Harnessing technology to end the illegal trade in succulent plants
Key Facts
FUNDING SCHEME Main
VALUE £513,567
WHERE South Africa, Namibia
Summary
The illegal trade in Southern African succulent plants is resulting in extinctions. Addressing the supply and sale of illegally trafficked plants faces regulatory and enforcement challenges. Multidisciplinary research, from use of Artificial Intelligence tools to personal interviews, will identify points of intervention and inform strategies to improve regulation and law enforcement actions. Development of chemical fingerprinting and marking techniques will enable traceability and transparency in trade, while aiding the reintroduction of confiscated plants to their original locality in the wild.
Over 600 arrests and more than 500 convictions in wildlife crime since 2017, alongside a decline in ivory trafficking cases and an increase in elephant and rhino populations.
