A good story | Succulent poaching, stakeouts & sniffer dog busts
The truth about succulent poaching in South Africa - where international crime syndicates target rare plant species - may not be big news in the press, but it is a big deal. Discover how the Endangered Wildlife Trust and their trained scent detection dogs are fighting back to apprehend these criminals and protect the unique ecosystems of the Karoo and Klein Karoo regions.
Until a few weeks ago, I was unaware of the dark underbelly of succulent poaching in South Africa and how big of a deal it is. Who knew that the local and international rhino horn and abalone poaching syndicates have diversified into the additional mercenary opportunities of illegal succulent smuggling?
This is the poachers’ hunting ground.
The call to care
The beautiful Little Karoo - including Route 62 - forms part of this Succulent Karoo Biome and is recognised as a biodiversity hotspot, showcasing some of the richest diversity of succulent plant species in the world.
The Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) are the behind-the-scenes heroes, working with community forums, conducting feasibility studies and implementing innovative initiatives to protect these threatened species that are endemic to the Karoo and Klein Karoo regions of South Africa.
A group of us who live in Montagu were a captive audience, eager to get the lowdown on succulent poaching from Esther Matthew; specialist EWT conservation officer for the Drylands Conservation Programme. (I was first introduced to her engaging manner and contagious passion at the Karoo Dwarf Tortoise talk a few months ago).
One of these exciting initiatives is the pilot project of training scent detection dogs to sniff out the smuggled succulents and assist in catching the poachers red-handed.
The bad news
Because succulents have robustly adapted to survive dry conditions and can handle travel conditions, specific threatened Conophytum species are easy targets for illegal trafficking across our borders into neighbouring countries and then into Europe and Asia.
These plants play crucial roles in our ecosystem, providing habitats and food for a variety of wildlife. Succulent poaching disrupts these delicate balances as well as undermining local efforts to conserve and restore our indigenous vegetation.
Forcefully and carelessly changing the unique biodiversity of these arid and semi-arid regions has a knock-on ripple effect:
It removes a valuable water source for tortoises and antelope.
It affects the chain reaction of pollinators.
It promotes soil erosion.
"When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world." -John Muir
Conophytum photo source: Botanical Society of South Africa Facebook Page
Since 2019, there has been an increase in succulent poaching in South Africa, with over 70 arrests taking place in 2021 - 2022. More recently, 41 000 poached succulents were found in a house in Blouberg, Western Cape. The most crucially endangered succulents are the tiny Conophytum variants. (According to the Botanical Society of South Africa, as of December 2022 over 414 000 illegally harvested plants have been confiscated).
A point to note when it comes to arrests: Succulent poachers can only be prosecuted if they are found with plants on them or in their vehicles. So the modus operandi of these criminals is to toss the plants out the windows of their vehicles if they suspect an upcoming roadblock.
And if the case gets to court, there needs to be a monetary value assigned to the poached succulents (as is done with drugs). So there is local monitoring of international websites investigating how much these plants are being sold for on the black market. (It’s quite an operation).
The obvious questions
How are these succulents being smuggled out the country? Most of the targeted succulent species are tiny; the size of a blueberry. They are hidden in speakers, board games, courier boxes, hubcaps etc.
What would motivate individuals to become party to poaching succulents?
There are various tiers of poachers:
Those who want quick cash for luxury goods
‘Employment’ opportunities
Some poachers are being paid in drugs by the syndicate bosses. This either increases the drug dependency in communities or they become drug dealers.
Who is the end-user target market for these succulents?
The largest group is specialist collectors who are prepared to pay a fortune for these exclusive and rare plants. It's all about bragging rights.
A smaller group are using them for 'muti' and their medicinal qualities. (Some succulent varieties are known to have sedative effects).
The smallest group are hobbyists or gardeners who want these biodiverse succulent species - that only grow naturally in the wild - for their unique habitat growth forms.
The good news
Creating a succulent safe space is the vision and mission of the EWT Drylands Conservation Programme.
This is where the dogs come in.
Since 2023, the first 3 scent detection dogs have been trained to sniff out the illegal moving of specific succulent plants.
Ike (a German Shepherd), Reaper (a Belgian Malinois), and Delta (a Border Collie) - alongside their handlers, Esther and Shadi - have had success in screening vehicles, luggage and parcels at border posts, courier companies, airports and road blocks leading to the apprehension of succulent smugglers.
This collaboration with law enforcement, traffic police and courier companies is a small but effective step in hampering the illegal transport and trade of specific endangered succulent species.
We even got a live demonstration with Delta going through his paces and showing us how it’s done.
In a recent night-time stakeout near Springbok in the Northern Cape, poachers dumped over 1760 plants just before being stopped at a roadblock. But Delta helped apprehend them by sniffing out a tiny succulent in the door of the car, connecting the poachers to the dumped box of plants on the side of the road.
In a world where the battle to protect our natural heritage often feels overwhelming, stories like these remind us that hope is not lost.
The EWT’s fight against succulent poaching in South Africa is a testament to the power of passion, innovation and collaboration.
Photo source: EWT Facebook page
We salute the scent detection dogs and the efforts of Esther and her dedicated team. Every action taken is a step towards preserving the unique habitats, flora ecosystems and beauty of the Karoo and Klein Karoo regions.
This is not just a fight to save succulents; it’s a fight to protect the delicate balance of life that these plants support.
Now you know.
And now that I know, I will look at these humble little resilient plants on our Klein Karoo doorstep with a heightened sense of affection and appreciation. I will share these good stories and my newly acquired awareness with my grandchildren as I have the opportunity to walk the Montagu trails with them, instilling in them a sense of wonder, awe, stewardship and enthusiasm for the created natural world around them. It's the least I can do.
PS. The personal photos of succulents featured in this blog are not the threatened and targeted Conophytum species, but are merely examples of some of the extraordinary varieties growing along the Montagu nature trails.
Caring for the Karoo Dwarf Tortoise is an act of stewardship for our planet. It reminds us that even the smallest creatures have a significant impact on the world around them. By championing the cause of the elusive Karoo Dwarf Tortoise, we are advocating for conservation, biodiversity and the protection of our natural heritage. Find out more.
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