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.. Fairchild Tropical Garden, one of the world’s premier tropical botanical gardens, recently suffered a serious theft of very rare and endangered cycads. During the first week of August, individuals came into the Garden at night, avoiding the security service, and stole about 40 plants, representing over 20 species of cycads, from the Garden’s conservatory and outdoor rainforest. “I was heartbroken when I discovered what had happened,” said Craig Allen, Fairchild’s Conservatory Manager. “I’ve been raising some of these cycads for 18 years. In addition to the theft being a loss for science and conservation, I feel like my children have been abducted.” Cycads are a group of plants older than the dinosaurs. There are about two hundred species of cycads left in the world, and all of them are endangered in their natural habitats and protected by CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. Fairchild Tropical Garden began collecting and conserving cycads from its founding in 1936. Scientists come from all over the world to study these collections. Fairchild researchers, with funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, use DNA technologies to study the history and evolution of cycads and to design new strategies for cycad conservation. The theft of the cycads from the Garden is a severe blow to cycad research worldwide. “The people who stole these collections are knowledgeable about cycads. Most likely they act as brokers and will sell the plants to private collectors. Sadly, these individuals are motivated by greed, not by any wish to protect and advance the scientific understanding of this fascinating group of plants,” said Dr. Julia Kornegay, Director of Fairchild Tropical Garden. Hoping to recover the stolen cycads, the Garden is offering a reward up to $25,000 leading to the arrest and conviction of the persons involved in the theft. In addition, Fairchild is implementing a comprehensive and sophisticated security system to prevent future thefts. As an accredited museum and not-for profit conservation and research institution, the Garden depends on the support of the local community. Persons with information relevant to the investigation are asked to contact Crimestoppers (Tel: 305-471-8477) or Mr. Rick Echeverria, Director of Facilities and Security, Fairchild Tropical Garden, 10901 Old Cutler Road, Coral Gables, Fl, 33156 (Tel 305- 667-1651 x 3319, Email: recheverria@fairchildgarden.org). |
