Poachers threaten rare wild-growing venus flytrap

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) ? The venus flytrap's struggle for survival in the wild along coast of the Carolinas faces an added threat from poachers looking to make a buck by uprooting and selling them.

North Carolina wildlife enforcement officer Matt Criscoe says three people were arrested this week and charged with uprooting an endangered species without permission, a misdemeanor. Criscoe says they took about 200 plants, which they expected to sell for about 10 cents apiece.

A spokeswoman for the nonprofit group The Nature Conservancy says that roadside stands sell the plants for about $15 each.

The species grows wild only in the sandy soils within about 100 miles of the coast of North Carolina and South Carolina.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/b2f0ca3a594644ee9e50a8ec4ce2d6de/Article_2012-01-25-Venus%20Flytrap%20Arrests/id-9d12410efce647c0b57f1a489b94b172

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