Farmers, landowners and the public can help conservation authorities combat the wave of endangered plant species poaching and protect biodiversity.
By Amelia Genis, senior journalist at African Farming and Landbouweekblad
This follows the recent imposition of 15-year prison sentences on each of four foreign nationals after they were convicted of stealing 303 critically endangered Clivia mirabilis plants in the Namaqua region.
The plants have an estimated street value of R6 million to R30 million.
Mark Daddy (43), Raphael Mhashu (25), Simbarashe Charanelura (33) and Elton Ngwanati (34) were arrested on 20 April 2024 after they were caught in possession of the endangered plants, also known as miracle bush lilies or Oorlogskloof bush lilies.
They were found guilty of illegally harvesting a protected plant species and illegal immigration and were sentenced on 3 July this year.
According to a government press release, the conviction points to a wider trend of organised crime syndicates casting their nets wider than succulents and illegally harvesting more of South Africa’s rare plants to meet high international demand.
“The crime threatens biodiversity, disrupts ecosystems and forces species that are already vulnerable closer to extinction.”
Farmers and the public can help.
“We urge members of the public to be vigilant and to report any suspicious wildlife activity to their local police,” said Emily Kudze, senior scientific coordinator for illegal trade in succulents at the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), in an email to African Farming.
Such reports play a crucial role in helping conservation agencies and authorities identify and arrest those responsible for environmental crimes.
“Unfortunately, we are seeing an alarming increase in the illegal removal of highly endangered plants from their natural habitat,” says Kudze.
Conservation agencies go to great lengths to protect the plant species through ex situ conservation (planting outside their natural environment in botanical gardens and specialised facilities).
As part of the conservation strategy, seed is collected in the veld to be preserved in long-term projects, such as the Millennium Seed Bank in England.
“Such actions are essential to ensure the survival of those species, which may soon disappear from the veld.”
Kudze emphasises that the success of conservation projects relies heavily on the cooperation of landowners.
“Access to private land is often essential for collecting seeds and other plant material. We are grateful to everyone who supports the work.”
According to Kudze, institutions such as SANBI are at the forefront of initiatives to conserve South Africa’s rich and irreplaceable plant biodiversity.
