Despite its current popularity , cacti were once considered a pest in Australia in the 1920s and 30s . " thing like barbellate pear were very far-flung through New South Wales and Queensland . They were introduced as what was called a biologic fencing , " Dr. Brett Summerell , master botanist at the Australian Institute of Botanical Science at the Royal Botanic Garden in Sydney , says .
The bristly pear ended up being an invasive and harmful species that propagate across the country , he aver . It was n’t until the 90 that he started to notice cacti returning in popularity in Australia . " Over the last 20 years , they have become more and more popular . And I recall people just recognize that they ’re really quite prosperous to await after . "
However , there is a downside to the cactus popularity . " Most Chilean cacti in Australian collections are either descendent of historical imports or grown from seed from tiller around the man — still currently legal for signification — but grounds of the illegal works trade is still visible in Australia despite every effort being made to discourage it . "
The words " wildlife trafficking " might evoke images of elephant ivory , rhino horn or social lion pincer . But perhaps less is sleep together about the stiletto heel in demand for — and the illegal barter of — a well - known burred plant . diarist Rachel Nuwer has write on wildlife and plant trafficking .
Ms. Nuwer says illegal cacti trafficking is the figure one threat to the decay in cactus species . " Cacti survive in some of the harshest condition on earth but this make up them susceptible to illegal trade , as they can survive foresightful journeys by Wiley Post , without soil , water or light . "
Cacti smuggling can be a lucrative business , with some rarified cacti merchandising for upwards of $ 10,000 each . In February 2020 , there was a huge trafficking bust in Italy , which run into more than 1,000 of the world ’s rare cacti clutch .
Dr Brett Summerell has witnessed both the wage increase in popularity and the thievery of this plant . " hoi polloi will steal the plant out of the Botanic Gardens and out of the cacti garden , " he order .
So what can be done to discourage plant trafficking , peculiarly in a world where Ms Nuwer has discovered that cacti are all the passion amongst ' the Instagram crew and hippy ' . " fortunately , it ’s not your average plant parent who ’s really driving this decline . It is very , very specialist collectors who have thousands to pass on these uncommon plants , " Ms. Nuwer enunciate . She notify collectors to avoid purchasing rare cacti online , saying an steep price tag can often intend it ’s an illegally traded plant .
And as for those rarefied cacti that were illegally harvested and discovered in a jury-rigged greenhouse in Italy , they are now being returned to their original home in the Atacama desert in Chile .
Read the complete article atwww.abc.net.au .
