treefrog
Well-Known Member
Phragmipedium besseae was originally discovered in 1981 near the town of Tarapoto in Peru (San Martin Department) on a moss-covered wall in the Cordillera Escalera. This population is now ‘nearly’ extinct. Just after the description, poachers collected every single plant in less than a week, and then went for the seedlings during the following months……..in the time of a few weeks, this population was extinct and not a single other plant was encountered for the last 42 years in Peru. At least one of the collectors (whom had a bit of conscience) relocated 2 plants along another cliff just nearby, on the side of the Ahuashiyacu waterfall. Now this artificial population (in 42 years) has grown to just 12 plants we can observe with binoculars.
I’ve been travelling the Peruvian Cordilleras Esclera, the Alto Mayo and the Cordillera del Colan (all parts of the Cordillera Oriental) for more than 16 years now, going into the most remote places, entering from both the East-side and the West, many multi-day expeditions, climbing the accidented landscape, walking along cliffs on mud paths, following streams, torrents and waterfalls…….During all this time, I’ve never seen a single Phragmipedium besseae (and I have Super Sayan eyes and lots of experience to detect orchids) and this even if I was in, what appears to be, perfect habitats for this species. To my knowledge, Phragmipedium besseae from Peru might be the rarest and most endangered Phragmipedium species.
About a year ago, hundreds of wild collected besseae appeared in the greenhouse of some well-known orchids vendor in Northern Peru. During the last year, I was able to track back this poaching ring to finally locate the habitat these plants were collected from.
We set up an expedition to this remote location, located about 250 km North East of the initial Tarapoto locality. We left from Tarapoto for a 14h drive to reach the closest human settlement, and from there another 8h of walks. The hike was complicated, tiring and, of course, extremely dangerous since we had to walk on a very steep slope, just above violent rapid waters, and many times crossing the rapid waters when our route was cut by the canyon. No need to say that no trail was available.
We finally reached a very beautiful waterfall and on the right side was the besseae population, at least what was left of it. We saw 4 flowers + 5 additional plants on that cliff that the poacher did not succeed in reaching since they were too high. According the number of plants, I saw at the poachers house and according to the collector’s story, about a 1000 plants were extracted, with a good proportion being sold and smuggled to Ecuadorian orchids nursery. As a side notes, these plants were collected by campedinos and purchased by orchids vendors for 150 soles and re-sold between 250 and 300 soles (4 soles = 1 USD/EUR)…..so this is quite lucrative for a campesino to poach (given a daily salary is around 20-40 soles). I’ve spoken to the orchid vendor (the head of the poaching ring) who ordered the Phrag from the campesinos, and all he wants is to make the maximum of money and to make sure the habitat was emptied so that he has exclusivity. While this is abominable, a good surprise (for us) was to realize these Phragmipedium were also growing as epiphytes on moss-covered trees around the waterfall! The poachers, most likely, focused on the rock wall, must have overlooked the trees, and we could find a few plants of this new Phragipedium locality at eye level!
I’m not really good with description so I’ll just leave you with some pictures (in this post) and videos (in the next post) so that you can have a good idea. The habitat is located at 1700m of elevation (this is about 1000m higher than the Tarapoto population).
I’ve been travelling the Peruvian Cordilleras Esclera, the Alto Mayo and the Cordillera del Colan (all parts of the Cordillera Oriental) for more than 16 years now, going into the most remote places, entering from both the East-side and the West, many multi-day expeditions, climbing the accidented landscape, walking along cliffs on mud paths, following streams, torrents and waterfalls…….During all this time, I’ve never seen a single Phragmipedium besseae (and I have Super Sayan eyes and lots of experience to detect orchids) and this even if I was in, what appears to be, perfect habitats for this species. To my knowledge, Phragmipedium besseae from Peru might be the rarest and most endangered Phragmipedium species.
About a year ago, hundreds of wild collected besseae appeared in the greenhouse of some well-known orchids vendor in Northern Peru. During the last year, I was able to track back this poaching ring to finally locate the habitat these plants were collected from.
We set up an expedition to this remote location, located about 250 km North East of the initial Tarapoto locality. We left from Tarapoto for a 14h drive to reach the closest human settlement, and from there another 8h of walks. The hike was complicated, tiring and, of course, extremely dangerous since we had to walk on a very steep slope, just above violent rapid waters, and many times crossing the rapid waters when our route was cut by the canyon. No need to say that no trail was available.
We finally reached a very beautiful waterfall and on the right side was the besseae population, at least what was left of it. We saw 4 flowers + 5 additional plants on that cliff that the poacher did not succeed in reaching since they were too high. According the number of plants, I saw at the poachers house and according to the collector’s story, about a 1000 plants were extracted, with a good proportion being sold and smuggled to Ecuadorian orchids nursery. As a side notes, these plants were collected by campedinos and purchased by orchids vendors for 150 soles and re-sold between 250 and 300 soles (4 soles = 1 USD/EUR)…..so this is quite lucrative for a campesino to poach (given a daily salary is around 20-40 soles). I’ve spoken to the orchid vendor (the head of the poaching ring) who ordered the Phrag from the campesinos, and all he wants is to make the maximum of money and to make sure the habitat was emptied so that he has exclusivity. While this is abominable, a good surprise (for us) was to realize these Phragmipedium were also growing as epiphytes on moss-covered trees around the waterfall! The poachers, most likely, focused on the rock wall, must have overlooked the trees, and we could find a few plants of this new Phragipedium locality at eye level!
I’m not really good with description so I’ll just leave you with some pictures (in this post) and videos (in the next post) so that you can have a good idea. The habitat is located at 1700m of elevation (this is about 1000m higher than the Tarapoto population).
. Sure I would love one of these plants, just like anyone on this site, however where I draw the line is wild collected/ unethicaly sorced plants. When you get one of these plants you may have a rare and beautiful specimen, however you are taking the opportunity from countless generations to see this in the wild. We can attack the collectors and poachers all we want, however the only thing we can do is say no to buying these plants. We could set up traps search party's and spend millions protecting these awsome plants [if anyone has a couple of millions to set up a nonprofit please get in contact
this was amazing!! Thank you so much for sharing here. This is so important to see.
