Prized as an exotic species in Asia, diamondback terrapins can be valued upwards of 20,000 USD. And although it’s illegal to poach and trade the turtles, that money seemed too good for Dave Sommers to pass up. After a years-long investigation, which involved trickery, GPS tracking, and covert videotaping, Sommers was caught with 3,442 terrapin hatchlings in his home — an estimated 427,320 USD value on the global market. Read full article here
Research
Improving media literacy could boost trust towards the news, IMPRESS report suggests
The UK media is regulated by the likes of IPSO and Ofcom. The report by press regulator IMPRESS highlights the link between low levels of media literacy and trust in the news. The study found that three quarters of those who did not know if journalists were regulated did not trust the news. It suggests that improving media literacy is one way to stem the erosion of trust, and shows that audiences have an appetite for information on news processes. Stakeholders need to collaborate in order to rebuild trust in the news, and independent media is well placed to do this. Read full article here