What do rhinos, elephants… and succulents have in common? Sadly, they are all poached.

In this eye-opening (and occasionally eyebrow-raising) episode, we meet Paul Vorster from Sanbona Wildlife Reserve in South Africa’s Western Cape.

André and Paul unpack the wild world of plant poaching, where tiny succulents worth a few dollars at your local market can fuel international crime syndicates. From rhino horn smuggling to beetle collectors with big egos, this conversation sheds light on the lesser-known corners of the conservation struggle — and on the quiet heroes fighting back.

Paul also tells us how Sanbona transformed 62,000 hectares of old cattle land into one of South Africa’s most beautiful rewilded reserves.

This episode reminds us that saving Africa’s wild spaces isn’t just about the “Big Five” - it’s about every plant, insect, and person who calls it home.

Deutsch: Du kannst diesen Podcast auch auf Deutsch hören: “Africa with André auf Deutsch”

Sanbona Wildlife Reserve: https://www.sanbona.com/

CapeNature: https://www.capenature.co.za/

Klein Karoo: https://www.karoo-southafrica.com/klein-karoo/

Articles from Paul

“Daily Maverick” article: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-07-08-conviction-reveals-criminal-syndicates-shifting-focus-in-illegal-plant-trade/

Youtube video from “Daily Maverick”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRLkwZAhXQ4

👉 If you’ve enjoyed this episode or have thoughts to share, please reach out: podcast@africawithandre.com

Follow me on Social Media:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/africa_with_andre

Subscribe to Email reminders when episodes go live: www.africawithandre.com

Sound credits: uppbeat.io/ and https://pixabay.com/