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Cactus poachers are picking the Texas desert clean of rare species

Feb 21, 2022
The lucrative cactus black market is booming, and many species are threatened with extinction.
Karen Little, manager of the Sul Ross State University greenhouse, holds a rare Pelecyphora aselliformis cactus, seized by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service en route to markets overseas.
Zoe Kurland

How a small plant became a big business

Jun 19, 2018
They're (practically) impossible to kill and easy to photograph, making them a big hit with online retailers and Instagrammers alike.
French-Egyptian artist Ghada Amer poses near her work entitled 'Cactus Painting' on May 31, 2018. It has a lot of succulents. 
GUILLAUME SOUVANT/AFP/Getty Images