Illegal harvest of medicinal plants threatens Tanzania's national park

Illegal harvesting of orchid tubers, the medicinal plant believed to boost CD4 counts in HIV/Aids patients, has been described as one of the challenges thwarting management and conservation efforts of Tanzania's Kitulo National Park.

Chief park warden Pius Mzimbe said on Wednesday that high demand of the orchid tubers in neighboring Zambia has been fueling illegal harvesting of the plant inside the park.

"Illegal harvest of wild orchid tubers for export appears to have grown, though as conservators we're not sure on the issue of CD4 counts, because no scientific research has been done on these orchid tubers," he said.

According to him, most of them are sold in Tunduma --the border between Tanzania and Zambia, where they are sold at 55 U.S. dollars per bucket of 20 kgs -- the situation that fuels illegal harvest in the park, home to a full 350 species of vascular plants

"The illegal harvest is a challenge because gathering orchid tubers becomes unsustainable as once its tuber is harvested the plant does not survive," said Mzimbe.

He however said that in order to address the challenge, park management in collaboration with Tanzania National Park, has built a police post in Matamba village close to the park.

"This is part of our initiatives to heighten regular patrols," he said.

The official also cited fire as another challenge facing the park, which in most cases caused by people who sneak into the protected area in search for orchid tubers. Enditem