Introduction
In February, Brazilian Federal Police agents discovered an unusual cargo with four Czech nationals stopped at São Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport: 214 cactus specimens and envelopes containing cactus seeds. The material was hidden in beer cans, paper bags, and even inside one man’s shoes, according to the pending court case.
The plants belonged to seven species, all native to the state of Rio Grande do Sul in southern Brazil. In a report signed by cactus expert Rosana Singer, a biologist at Porto Alegre’s Botanical Garden, two of those species are listed as critically endangered: Parodia nothorauschii and Parodia neohorstii. Four others are endangered, including Gymnocalycium horstii and Frailea curvispina.
The Case
The Czechs — identified in court documents as Jaroslav Vich, Karel Slajs, Vladimir Bradna, and Vladimir Sorma — arrived from Montevideo and were about to board a flight to Vienna. They carried a map of Rio Grande do Sul and a printed itinerary with phrases translated from Czech into Portuguese and Spanish, such as “Do you know where small cacti grow?,” “Are cacti growing here?” and “Sorry. I don’t know if this is private!”
The group was detained for one day but is prohibited from leaving Brazil by a court order, which also requested a forensic analysis of their phones. The travelers are now under investigation.
Consequences
Within a short period, three other foreigners have been caught trying to leave the country with rare cacti. This highlights the need for greater surveillance and international cooperation to combat the trafficking of endangered species.
Conclusion
The case of the Czech nationals who attempted to travel to Europe with rare cacti from southern Brazil is an alarming example of the trafficking of endangered species. It is essential that Brazilian and international authorities work together to prevent these crimes and protect the country’s biodiversity.
Source / Reference: Mongabay