Dead and Rotten Living Rock Cacti

Poachers who steal living rock cacti aren’t necessarily plant lovers. Each of these cactuses took decades to grow. After poachers picked them, they put the plants into plastic bags, which rots them. These living rock cacti are a close cousins to peyote, and they’re found only in the Big Bend region of the Chihuahuan Desert. They have no thorns and are soft and plushy. They’re highly sought after for collectors, and have been subject to poaching and smuggling. These specimens took decades to grow.