Focus on Africa: Sudan landslide: Race to find survivors

Summary

Africa Daily: Focus on Africa — Sudan Landslide: Race to Find Survivors

Date: September 3, 2025
Host: Audrey Brown, BBC World Service

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Main Theme

This episode centers on three pressing stories across Africa:

• The catastrophic mudslide in Sudan’s Darfur region and the immense challenges of rescue in a war-torn, isolated area.
• Rising disappearances, abductions, and torture in Tanzania ahead of national elections, with a focus on the chilling reports from activists and families.
• The alarming use of TikTok and other social media platforms for the illegal trade and sale of bushmeat, including endangered species, with a case study from Togo.

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1. Sudan Landslide: Catastrophe Amid Conflict

Overview

A devastating mudslide in the village of Tarsin, Mara Mountains, Darfur, kills or traps an estimated 1,000 people. The region, already crippled by ongoing conflict between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), is difficult to access, hampering rescue and aid efforts.

Key Points

• Geography and Impact: The area is described as a deep, cave-riddled Rift Valley, inaccessible by normal road vehicles, further isolated by torrential rains and mudslides.

  “That area is like caves and a very deep valley, like a Rift Valley…the disaster happened. Till now, people confirmed there in the ground.” — Abdel Wahid Mohammed Al Nur, Leader, Sudan Liberation Movement [02:32]

• Casualties and Response: Over 1,000 suspected dead, with “at least they are under the ground, under the mud.” Local rebel authorities acknowledge helplessness due to lack of equipment.

  “We feel helpless because we don’t have any kind of equipment to rescue them.” — Abdel Wahid Mohammed Al Nur [02:32]

• Humanitarian Response: International actors like the UN and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) are mobilizing, but face extraordinary logistical hurdles.

  “This is really a devastating natural disaster in the middle of a war...the ones who survived have been without assistance now for at least more than 24 hours, if not two days.” — Mathilde Vu, NRC Advocacy Manager [03:35]

• Complex Crisis: The disaster hits a region already overwhelmed by mass displacement, cholera, and starvation, with “an open air camp that…is receiving 200,000 people” and the “largest cholera outbreak in Sudan history.”

  “We’re barely saving lives, we’re delaying death because we just simply don’t have the resources.” — Mathilde Vu [06:11]

Rescue & Political Challenges

• Local authorities and humanitarian organizations call for a dramatic increase in international aid and for the warring parties to guarantee safe access for relief efforts.

  “We need the international community to step up…we also need the political attention from the world leaders.” — Mathilde Vu [07:13]

• Official statements of cooperation are met with skepticism:

  “What I’m most interested about is whether or not assistance gets to those people...not so much statements.” — Mathilde Vu [08:33]

Ongoing Threats

• The approaching rainy season means more disasters are likely, with aid groups unable to prepare due to war and funding cuts.

  “Every year there is heartbreaking flooding happening…Hundred thousands of people displaced…And we’re just not able to prevent that.” — Mathilde Vu [09:39]

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2. Tanzania: Disappearances, Repression, and Election Fears

Overview

A new report highlights a surge in abductions and human rights abuses in Tanzania, raising serious concerns as elections draw near. Families and activists recount disturbing cases, and the government is accused of slow investigative action.

Key Points

• Personal Stories:
  • The Chawla family’s search for their son Shadrach, disappeared after posting a viral anti-government TikTok video.

    “We have made every effort to find him. We are exhausted.” — Fundikila Wazambi reading Mr. Chawla's account [12:24]

  • Edgar Mwakabela recounts torture and a near-fatal attack after participating in a business strike.

    “I begged them to help me because I couldn’t walk. Instead they started beating me again…then I heard…‘Shoot him.’ That’s when I was shot in the head.” — Edgar Mwakabela [13:20]

• Documenting Abuse:
  • The Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC) reports a peak in abductions in 2022, with 31 incidents (33 in 2024); most are believed to be politically motivated or related to activism on social media.

    “Our records show that they actually peaked in 2022…some of which are believed to be politically motivated.” — Fundikila Wazambi [14:12]

• Government Response:
  • Officials deny involvement, promising ongoing investigations but providing little assurance.

    “They continue to tell us is that they continue to investigate…they also deny that government officials or law enforcement officers are involved.” — Fundikila Wazambi [17:37]

• Social Media & Expression:
  • Social media is highlighted as an enabling platform for activism and, at times, a reason for targeting dissidents.

    “It appears social media is also an issue, but others…it just appears to be more or less political. But everything seems to be coming back to freedom of expression.” — Fundikila Wazambi [15:48]

• Election Climate:
  • With the opposition party boycotting, fewer incidents are expected—but widespread fear and apathy persist.

    “There’s still a general feeling among the public that people’s opinions are not really seriously taken into consideration…we also worry that…voter turnout might not be big this year.” — Fundikila Wazambi [19:11]

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3. Togo: TikTok and the Illegal Bushmeat Trade

Overview

A new study exposes the rapid expansion of illegal wildlife trade on TikTok in Togo, where traders openly advertise bushmeat—including endangered species like pangolins—to a broad audience.

Key Points

• Cultural and Economic Context:
  • Bushmeat, or “wild meat,” is rooted in local diets but poses conservation risks due to rising demand, population growth, and ease of access.

    “Wild meat is…the meat from non-domesticated wildlife…reflecting that consumption is not only driven by necessity…but also cultural preferences, taste and financial incentives.” — Delagnon Asou [21:40]

• Social Media Shift:
  • TikTok has become a marketplace, bypassing traditional enforcement and reaching far wider audiences than physical markets.

    “TikTok is no longer just for entertainment. It functions now like a marketplace where people can sell and buy stuffs…open advertising of world meat on TikTok in Lome.” — Delagnon Asou [23:15]

• Scale and Impact:
  • Study documented over 3,500 animal carcasses and 27 species across 80 TikTok videos in 17 months, including more than 130 endangered pangolins.

    “Orders of magnitude beyond typical food traffic in a single market, indicating the potential for increased demand and sell far beyond traditional roadside markets.” — Delagnon Asou [23:49]

• Legal Loopholes & Enforcement Challenges:
  • Many buyers/sellers are oblivious to legal and conservation issues, and platform policing is insufficient; illegal content often resurfaces on new accounts.

    “Given the extensive resources and technological expertise, TikTok and other social media platforms should move beyond merely moderating content.” — Delagnon Asou [26:41]

• Government and Platform Actions:
  • Partial legal protections exist but are inconsistently enforced. In response, TikTok claims to remove 95% of contraband wildlife content before user reporting.

    “Our community guidelines are clear. TikTok does not allow the trade of endangered species and we have removed any content from the report which violated these rules.” — Mathilde Vu reading TikTok statement [29:23]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “We’re barely saving lives, we’re delaying death…” — Mathilde Vu on overwhelming humanitarian crisis in Darfur [06:11]
• “If we knew where he is or where he is being held, or even if we knew he had died and been buried somewhere, at least we’d have a grave to visit and mourn properly.” — Mr. Chawla (read by Fundikila Wazambi) [12:24]
• “Bushmeat…part of our culture in West and Central Africa…but on those days…the pressure on animals was not that high…nowadays there is a lot of demand.” — Delagnon Asou [22:23]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:05] Introduction & overview with Audrey Brown
• [02:32] Abdel Wahid Mohammed Al Nur describes landslide impact in Darfur
• [03:35] Mathilde Vu details rescue challenges and dire conditions
• [12:24] Fundikila Wazambi shares the Chawla family’s story, Tanzanian abuses
• [14:12] Legal and Human Rights Centre’s report findings
• [21:40] Delagnon Asou explains the bushmeat crisis and TikTok’s role
• [23:49] Study findings: scale, species, and new dynamics of illegal trade
• [26:41] Recommendations for social media and policy action
• [29:23] TikTok’s official response to the BBC

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Conclusion

This episode paints a sobering picture of humanitarian emergencies, human rights abuses, and environmental crises across Africa, highlighting the interconnectedness of conflict, governance, technology, and survival. Each segment, handled with urgency and empathy by Audrey Brown, exposes both local realities and the global implications of ongoing neglect, repression, and unchecked digital enterprise.

Useful for listeners seeking:

• Field-level, first-hand insight into the Sudan disaster
• Human rights and political climate analysis in Tanzania
• A detailed look at the intersection of social media, culture, and conservation in Togo

(The full episode skips promos and focuses on thorough, ground-level journalism with compelling voices and urgent calls to action.)

Transcript

[Fundikila Wazambi]

Foreign.

[Audrey Brown]

Audrey Brown. And today in focus on Africa from Sudan, desperate appeals for help from a remote area caught between the war and a devastating natural disaster.

[Abdel Wahid Mohammed Al Nur]

That area is like caves and a very deep valley, like a Rift Valley. And that valley, most of it, is Ramad. And they estimate above 1,000 people are dead, or at least they're under the ground, under the mud.

[Audrey Brown]

A new report reveals an increase in disappearances, kidnappings and torture in Tanzania. We'll be hearing who may be responsible for this and why. Tanzanians were expecting more from President Samia Suluhu Hassan's government and how people are using digital platforms to sell meat from endangered animals in Togo.

[Delagnon Asou]

TikTok is no longer just for entertainment. It functions now like a marketplace where people can sell and buy stuffs. We documented open advertising of World meet on TikTok in lome.

[Audrey Brown]

It's Wednesday, the 3rd of September 1st we go to Sudan. The sound you're hearing is the sound of heavy rains falling all over Sudan. So much rain has fallen. It dislodged huge quantities of earth and unleashed a mudslide that destroyed Tarsin, a village in the Mara Mountains of the Darfur region in the west. Political leaders there say up to a thousand people, maybe more, lay dead under the mud. The region is remote and it has suffered war and conflict for much of this century. The Sudan Liberation Movement is a Darfur based rebel group formed in 2002 and it has been fighting the central Sudanese government for greater rights, equality and autonomy. That fight is taking place against the backdrop of the more recent war that broke out between the Sudanese armed forces and the rapid support forces. So it's the case of a war within a war. The area is also remote and difficult to reach. Imagine the complications of trying to get help to those who need it. The leader of the Sudan Liberation Movement in Darfur is Abdel Wahid Mohammed Al Nur. This is his description of what is happening.

[Abdel Wahid Mohammed Al Nur]

That area is like caves and a very deep valley, like a Rift Valley. And that valley, most of it is Ramad because it's a volcano area. On Sunday night, because there was very much rain then the disaster happened. Till now, people confirmed there in the ground. We have a civil authority there and they estimate above 1,000 people are dead or at least they are under the ground, under the mud. At slm, we feel helpless because we don't have any kind of equipment to rescue them.

[Audrey Brown]

The United nations humanitarian coordinator, Luka Renda expressed his condolences and said that the United nations and their humanitarian partners are mobilizing resources to provide support to the affected population. Mathilde Vu is the Norwegian Refugee Council advocacy manager. They too have been trying to help.

[Mathilde Vu]

This is really devastating natural disaster in the middle of a war. Right so far we've really unable to confirm how many people have died, but the different reports that we have is at least up until like 1,000 people, maybe more, maybe less. But what's very important to understand is that this place is extremely difficult to get to. There's actually no network. So that's why also the news even of this landslide comes to us very late, which is very worrying for us, because it means that, you know, the number of survivors is probably thin, but also like, it means that the ones who survived have been without assistance now for at least more than 24 hours, if not two days. The landslide is in a place that is like in the middle of the mountains. It takes at least five hours on donkey or on foot to reach it because the roads are so bad and they flooded and it is like raining so much that a car cannot reach the place properly. So that means that aid is not going to be able to come at the pace that is needed.

[Audrey Brown]

What is happening in the area? It's in Darfur. And we know that Darfur is in the center of the war that's going on in Sudan, but you say it's remote. There's an organization called the Sudan Liberation Movement that has been giving information about this. So who are they and what exactly is happening there?

[Mathilde Vu]

The Jebel Mara are like mountains in the middle of Darfur. They are under the control of an armed opposition group which so far has been sort of like neutral in the war between the RSF and the south. So these mountains have not seen the level of destruction that we've seen in other parts of Darfur. However, they've not been cut from the war either. Actually those mountains over these past two years and have sort of transformed or into an open air shelter for so many people who fled atrocities all around. For example, April, they've been receiving hundreds and thousands of people who fled from Al Fasher, who fled in horrible, horrible circumstances, sometimes raped on the way, sometimes like attacked on the way, et cetera, who found sort of like a refuge in those mountains. And these is a place that is so difficult to get access to that it means that it has very little resources. And so everybody who's there is not only impoverished, but is also sharing the little that they have with hundreds of thousands of IDPs. So extremely, extremely high level of destitution in those mountains. At the moment. Plus they're seeing this landslide and potentially flooding.

[Audrey Brown]

So what are the chances of getting help there? What kind of help, what kind of resources would you need? Because we know that parts of Darfur aid workers are already not able to respond to the needs of people there because of the war. What more now?

[Mathilde Vu]

Absolutely. This is the heartbreaking part, right? I mean, for example, my team are located a day away from the landslide and they're already in Tawila and they already are dealing with an open air camp that has been built over this past two months that is receiving 200,000 people and that is seeing the largest cholera outbreak in Sudan history with hundreds of cases a day and people killed by the virus on top of like people starving and already there. We're barely saving lives, we're delaying death because we just simply don't have the resources to cope with such a level of needs. And so adding to that, you know, the people who are going to suffer from this landslide, I'm sure there will be flooding in Darfur because it happens every year because the rains are so bad. And so the humanitarian response overall is completely overwhelmed by the needs and by the fact that we just simply don't have the resources to attend to them.

[Audrey Brown]

So I know by doing this interview, you're obviously putting out an appeal to the rest of the world to help. What kind of help do you need and how can people help?

[Mathilde Vu]

Of course there needs to be way more assistance, way more funding to Sudan at the moment. Right now we were talking about humanitarian disaster, but the war in Sudan is a man made disaster, right? It's the largest humanitarian crisis in the world that is killing every day. And so far the response is not even half of what is needed at the moment. So of course we need the international community to step up when it comes to giving assistance. But second, we also need the political attention from the world leaders. We need high level diplomacy to engage with the warring parties and to engage with also the countries that support supporting the warring parties to make sure that one civilians are protected, that fighting stops, and that humanitarian assistance that is at least in the country reaches the people in need and as fast as possible, which is at the moment not enough.

[Audrey Brown]

I have read with interest that the Sudan armed forces that basically supports the de facto government expressed its condolences and willingness to assist in this regard. And the Prime Minister of a newly installed RSF controlled rival government, Mohamed Hassan Al Taishi, said he would be coordinating with the SS on the delivery of aid supplies to the areas affected by this Mudslide. It sounds like the right kinds of noises to make. What do you think?

[Mathilde Vu]

To be very open with you, I think what I'm most interested about is whether or not assistance gets to those people right now and not only the people who suffered from the landslide, but the people who are also fleeing atrocities in North Darfur, the people who are starving of hunger in Kadoukli, the people who are dying of cholera all across Darfur, people who are trying to rebuild their lives in Khartoum, while everything has been destroyed. At the moment, what we really need from the warring parties is not so much statement that it is the ability for humanitarian organization, for volunteers on the ground, the civilians themselves, to help to reach the people in need and to do it without risking their lives, which is at the moment what is happening. You have a lot of people on the ground. We're trying to help local responders, especially trying to set communal kitchen, trying to provide shelter, et cetera, and they're being attacked. So this is what we need right now, respect of international humanitarian law and being able to work safely and fastly.

[Audrey Brown]

How are you expecting more disasters like this? It's the rainy season. There are many remote villages in various parts of that side of Sudan.

[Mathilde Vu]

Absolutely, Audrey. I've been working in Sudan for the past four years now. Every year there is heartbreaking flooding happening, destruction of dams, destruction of homes. Hundred thousands of people displaced every year during the rainy season. That is why the international community and the humanitarian organization have been raising the alarm for so long is since January. We know that comes August, the rains are coming. That is why we need to have assistance in the country already positioned to support. And sadly, you know, with the cuts of funding, but also because of the war, we were not able to do that. And so once again, people are going to die of like a natural disaster. And the consequences of a natural disaster, for example, measles outbreak, cholera outbreak, etc. And we're just not able to prevent that. And that is something very difficult. Again, in the backdrop of a major war happening, millions of people displaced and lives being threatened on a daily basis.

[Audrey Brown]

Mathilde Vu, the Norwegian Refugee Council advocacy manager. There will be general elections in Tanzania next month, and there are growing concerns that people are being disappeared, abducted and tortured. Chama Chama Pinduzi, the longest running ruling party in Africa, is expected to win once again. The leader of the CCM and current president Samia Suluhu Hassan, took over when John Pombea Magufuli died in 2021. Independent since 1961, Tanzania under the leadership of the founding father, Julius Nyerere, had the reputation of being more or less democratic under a homegrown system. It was certainly free of the extreme repression that quickly followed independence. In many other African countries, that has changed over time with a sharp drop in tolerance under the late John Magafuli, who earned himself the nickname the Bulldozer for his style of leadership. Now, human rights groups say hundreds of opposition leaders and their supporters have been arrested. The government says it is not responsible for the disappearances, torture and killings of people. Like 57 year old old Yusuf Chawla's son. He's been trying to find out what happened to his 25 year old son Shadrach. He was arrested and convicted and fined for burning a picture of the President on a viral TikTok video. In July 2024, Shadrach was released by the police. But a month later he was abducted outside his shop. Mr. Chawla says he hasn't heard from his son in over a year.

[Fundikila Wazambi]

We have made every effort to find him. We are exhausted. The police are just telling us that they are continuing with the investigation. This is disturbing us. If we knew where he is or where he is being held, or even if we knew he had died and been buried somewhere, at least we'd have a grave to visit and mourn properly.

[Audrey Brown]

Shadrach Chawla is not alone. Artists, opposition politicians and human rights activists have been abducted in recent years. Some are never heard from again. Others are found and when they are found, they tell horrific tales of what had happened to them. Like 28 year old Edgar Mwakabela, who was abducted in Dar es Salaam by men he says were police. He believes he was targeted after participating in a business owner's strike against a government tax.

[Fundikila Wazambi]

I begged them to help me because I couldn't walk. Instead they started beating me again. This time with the flat side of a machete. They beat me and started dragging me. I was pulled all the way into the forest close to a river. After a while, then I heard what sounded like instructions coming from that vehicle down the hill. Shoot him. That's when I was shot in the head.

[Audrey Brown]

The police have insisted that an investigation is in progress in relation to Shadrach Chawla's disappearance. So what is happening in Tanzania? How did it go from a relatively easygoing republic to a place where people are being harassed for trying to express their political views freely? Fundikila Wazambi is from the Legal and Human Rights center in Dar es Salaam. And he told me about the findings of the report his organization had compiled.

[Fundikila Wazambi]

So in May this year, we launched our 2025 edition of Human Rights Report, which included incidents of attacks, abductions and disappearances, which domina. Human rights violations in 2024, among others. And we had actually started documenting these incidents of abductions and disappearances since 2015, but our records show that they actually peaked in 2022, during which we documented 31 incidents, some of which are believed to be politically motivated. And in 2024, we documented 33 incidents.

[Audrey Brown]

One of the people that you spoke about in the reports and that we hear from is Shadrach Chaula. And political opposition as well. From what you're saying, it's not just political. What else? What are the other reasons why people are being disappeared and assaulted and attacked?

[Fundikila Wazambi]

Yeah. From a human rights perspective, it also appears most of these people who have been reported disappearing or being abducted are also critics of some sort of the current administration. Yeah. So it could also be attributed to their activism, especially on social media platforms. That is also an angle that we have considered because it appears most of them have this in common. One way or another, they have been critical.

[Audrey Brown]

And social media, Is it that social media is their main platform or is social media becoming more prominent?

[Fundikila Wazambi]

It is becoming more prominent. But you take the case of Shadrach. Okay. Shadrach was not very popular before his case was introduced, was circulated on social media platforms. But someone like Edgar Mwakabela, he has been very critical on social media platforms. Yeah. And the like. It appears social media is also an issue, but others, it just appears to be more or less political. But everything seems to be coming back to freedom of expression.

[Audrey Brown]

Who is behind their abduction and disappearance? Is it the police? Is it a shadowy force? Do we know?

[Fundikila Wazambi]

Not for certain. From what we have been able to gather, including from the families of some of these victims, some of them indicated that they appeared to be taken by force by individuals who associated with law enforcement. But we are not 100% certain who exactly is behind this. But for us, the state has its human rights obligations and one such obligation is to effectively investigate such cases and ensure perpetrators are brought to justice. But it has been taken forever to hear concrete updates regarding the investigations. But that's really the frustration of the public that regardless who has perpetrated these acts, action needs to be taken. We should be able to have some suspects by now so that people can have hope that they're actually safe and justice can be delivered.

[Audrey Brown]

The government denies allegations that they're involved in any of this. When you put these allegations to them or the findings in your report, what have they said?

[Fundikila Wazambi]

Of course, what they continue to tell us is that they continue to investigate who is behind such abductions and disappearances. But of course, they also deny that government officials or law enforcement officers are involved in any of such acts. Most of the reports that are coming out, including from the media, suggest that people do not really believe that the government does not know who is behind these, or they have failed to conduct investigations and bring the perpetrators to justice.

[Audrey Brown]

Are these incidents increasing as the elections approach? Are people connecting the two so far this year?

[Fundikila Wazambi]

I cannot say the incidents have been increasing. Yeah. We have not documented as many incidents so far as we did last year. Yeah, but as the elections approach, people are naturally concerned. But you should also remember that the main opposition party is not planning on taking part in the election. So that could also be a factor, that they're less likely to be as many incidents, regardless who the perpetrator is or is believed to be. We believe there's less likely to be an increase of such incidents this year.

[Audrey Brown]

But what does that mean for the climate, though, you know, within which these elections are taking part? Does it have the effect of perhaps dampening not just the main opposition, but opposition in general or people expressing openly what they think and feel about the government and its actions?

[Fundikila Wazambi]

There's still a general feeling among the public that people's opinions are not really seriously taken into consideration by those in power, the administrations at different levels, from the top to the village level. So there's still that public discontent. And we also worry that even the voter turnout might not be big this year because of this ongoing movement of no reform, no election by the main opposition party.

[Audrey Brown]

That's Fundikile Wazambi from the Legal and Human Rights Centre in Dar es Salaam. We approached the government and police for a response to the findings in the Legal and Human Rights Centres report. We received no reply. But in a video statement, police spokesperson David Misimeh said the force acts on information about those missing and investigates the circumstances of all those allegations. This is Focus on Africa from the BBC World Service. When you think of TikTok, you probably pictured dance challenges or comedy skits or my favorite booktok. But the video sharing app has gone from being about entertainment to being a marketplace for things like bushmeats, which includes the sale of meat from endangered animals. That's not TikTok's fault, of course, and the organization has said in a statement that it doesn't encourage illegality, but it is still happening, according to a new study reported in the Nature Conservation Journal. The report warned that digital platforms like TikTok bypass traditional enforcement mechanisms, which is fueling a growing global conservation crisis. The study contains the results of the work of researchers who tracked more than 3,500 animals sold in just 17 months, with videos drawing nearly 1.8 million views. But bushmeat is part of the culture in many African countries. What is alarming now is the shift from small scale traditional consumption to large scale commercial trade. And that's where social media platforms are not helping. Delagnon Asou is the lead author of the report and a researcher at the University of Lorme. So what is wild meat or bushmeat?

[Delagnon Asou]

I would say wild meat is also often called like bushmeat. It's a meat from non domesticated wildlife like mammals, reptiles, birds hunted and salted for food. In western Central Africa regions were access to domesticated meat and fish is often limited. Wild meat has served long as an important source of protein, reflecting that consumption is not only driven by necessity now, but also cultural preferences, taste and financial incentives.

[Audrey Brown]

How did people deal with this in the past? Because I imagine that bushmeat from my experience is very popular amongst all kinds of people across the world. So why is it an issue now?

[Delagnon Asou]

Hunting and eating wild meat is part of our culture in western Central Africa. But on those days the population growth was not that much high and the pressure on animals was not that high and there was like some kind of traditional ways to hunting in a sustainable way. But nowadays with the population growth and the easy access to like forest because of logging, accessible tools like guns or motorcycle that people can use and reach for. So there is a lot of pressure on animals now. So I think Bushmeat Mountain nowadays there is a lot of demand and this can have like impact on species long term survival or long term conservation.

[Audrey Brown]

You created a study and you focused on the wild meat trade on TikTok. What made you look into this?

[Delagnon Asou]

TikTok is no longer just for entertainment. It functions now like a marketplace where people can sell and buy stuffs. And if you go through our recent study that we published in the Nature Conservation and the Conservation magazine, we documented open advertising of world meat on TikTok in Lomi, showing how social media can amplify reach beyond local stores and weaken traditional enforcement points.

[Audrey Brown]

So tell us a little bit more about what you found. Who is selling, who is buying?

[Delagnon Asou]

In our study we screened 80 videos posted on two separate open TikTok channels located in Lomi. And in these videos we estimated more than 3,500 smoked wild animal carcasses spanning 27 inferred species, including like more than 130 white bellied pangolins, orders of magnitude beyond typical food traffic in a single market, indicating the potential for increased demand and sell far beyond traditional roadside markets.

[Audrey Brown]

Is wild meat or bushmeat being sold more on TikTok than on roadside markets in the traditional way?

[Delagnon Asou]

When I surveyed the traditional markets in 2022, I realized compared to what I found on TikTok, there are some kind of animals that can easily find online but are not offered on local places because there might be enforcement and the sellers might be arrested.

[Audrey Brown]

So what I was wondering was, do the sellers and the buyers online seem to be aware of the legal and conservation implications of trading certain species of bushmeat?

[Delagnon Asou]

Many don't know, but a few do. From our study we see like this video included comments warning against sharing this kind of content on social media. Four videos included comments referring to the illegality of the trade. Others included comments expressing concern about killing animals and destruction of wildlife. There are also comments that specifically mentioned the protection status of the species. And there is one video including comments about the zoonotic disease risk of the trade.

[Audrey Brown]

I believe that also one of the more alarming findings in your study is that the white bellied pangolin, which is already listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, was on there as well. Is there a very high demand for pangolins? And if that's the case, why in.

[Delagnon Asou]

Western Central Africa, hunting and trade of pangolin in rural areas, urban centers and now online continue because these activities apparently have social legitimacy among local people. A recent study in Nigeria highlighted that pangolin are hunted for their meat rather than the scale which in more than 70% of the cases are discarded. So pangolin are regarded by many as a healthy protein source. Their parts and derivatives are used for various purposes and they provide an income source for sellers.

[Audrey Brown]

So this is happening on TikTok. TikTok says it bans the trade of endangered species on its platform. But based on your research, how effectively are those policies being enforced?

[Delagnon Asou]

Many social media platforms, including TikTok, have policies in place that prohibit the online sale of wildlife and untangered species and are part of initiatives aimed at tackling wildlife crime, such as the Coalition to End Wildlife Trafficking Online. Although these mechanisms have been implemented to curb illegal wildlife trade on social media, these platforms still have a vast, often unregulated marketplace where traders and customers can easily connect, offering a level of confidence that traditional markets lack. But given the extensive resources and technological expertise, TikTok and other social media platforms should move beyond merely moderating content. Especially, we would recommend that they implement automate detection system to identify and remove illegal wildlife trade contents and this platform should collaborate with conservation organizations and other wildlife experts to help verify suspicious posts and launch in app awareness or campaigns to educate users about the impact of wildlife trade while promoting ethical wildlife management mechanisms. If you look at the result of the study, there are still videos on World Meat that are available online. This is the case from lumi.

[Audrey Brown]

You observed 80 videos between November 22 and April 2024. In that time, did any of the videos that you saw disappear? Were they removed or did they remain online?

[Delagnon Asou]

We have done a search in May and we realized that one of the channel was removed. But there is another new channel that is available.

[Audrey Brown]

So is the government doing a good job, do you think of trying to stop the trade in especially endangered creatures like the pangolin?

[Delagnon Asou]

Well, pangolin, for instance, is partially protected by national legislation. In Etogo, the capture and sell is allowed under certain circumstances and in accordance of the wildlife protection and hunting lots that are available. So they are doing their best, but I think there's still to do so. This is something that I think is lacking because when it's about international trade, they are very active.

[Audrey Brown]

Fantastic. Thank you so much. That's been really interesting.

[Delagnon Asou]

Thank you.

[Audrey Brown]

Delanyon Asu from the University of Lome. We asked TikTok about these findings and here is their response, which is which my colleague read out in studio.

[Mathilde Vu]

Our community guidelines are clear. TikTok does not allow the trade of endangered species and we have removed any content from the report which violated these rules. We are a member of the Coalition to End Wildlife Trafficking Online and remove 95% of this type of content before anyone reports it to us.

[Audrey Brown]

Focus on Africa was created from the efforts of Sunita Nahar, Mark Wilberforce, Priya Sippy and Stefania Okereke here in London. Charles Kitonga and Jewel Kiriungi were on it from Nairobi. Patricia Whitehorn was the senior journalist in charge. Chris Kouzares was the technical producer. Mariam Abdallah, Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi are our editors. I'm Audrey Brown. Thank you for listening.