During 2020-21, succulent cases constituted 40% of the total number of cases registered in the Western Cape. Photo by WWF
The illegal succulent plant trade remains the most pervasive wildlife crime in the Western Cape, according to CapeNature. Most plants are earmarked for the illicit trade in East Asia, where they are sold to collectors and nurseries.
The province accounts for over 52% of all flora species in South Africa, many endemic to the Western Cape, which means that they naturally occur nowhere else on Earth.
“This makes the region an attractive destination for criminals, who operate in illicit succulent trafficking and trade,” said CapeNature, which is the chief custodian of the province’s natural environment and is governed by the Western Cape Nature Conservation Board.
In the past four years, there have been 650 species and more than 1.2 million wild harvested plants seized, according to CapeNature. “While law enforcement and reporting of illegal harvesting provides valuable intelligence, it is suspected that less than 25% of the trade is intercepted by enforcement officials.”
When entire plants are removed at a faster rate than populations can recover, it is unsustainable.
“Any harvesting for traditional uses must consider the ability of the natural population to sustain such harvesting and needs an understanding of the natural ecology of the plants being harvested,” the organisation said.
This means knowing how long a plant species lives, how old a plant needs to be to reproduce and what a species needs to reproduce, including whether it is dependent on pollinators and climatic conditions. “For example, the removal of all the mature plants from a population is not sustainable.”
CapeNature’s 2023 State of Biodiversity Report noted how the most significant trend evident during the reporting period was the increase in succulent trafficking cases. It attributed this to the transformation of the activity from foreign individuals collecting “for their own gain” to organised syndicates recruiting local inhabitants to collect succulents for international markets.
“Succulent plants are collected in situ, packaged and transported either to Cape Town or Gauteng for export, using existing trafficking networks. Evidence compiled during investigations indicates that most succulent plants are destined for Chinese markets,” the report said, noting how South African succulents are regularly offered for sale on online markets and social media platforms.
“A second trend noted in the enforcement action data shows a decrease in the number of J534 fines issued over the reporting period. At the same time, there has been an increase in the number of case dockets registered.”
This downward trend also occurred during the period where the “dramatic increase” in succulent flora trafficking took place. “These trafficking incidents are often too serious for a spot fine to be issued and case dockets must be registered.”
Massive spike in succulent poaching
During the reporting period, there was a marked increase in incidents of succulent poaching and trafficking, the report said. In 2018–19, succulent trafficking cases constituted 4% of all cases registered and in 2019–20, they constituted 20% of all cases registered.
However, during 2020-21, succulent cases constituted 40% of the total number of cases registered in the Western Cape. This trend continued into 2021-22, with succulent cases constituting 54% of the total number of cases registered during that year. In 2022-23, succulent cases constituted 38% of the total number of cases registered.
Globally, wildlife crime is considered the second biggest threat to the loss of species after environmental damage. The wildlife trade consists of the sale and/or exchange of wild animals and plants, animal or plant parts or derivatives or transformed products such as carved ivory.
Those plant and animals species threatened with extinction because of the wildlife
trade are protected by various laws at provincial, national and international levels. “When these laws are breached, it constitutes a wildlife crime … when plants or animals are traded without permits.”
The alarming succulent poaching statistics “paint a bleak picture” of illegal activities and could ultimately lead to the demise of the province’s rich biodiversity, Cape Nature added.
A holistic approach to raising public awareness of the importance of biodiversity is critical to combating illegal harvesting and trade. This includes engagement with local communities, natural healers and other groups that use wild-harvested plants, it said.
Integrated response
CapeNature has partnered with other agencies involved in the fight against succulent poaching. One result of these partnerships has been the formulation of a national strategy to combat succulent flora poaching.
In partnership with WWF South Africa and the Leslie Hill Succulent Karoo Trust, through funding by the WWF Land Programme, it has implemented a project as part of an integrated response to address the illegal trade in succulent flora and serious wildlife crime.
“This project forms part of an integrated response from WWF-SA Land Programme to address the illegal trade in succulent flora species,” it said. “It aligns with priorities recently developed by the national response strategy and action plan to address the illegal trade in succulents as well as the objectives of the Leslie Hill Succulent Karoo Trust.
“This response helps protect the significant investment in protected areas by CapeNature and WWF-SA/Leslie Hill Succulent Karoo Trust for the conservation of succulent flora species, as well as help protect species outside of current formally protected areas.”
One of the project’s objectives is to address capacity to enforce current legislation with respect to wildlife crime, which is the mandate of CapeNature as the conservation managing authority within the Western Cape.
It added that dedicated capacity has allowed for better knowledge exchange between role players including the SA Police Service, the National Prosecuting Authority, the department of forestry, fisheries and the environment and local communities “to enhance coordination, strengthen information sharing and maintain partnerships to effectively address wildlife crime”.
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