Copyright © 2001 The Earth Times
August 22, 2001
By DUANE A. GALLOP

At least two million wild orchids are dug up from the Southern Highlands of Tanzania each year, fueled by a demand for food and income, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS).

Citing a report, the WCS said that the orchids, some of which are found only in Africa, will vanish without better protection of their wild habitats. According to the WCS report, the people of this region in Tanzania dig up wild orchids by the root for use in a delicacy called "chikanda" in which the root is the key ingredient in a meatless sausage.

There is now a huge commercial market for the flowers in neighboring Zambia, where the orchids are taken. According to the WCS, even though Africans have consumed orchids for years, their popularity in Zambia has driven Tanzanians to dig up orchids in unprecedented numbers.

"Millions of orchids are being virtually strip-mined from Tanzania's Southern Highlands," Tim Davenport, WCS Conservation biologist, was quoted as saying. "At current rates, many species will be wiped out in a matter of a few years."

According to the WCS, orchids are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) which requires plants crossing international borders by certified. But because CITES is not well known, their rules go unenforced which leads to "truckloads" of uncertified plants entering Zambia each day. Initial surveys show the region contains a significant portion of biodiversity in the form of plant life.

The report, according to the WCS, found that men and women in Tanzania also dig up orchids to supplement their income, often with their families. The digging up of orchids is so popular that Davenport is quoted as saying, "Even primary school children participate in the collection during school holidays."

"The fact remains that the Southern Highlands are currently losing significant resources at an alarming rate," Davenport reportedly said. "The current rate in orchid tubers for consumption in Zambia is neither environmentally or economically in the best interests of Tanzania."

The WCS is reportedly pushing to turn an area of the Southern HIghlands, the Kitulo Plateau, into a national park. It will be one of the first areas in Africa to be protected because of its floral significance. Error: Unable to read footer file.