The illegal trade of human remains, including that of First Nations ancestors, is continuing through the online black market according to Australian researchers.

An Australian research team has spent the last five years investigating and detailing where thousands of sets of Aboriginal human remains are kept in museums and online collections around the world.

Now the team has secured $750,000 in funding to investigate the commercial trade of human remains, which they believe is ongoing.

While the trade of remains was at its peak in the late 19th century and early 20th century, there is evidence that the disturbing practice is still going on, says researcher and Alyawarra man Dr Lyndon Ormond-Parker from the Australian National University.

He spoke to NIRS about the situation.