Microchiping Saguaros.

vlani · Post by **vlani** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 4:23 pm

in Saguaro NP
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/US/10/08/ca ... index.html

TimN · Post by **TimN** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 7:37 pm

Interesting article!

I find it odd that there is virtually no information on cactus poaching, no reports of people caught, etc.

Other than the article you cite and an article from 1990, there doesn't seem to be much buzz about this.

I did find this article...

http://www.backpacker.com/august_08_3_p ... ills/12487

Which states that they are already chipping cacti around Lake Mead.

It seems like there should be some sort of PSA informing consumers how to avoid buying stolen or black market plants. Trucks parked beside the road with big saguaros on them for sale is not an uncommon sight here in Phoenix. I'll try to take pictures next time I see one.

Post by **daiv** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 8:45 pm

Can't help but think about how much money that will cost and all because of a relatively small number of crooks.

masscactus · Post by **masscactus** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 1:12 pm

http://www.cactiguide.com/forum/viewtop ... ht=thieves

TimN · Post by **TimN** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 3:16 pm

I can certainly understand chipping large or rare plants in landscape installations. I'm not so sure chipping cactus in something like Saguaro Natl. Park is an effective plan.

I think making consumers aware of what to watch out for would be a good first step. In Arizona there is virtually no easily accessable information on how to buy legitimate cacti.

I drive along and see nurseries full of large saguaro (obviously not seed grown!) and wonder how many are legitimate and how many are not. Same goes for the roadside vendors.

With essentially NO contemporary police reports of people being arrested I think it's pretty fair to say it would be pretty hard to get caught stealing Saguaro in most (<- note qualifier) of Arizona.

IMHO

Spikey1007 · Post by **Spikey1007** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 12:43 am

It says thats they don't know how many saguaros there are. Im sure one of us cactus nuts would of been to the desert and counted them perheps Peter B. may have a input on this, you know you can co8unt how many are in 1 sq mile when your on a field trip, though as we probably know counting thousands of cacti might wear you in a little bit.

xturmin8or · Post by **xturmin8or** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 1:00 pm

Spikey1007 wrote:It says thats they don't know how many saguaros there are. Im sure one of us cactus nuts would of been to the desert and counted them perheps Peter B. may have a input on this, you know you can co8unt how many are in 1 sq mile when your on a field trip, though as we probably know counting thousands of cacti might wear you in a little bit.

There is an interesting article about Saguaro populations in the July-August '08 issue of the Cactus and Succulent Journal.

Steve-o · Post by **Steve-o** » Thu Oct 30, 2008 4:19 pm

They need to chip C. gigantea in areas near new developments or areas far out in the middle of nowhere, where cacti theft is more likely to occur. Chipping cacti in a National Park that hasnt had any thefts is ridiculous if you ask me.