Prevalence and perspectives of illegal trade in cacti and succulent plants in the collector community.

While illegal wildlife trade (IWT) represents a serious threat to biodiversity, research into the prevalence of illegal plant collection and trade remains scarce. Since cacti and succulents are known as heavily threatened by over-collection for often illegal, international ornamental trade, we surveyed 441 members of the cacti and succulent hobbyist collector community, using a mixed quantitative and qualitative approach. Our aim was to understand collector perspectives on the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) and on the threats IWT poses to cactus and succulent conservation. Most respondents (74%) stated that illegal collection in cacti and succulents represents a "very serious problem," and that the problem of wild plant collection was increasing (71%). Most forms of illegal collection and trade were seen as very unacceptable by respondents. While self-reported non-compliance with CITES rules was uncommon (11.2% of 418 respondents), it remains a persistent problem in parts of the cacti and succulent hobbyist community. Additionally, people engaging in active rule-breaking like transporting plants without required CITES documents generally do so knowingly. Furthermore, while 60.6% of our respondents regarded CITES as a very important tool for conservation, sentiment towards CITES and its efficacy in helping species conservation was mixed. Collectors see themselves as potentially playing important roles in cactus and succulent conservation. Nonetheless, this potential conservation resource remains largely untapped. Our results suggest the need for enhanced consultation with stakeholders within CITES decision-making. For challenging subjects like IWT, developing evidence-based responses demands deep interdisciplinary engagement, including assessing the conservation impact of species listings on CITES appendices. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.