component of this wildlife trade. This study focused on salep, compound product made from wild collected orchid tubers several genera—including Anacamptis, Dactylorhiza, Himantoglossum, Ophrys, Orchis, Serapias— whose harvest endangers some the species used, despite their collection sale being restricted by national international legislation. Using custom designed web crawler in combination with DNA barcoding subset products over 18 months 1942 items salep were detected as sold at total value US$ 37,775, estimated to be equivalent 90,000 180,000 destructively harvested. Wild harvested $0.21 cultivated have market price $16–28; cultivation is currently no viable alternative harvesting. open trade sites contributes knowledge illegal trade, which can used address plant level.