Illegal trade threatens South Africa's rare succulents
Illegal trade in rare succulents has surged in South Africa, exposing these plants to the same kind of threat that poaching poses to wild animals.
Reports of poachers killing elephants for their tusks, or smugglers caught at customs with rare animals, no longer come as much of a surprise — such cases have become fairly common. Yet it turns out that animals, which at least have some chance of trying to flee or resist their pursuers, are not the only victims. Plants have also become targets of illegal trade, and they are completely defenseless against human interference.
A thriving illegal market
In South Africa, illegal trade in rare succulents has grown rapidly in recent times. These plants, which occur naturally within the country's territory, have become an attractive commodity on the black market — much like rare animals or their body parts are prized by poachers and smugglers.
Plants with no way to resist
Unlike animals, which poachers often hunt specifically for tusks, skins or other body parts, succulents are typically dug up whole from their natural environment and then sold on. Because plants cannot flee from collectors or resist in any way, they are especially vulnerable to mass, uncontrolled harvesting.
This illegal trade poses a direct threat to wild succulent populations, particularly rare and endemic species that occur naturally only in certain regions of South Africa and nowhere else in the world. The situation shows that concerns over protecting wildlife are not limited to mammals or other animals — they also extend to the plant kingdom, which traditionally receives far less public attention.
