Police in Ards have been working with the National Wildlife Crime Unit as part of an investigation into trade of rare endangered plants

Inspector Jonathan Francey said: “A few months ago, we conducted a number of searches in the Comber area in relation the trade of rare endangered plants. As a result of these searches a rare Nepenthes Rajah seedlings were recovered. These are exotic, rare and endangered species protected the by Convention on International Trade in Endangered species (CITES). These plants are indigenous to only two mountains in Malaysian Borneo. Subsequently one male received an adult caution for being concerned in Trade of Endangered Species.

Alan Roberts, from the UK National Wildlife Crime Unit, said: “This is an important case. There is a lot of focus on the more iconic animals in trade but some plants are just as endangered and when they have been taken from the wild can disappear completely.

Source: Farming Life

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