Plant poaching for rare succulents, especially conos, has become a booming illegal trade in South Africa, driven by high demand from collectors. Monica Mark’s narrative unfolds through a local shopkeeper, highlighting the human stories intertwined with environmental destruction and economic difficulties.
Ornamental succulents all over the world are under assault by traffickers. But a plant poaching industry estimated to have a black market value of £8.2bn has been particularly disastrous for conos. That many are rare and grow in incredibly remote places means they are highly coveted by collectors, hungry for exotic new plants. This, combined with the fact they are mostly minuscule and therefore easily transportable, has made them some of the most trafficked species on the planet. The vast majority of trafficked conos end up in east Asian countries, where they have become status signifiers, posted by their owners on social media. Demand for them has been likened to the craze for Pokémon or various cryptocurrency bubbles.
The way to find conos properly, Rastaman explained, involves camping out here. Late in the night, to avoid any roadblocks or prying eyes, you find yourself a spot just off-road. “You prepare yourself, you go with your rucksack. From before sunrise you start. When it gets too hot, you have to stop.” You take marijuana, he said firmly. Also, a five-litre bottle of water. Specialist buyers typically give locals detailed instructions about what they want. They rely on academic textbooks and papers by biologists, or metadata from photos unwittingly posted on social media. Then, using Google maps, they send GPS co-ordinates to the poachers. They hand out satellite phones to keep in touch.