Scientists revealed on Monday that nearly a thrid of cactuses are surprisingly at risk of extinction due to illegal trade and spreading of farmlands in dry areas, forcing the tiny, spiky plants to become a vulnerable species.
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According to Inger Andersen, director general of the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) that monitors the Red List for threatened species, these findings are considered to be quite disturbing.
He added that “wildlife trafficking concerns many more species than the charismatic rhino and elephants which tend to receive global attention”.
They are a vital sources of sustenance and water for deer, woodrats, rabbits, coyotes, lizards and tortoises which, in return, assist unfold cacti seeds.
Hummingbirds, bats, bees, moths and other insects feed on cactus nectar, so helping pollinate the plants.
European and Asian collectors are the biggest culprits in the illegal cactus markets, with highly sought rare specimens being taken from the wild.
The Global Cactus Assessment is described in the journal Nature Plants.
“So, for example, you would look at very different things to do in southern Brazil, where most of the threatened species are affected by Eucalyptus plantations, than for Peru, where species are mainly impacted by illegal trade for worldwide markets”.
The study identified that approximately 31 percent of the almost 1,500 types of cactus analyzed were at immediate risk for extinction (at a rate higher than 25 percent of mammals and 12 percent of birds) in relation to specific human stressors. She said they did not expect cacti to be so threatened or for the illegal trade to be such a great driver of that threat.
The loss of cacti would have far-reaching consequences to the ecosystems they benefit as well as the local farms that rely on wild-harvested fruits and stems, according to Al Jazeera America.
Researchers said 86% of threatened cacti used in horticulture are taken from wild populations. However, the threat of collection prevails, especially in countries where the implementation of CITES has only recently been enforced. Certain cacti species are not allowed to be traded, or are heavily regulated – their forbidden status, low habitat numbers, and/or attractive blooms create a demand for them, however, hence the illegal trading.
The nutritional value of one cactus stem of Opuntia ficus-indica – a “prickly pear” cactus popular in Mexico, where it is known as “nopal” – is often compared to that of a beef steak, and the roots of species such as Ariocarpus kotschoubeyanus which is listed as Near Threatened, are used as anti-inflammatories.
These areas are perceived as uncharismatic and unimportant, even though they are rich in biodiversity, hence arid-land species like cacti are often overlooked in conservation planning.
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Cacti – native to the Americas, but introduced over centuries to Africa, Australia and Europe – are crucial links in the food chains of many animals, including humans. “If we care about the planet, we need to care about arid lands as well”.
