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FEATURE

PLANT POACHING:

A CRIME AGAINST NATURE

Plant poaching damages South Africa’s critical ecosystems and
leads to the extinction of rare succulent species. CapeNature, which

manages nature reserves and wilderness areas in the Western Cape,
is responsible for biodiversity conservation in the province and
believes that the succulent plant trade has changed into an operation
similar to that of rhino poaching.

any species, endemic to the Ecosystem damage and soil maturity. Removing these plants from
Western and Northern Cape, are in disturbance the ecosystem means they are not able
Mdanger of becoming extinct in the Plant poaching causes damage to the to produce the large quantities of seed
wild. All indigenous flora (fynbos species, habitat in which the plants grow. Entire required for re-populating the colony. The
buchu, succulents, bulbs) are targeted plants, including the roots, are collected survival of the species is thus negatively
for one or more reasons, which could be and certain species are targeted solely for affected, especially during periods of
medicinal, ornamental or cultural, but the their roots or bulbs. This type of collection severe drought.
main driver is commercial gain. is highly invasive and often results in other In cases where a whole population of
Some poachers pick for local trade, plants being damaged during the process plants is targeted by poachers, the invasive
others for export to countries where such of digging out the target species. In the nature of the poaching results in the soil
species are in high demand. Currently, case of fynbos species and buchu, poachers being eroded, either by wind or water
succulent plants are being targeted by will break off or cut down whole plants at erosion. This causes the area to become
organised crime syndicates that use ground level, thereby causing the plant to unsuitable for regrowth due to the loss
local people to collect the flora and illicit die. of soil. This is most pronounced where
trafficking networks to export the plants In the case of succulent plants, large poaching occurs in hilly areas or rocky
to Asia. SAPS members, assisted by or mature plants are targeted. From an outcrops.
CapeNature, are working hard to combat ecological point of view, these large,
this illegal activity, with the number of mature plants play a critical role in the Classification
arrests and cases registered for illegal ecology of the species. They are, in essence, In terms of the Western Cape Nature
possession of flora showing a steady the survivors of many thousands of Conservation Ordinance, plants are
increase year on year. seedlings that have died before reaching classified as endangered (e.g. cycads),

Succulents seized in a case involving two Chinese poachers The broken off stems of poached Protea flowers n

4 Landscape SA • Issue 121 2023