Meet the 'vigilante' cactus hunters

Writer Charlie McCann takes us into the booming global trade in rare succulents and cacti, and the unusual subculture of people who hunt them. Travelling with a California plant collector and his companions, McCann joins a road trip deep into remote parts of Mexico in search of prized species like Agaves and Dudleyas, plants that can fetch extraordinary prices on the international market. Some collectors describe themselves as “ethical poachers,” arguing that taking and propagating wild plants can support conservation, while critics see it as illegal harvesting that may be pushing fragile species closer to extinction.Guest: Charlie McCann, Features Writer, the Economist 's long-reads section, 1843Producer: Ali Benton