South African succulents under threat from poachers in Karoo River

A remote biodiversity hotspot in South Africa has become a hub for the illegal trade in protected plant species as organized crime groups capitalize on overseas demand.

“They didn’t just steal our land and plants, they stole our heritage,” the livestock farmer told the BBC angrily, commenting on the social and ecological crisis caused by poaching. He expressed his regret.

Most of the plants in question are varieties known as succulents, named for their ability to retain water and survive in dry climates.

Many of the world’s succulents occur only in the succulent Karoo desert, which straddles South Africa and Namibia.

Succulent species come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors, and some look like small colorful buttons, while others look like cacti that produce colorful flowers at certain times of the year.

Although these varieties can be grown in nurseries, global demand has led to these plants being smuggled from the wild and sold online to buyers in the United States, Europe, and East Asia.

The rolling hills of Kamieskroon, a small town in the heart of South Africa’s Namaqualand region, are a haven for poachers.

Some species are so localized that even a small amount of poaching can wipe them out.

“We have already identified seven species that are completely extinct in South Africa, and we are sure that there are many more that will soon become extinct,” says Peter Phan, Nursery Curator at /Ai /Ais-Richtersveld Transfrontier Park.・Mr. Wik says:

Figures on how many plants are poached are hard to come by, but the non-governmental organization Traffic estimates that between 2019 and 2024, 1.6 million illegally harvested succulents were harvested by South African law enforcement. reported that it was confiscated. This only represents the contraband that has been detected. Therefore, the actual number is likely much higher.

The South African government is well aware of this problem and has announced a strategy to combat poaching in 2022. This also includes the implementation of community programs regarding environmental protection needs.

Van Wyk and other conservationists say poaching of plants has skyrocketed since the 2020 coronavirus lockdown.

At the time, international traders could not travel to South Africa, so they relied on local people to collect succulents and ship them overseas.

Van Wyk said this coincided with an increase in global demand.

“People had more time to look for things to keep them busy. Plants were one of the only things in the house that could connect them to the outside world.”

Organized crime syndicates are taking advantage of this, hiring teams of plant poachers and selling wild plants on social media and e-commerce platforms.

“The syndicate saw this as an opportunity to make something go viral…to let as many people as possible know, ‘There’s this very strange looking object that comes from the continent of Africa,'” Van Wyk said.

“Then the general public is stunned and says, ‘I want to buy it,’ and they (syndicates) arrange for the species to be poached,” he added.

The increase in organized crime activity in the region is having a knock-on effect on the local community.

“This is a low-income area, people are not wealthy, and people will take advantage of the opportunity to earn an income,” explains Malinda Gardiner of the South African Conservation Society.

A similar view was echoed by livestock farmers the BBC spoke to, who said that whenever poaching takes place, money flows into their communities.

“When you see young people climbing in the mountains, you know they are poachers,” added the farmer, who requested anonymity for fear of retaliation.

“They use screwdrivers to uproot succulents and carry backpacks and bags to store the stolen plants.”

A few days later, binge drinking and illegal activities became widespread.

“When the money comes, there are more drugs and alcohol, mom and dad get drunk, and the children are neglected because there is no food,” the farmer added.

Gardiner worries the tension could have long-term effects.

“Our small community here really needs each other…but this brings about mistrust. It also brings about division in the community,” she says.

Van Wyk’s assessment was even harsher: “People are being abused and enslaved by syndicates and buyers.”

Attempts are being made to raise awareness among buyers about the importance of understanding where plants come from.

China has become a major source of demand for wild succulents in recent years, and the country’s internet campaign to educate people about the illegal succulent trade has had some success.

The Clean Internet Campaign for Conophytum was launched in March 2023 by the China Biodiversity Protection and Green Development Foundation.

Linda Wong, deputy executive director of the foundation, said online advertisements for Conophytum, a type of succulent of unknown origin, have fallen by 80%, leaving buyers wondering where plants sold online came from. He is starting to ask questions. .

“It’s all about awareness. Once people know, they want to take action. They want to consume those plants responsibly and enjoy their beauty in a very responsible way.” she told the BBC.

Conservationists advise customers around the world to ask about the origin of plants and under no circumstances should they buy plants advertised as wild.

Traffic and Kew Gardens in the UK recently announced a partnership with eBay to develop a new way to prevent the sale of wild succulents on its platform.

Van Wyk says more should be done in South Africa to promote the cultivation of succulents, which can be legally grown and harvested, to reduce the demand for poaching.

“We need to say as a country: ‘We have this resource, and there are other countries who benefit greatly from it, so why aren’t we?'” he told the BBC. spoke.

Van Wyk now runs a nursery in the /Ai/Ais-Richtersveld Transfrontier Park where he manages plants seized by law enforcement, and he says he has received more than 200,000 plants so far.

“Obviously it’s stressful to see things disappear. But studying these plants brings so much joy and joy and helps you forget about all the nonsense going on in the world. ‘ says Van Wyk.