The Cactus Hunters : Desire and Extinction in the Illicit Succulent Trade

An exploration of the explosive illegal trade in succulents and the passion that drives it Cacti and succulents are phenomenally popular worldwide among plant enthusiasts, despite being among the worlds most threatened species. The fervor driving the illegal trade in succulents might also be driving some species to extinction. Delving into the strange world of succulent collecting, The Cactus Hunters takes us to the heart of this the mystery of how and why ardent lovers of these plants engage in their illicit trade. This is a world of alluring desires, where collectors and conservationists alike are animated by passions that at times exceed the limits of law. What inspires the desire for a plant? What kind of satisfaction does it promise? The answer, Jared D. Margulies suspects, might be traced through the roots and workings of the illegal succulent tradean exploration that traverses the fields of botany and criminology, political ecology and human geography, and psychoanalysis. His globe-spanning inquiry leads Margulies from a spectacular series of succulent heists on a small island off the coast of Mexico to California law enforcement agents infiltrating a smuggling ring in South Korea, from scientists racing to discover new and rare species before poachers find them to a notorious Czech cacto-explorer who helped turn a landlocked European country into the epicenter of the illegal succulent trade. A heady blend of international intrigue, social theory, botanical lore, and ecological study, The Cactus Hunters offers complex insight into species extinction, conservation, and more-than-human care. Retail e-book files for this title are screen-reader friendly with images accompanied by short alt text and/or extended descriptions.

An exploration of the explosive illegal trade insucculents and the passion that drives it

Cacti and succulents are phenomenally popular worldwide amongplant enthusiasts, despite being among the world's most threatenedspecies. The fervor driving the illegal trade in succulents mightalso be driving some species to extinction. Delving into thestrange world of succulent collecting, The Cactus Hunterstakes us to the heart of this conundrum: the mystery of how and whyardent lovers of these plants engage in their illicit trade. Thisis a world of alluring desires, where collectors andconservationists alike are animated by passions that at timesexceed the limits of law.

What inspires the desire for a plant? What kind of satisfactiondoes it promise? The answer, Jared D. Margulies suspects, might betraced through the roots and workings of the illegal succulenttrade-an exploration that traverses the fields of botany andcriminology, political ecology and human geography, andpsychoanalysis. His globe-spanning inquiry leads Margulies from aspectacular series of succulent heists on a small island off thecoast of Mexico to California law enforcement agents infiltrating asmuggling ring in South Korea, from scientists racing to discovernew and rare species before poachers find them to a notorious Czech"cacto-explorer" who helped turn a landlocked European country intothe epicenter of the illegal succulent trade.

A heady blend of international intrigue, social theory,botanical lore, and ecological study, The Cactus Huntersoffers complex insight into species extinction, conservation, andmore-than-human care.

Retail e-book files for this title are screen-readerfriendly with images accompanied by short alt text and/or extendeddescriptions.

Cover Page Title Page Copyright Page Contents Preface Abbreviations Introduction. Cactus, Be My Desire Chapter 1. On Collecting and Caring for Cacti Chapter 2. Illicit Encounters with Succulent Collectors Chapter 3. Between the Iron Curtain and the Glass House Chapter 4. Confronting Extinction Anxiety in Cactus Country Chapter 5. A New Illicit Trade Chapter 6. Learning to Know a Plant Chapter 7. Disentangling Succulent Desires Chapter 8. For a Flourishing Geography of Succulent Life Acknowledgments Additional Resources Notes Index About the Author