Illegal Trade Threatens Nepal’s Orchids
Nestled in the towering Himalayas between India and China, Nepal is an orchid hotspot. Sadly, its orchids are declining. Even though Nepal is only slightly bigger than Arkansas, it’s home to about 500 orchid species (for comparison, the USA and Canada combined have about 200 species.) People collect wild orchids to sell for use in traditional Chinese medicine and Indian Ayurvedic medicine. Many are exported to nearby countries, and the harvest is depleting plant populations. Conservation laws are rarely enforced, and are easily evaded by illegal traders. Fortunately, the conservation group Greenhood Nepal is pushing for improvements in protections. It’s outlined key steps for the government to curb the illegal orchid trade. Their hard work offers hope that Nepal’s orchids can be saved before it’s too late.
Explore posts in the same categories: Conservation, In the News
Subscribe to the About Orchids Blog:
January 25th, 2023 at 9:54 am
Here’s another news article on the need for conservation of Nepali orchids – https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/save-nepals-orchids/