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Illegal trade booms in South Africa's 'super-strange looking' plants

Illegal trade booms in South Africa's 'super-strange looking' plants

Thuthuka Zondi / BBC Succulents in flower in the Karoo - their shadows can be seen in the sun

A biodiversity hotspot in a remote part of South Africa has become the hub of an illegal trade in protected plant species, with organised crime groups capitalising on overseas demand.

"They've not just stolen our land or our plants, they've stolen our heritage as well," a livestock farmer angrily tells the BBC, as she expresses dismay at the social and ecological crisis that the poaching has caused.

Horrible extinction risk to plants - May 2016

Scientists have published their first global assessment of the state of the world's plants.

They warn that 21% of all plants are at risk of extinction and face a broad range of threats.

The research was carried out by the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew in the UK.

 

See the full report:   here

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