Page 18 - Landscape-Issue147

FEATURE

Clivias are being illegally harvested to supply markets abroad

RARE CLIVIAS TARGETED IN

SOUTHERN AFRICA’S ILLEGAL

PLANT TRADE

By Carina Bruwer, Senior Researcher, ENACT, Institute for Security Studies, Pretoria

Stakeholders are exploring ways to safeguard the region’s precious plants from the
threat of extinction. The onslaught against South African succulents now includes
rare Clivias, which are being illegally harvested to supply markets abroad.

n 2023, the ENACT (*) organised crime Northern Cape police officer was charged prevent researchers from monitoring plant
project outlined the global illegal with offences stemming from possible populations on their properties.
Itrade in southern Africa’s succulent conflicts of interest relating to the trade. The prosecution of offenders appre-
flora, and suggested ways to strengthen He and his team were driving the police hended by the suspended police officer
implementation of South Africa’s National response against illegal harvesting in this has also reportedly been halted while he
Response Strategy and Action Plan. region. One theory is that harvesting has is under investigation. That would be a
In September 2024, guided by SANBI, not stopped, but is going undetected since setback since prosecutions in the North-
stakeholders met to consider progress, the policeman’s arrest and suspension. ern Cape have only recently resumed after
using ENACT’S recommendations as a Cape Nature says this is evidenced the successful appeal of erroneous judge-
benchmark. by ongoing seizures of plants being ments resulting from incorrect interpreta-
Over one million succulent plants have transported through the Western Cape. tions of conservation legislation.
been intercepted since 2019, mainly in Scientists also describe arriving at sites These developments may explain the
the Northern and Western Cape, with to monitor plants, only to find the area decline in succulent seizures, but not
illegal trade driving at least 11 species to harvested. the increased targeting of geophytes,
functional extinction in the wild. However According to SANBI, the police officer’s caudiciform plants and especially Clivia
in 2024, seizures declined significantly and suspension has left the Northern Cape mirabilis. Named the Miracle Clivia due
from January to September, about 20 000 without a coordinated law enforcement to its unlikely natural habitat, the species
plants were seized, few of which were response. Locals also now have no focal occurs in only one locality in a protected
previously targeted succulents, presumably point for reporting suspicious activity. area. It is on SANBI’s red list and is protected
because the market was saturated. Although more species require monitoring, nationally and provincially. Like illegally
Another suggestion for the decline land owners are increasingly suspicious of harvested succulents though, these Clivias
in seizures could be that in mid-2024, a anyone seeking access to plants, and so aren’t yet protected internationally. The first

16 Landscape SA • Issue 147 2025 Check us out www.salandscape.co.za