Paphiopedilum canhii in the wild

[Happypaphy7]

Well, disappointing but not depressing necessarily.
They might have just been a victim to disease, insects, heavy rain or falling rocks or trees? or animals even?

Hopefully they spread lots seeds before they vanished, and new populations are happily growing else where.

 

[polyantha]

Or more likely: collected...

 

[Justin]

Well, disappointing but not depressing necessarily.
They might have just been a victim to disease, insects, heavy rain or falling rocks or trees? or animals even?

Hopefully they spread lots seeds before they vanished, and new populations are happily growing else where.

yes definitely collected. in some countries orchids are collected out of the jungle by the kilo if not the by the ton. just think how many plants that is. most die in bare-root piles on the floor of local market stalls...

and along with destruction of the ecosystem through development, agriculture etc. there is no where else for a new population to grow...that is why these are endangered organisms.

I always think it is funny when people talk about "conserving" orchid species by artificially propogating for hobby growers. Just because i have a paph growing in my house doesn't mean i am doing squat to preserve the species...

 

[NYEric]

that's not quite true, I know a few species that only survived because they were grown in a greenhouse.

 

[Justin]

which ones? just curuious.

 

[NYEric]

I would have to look up facts. Epi ilense, paph canhii!, Paph delenatii until they discovered a new colony, among others.

 

[eggshells]

I would have to look up facts. Epi ilense, paph canhii!, Paph delenatii until they discovered a new colony, among others.

Paph. parnatanum also.

 

[Justin]

yes but in cultivation the plants are ultimately doomed. nurseries go out of business, conservatories are de-funded and fold, collections are dispersed and lost etc. the fact that something is in human cultivation does not mean it is ensured of long-term survival.

 

[Chicago Chad]

Justin I think holger Perner is an exception. I see longevity in his approach.

 

[NYEric]

To have a restoration/conservation effort you have to have the plants.

 

[Trithor]

A sad progression to the thread. I work and live within a conservation environment in Africa. The sad reality within 3rd world countries is that if it can't pay its way it has little value. That is a concept which is very difficult to come to grips with in a developed and stable economy within the First world.
I struggle continuously with the value of a species within the context of a developing community in an environment where the earning population are a fraction of the population relying on that income. It is difficult to judge the need to collect or poach a population of plants or animals when a families survival hangs in the balance. We as first world economies are quick to condemn the collecting or poaching of a species without comprehending exactly how stretched the populations are involved. Easy to sit at home with two cars in the garage, a fridge full of food and a full belly and condemn a man collecting or poaching to keep his family alive. . I do understand that greed and money are part of it, but at the grass roots it is simple survival. I deal with this continuously, not on the plant collecting, but on game management, poaching and collecting. Cecil the lion gets headline news! However lions are far from endangered, but simple creatures like tortoises struggle to get a foot into the spotlight and quite frankly nobody cares. I have been to tracts of land where small species abounded years ago ( shows how old I am), but now sadly are near extinct. Sadly nobody cares, .... The lot of plants as well I am sure.
There is funding for lions and tigers, but sadly not for tortoises or canhii

 

[cxcanh]

A sad progression to the thread. I work and live within a conservation environment in Africa. The sad reality within 3rd world countries is that if it can't pay its way it has little value. That is a concept which is very difficult to come to grips with in a developed and stable economy within the First world.
I struggle continuously with the value of a species within the context of a developing community in an environment where the earning population are a fraction of the population relying on that income. It is difficult to judge the need to collect or poach a population of plants or animals when a families survival hangs in the balance. We as first world economies are quick to condemn the collecting or poaching of a species without comprehending exactly how stretched the populations are involved. Easy to sit at home with two cars in the garage, a fridge full of food and a full belly and condemn a man collecting or poaching to keep his family alive. . I do understand that greed and money are part of it, but at the grass roots it is simple survival. I deal with this continuously, not on the plant collecting, but on game management, poaching and collecting. Cecil the lion gets headline news! However lions are far from endangered, but simple creatures like tortoises struggle to get a foot into the spotlight and quite frankly nobody cares. I have been to tracts of land where small species abounded years ago ( shows how old I am), but now sadly are near extinct. Sadly nobody cares, .... The lot of plants as well I am sure.
There is funding for lions and tigers, but sadly not for tortoises or canhii

Thank you for your understanding, some part of the area I checked still have paph.canhii but not have much like 2-3 year ago.

 

[NYEric]

At least some still survive and we can pray .

 

[KyushuCalanthe]

Trithor, I can only imagine the experiences you've had first hand. Even in my small way, have seen changes over my life both in the US and here in Japan. I wonder where this all can be headed with a human population expecting to top 9 billion within the next 25 years - the lion's share happening in Africa… let's hope we can find a way.

 

[paphioboy]

Cecil the lion gets headline news! However lions are far from endangered, but simple creatures like tortoises struggle to get a foot into the spotlight and quite frankly nobody cares....There is funding for lions and tigers, but sadly not for tortoises or canhii

True. Species which are charismatic and appealing (to humans) will get our attention with regards to their 'conservation value'.

 

[Happypaphy7]

yes definitely collected. in some countries orchids are collected out of the jungle by the kilo if not the by the ton. just think how many plants that is. most die in bare-root piles on the floor of local market stalls...

and along with destruction of the ecosystem through development, agriculture etc. there is no where else for a new population to grow...that is why these are endangered organisms.

I always think it is funny when people talk about "conserving" orchid species by artificially propogating for hobby growers. Just because i have a paph growing in my house doesn't mean i am doing squat to preserve the species...

Yeah, I know. It's very sad, but I was just trying to sound positive. in vain.

As long as there is a demand, they will all be in for downhill sooner or later, unless it is a street grass that multiplies like crazy.
So, I guess we are all part of the fault.

 

[Happypaphy7]

A sad progression to the thread. I work and live within a conservation environment in Africa. The sad reality within 3rd world countries is that if it can't pay its way it has little value. That is a concept which is very difficult to come to grips with in a developed and stable economy within the First world.
I struggle continuously with the value of a species within the context of a developing community in an environment where the earning population are a fraction of the population relying on that income. It is difficult to judge the need to collect or poach a population of plants or animals when a families survival hangs in the balance. We as first world economies are quick to condemn the collecting or poaching of a species without comprehending exactly how stretched the populations are involved. Easy to sit at home with two cars in the garage, a fridge full of food and a full belly and condemn a man collecting or poaching to keep his family alive. . I do understand that greed and money are part of it, but at the grass roots it is simple survival. I deal with this continuously, not on the plant collecting, but on game management, poaching and collecting. Cecil the lion gets headline news! However lions are far from endangered, but simple creatures like tortoises struggle to get a foot into the spotlight and quite frankly nobody cares. I have been to tracts of land where small species abounded years ago ( shows how old I am), but now sadly are near extinct. Sadly nobody cares, .... The lot of plants as well I am sure.
There is funding for lions and tigers, but sadly not for tortoises or canhii

So true.
It's a complex matter. and sad.
Once people have basics in life met, they start on other things like growing orchids. Also, interest in protecting wild life can only starts after these basic needs in life are handled. I feel very fortunate in some regards, but guilty in other regards.

Recently, I was shocked to learn how many elephants are being killed off on a daily basis. I had no idea about that. I heard about rhino being poached for the horn. I also knew about the elephant poaching, but had no idea how bad it is. Greed, money, and also poverty, all responsible, I guess.

BTW, I love those tortoises. At least in Southern Utah, they made a fence along the edge of the land where the road starts. Many tortoises were killed while they were crossing the road. Hopefully, now less are dying with the fence installed.

Then, the ocean...Ah, I feel so powerless and hopeless sometimes.