POACHING-
Defined as the illegal hunting, fishing, or harvesting of plants, in this case, it is the illegal harvesting of plants. This harvesting can be considered illegal for many different reasons:
1. The poacher does not have a license that is required to harvest the plants
2. The poacher illegally sells the plant or parts of the plant in order to make a profit.
3. The plant being harvested is taken on restricted property, such as private or federal land.
4. The plant being harvested is significantly rare in the region, and is known as such.
- Recently, there has been a significant increase in United States in the poaching of ginseng, a small plant that has forked roots that give off an aroma and are used for medicinal purposes and are the key ingredient in some types of energy drinks, etc.
If you look at this bottom picture, you can see the enormous ginseng roots that are poached for their herbal remedies
- Though there is much poaching of plants globally, nationally, and even in Indiana, the plants reproduce at a quicker rate than most animals that are getting poached currently. Therefore, it should not be too much of a concern compared to the poaching of endangered animals, unless the plant species is also significantly rare.
Magazine Article
Here is an article from a magazine in Missouri, that describes the motive that some plant poachers have and how it is negatively affecting the ecosystem in the region.
Some people poach plants purely for the pleasure of having them and are unaware they are actually poaching. The Venus Flytrap plant (Dionaea muscipula) shown above has no known medicinal uses, and was most likely removed from its habitat for sheer enjoyment.
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