SANParks rangers arrested a suspect for picking large amounts of king proteas and Cape sugarbush in the Table Mountain National Park on 5 May.
After receiving a public tip-off of someone near Jonkersdam in the southern section of the park near Fish Hoek, park rangers were deployed and apprehended the subject, who will be charged.
Due to a large number of proteas cut, SANParks will be investigating the case further in terms of illegal trade and may add additional charges depending on the outcome.
The Cape sugarbush is listed as critically endangered on the IUCN red list and an assessment report by the South African National Biodiversity Institute found that 47% of protea species face the threat of extinction.
The illegal picking of proteas is therefore treated as a serious crime with SANParks stating that they have been trying to catch the suspect for some time and are grateful for the tip-off which led to the arrest.
Picutres: SANParks
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