Most cycads stolen from Mpumalanga usually find their way to Gauteng, where they are highly sought after as garden plants. Prices can run into thousands. The going rate, according to Erasmus, is about R50 a centimetre of the cycad's length. Contrary to the cycad's value on the blackmarket, microchipping is relatively cheap. The idea of using microchips for wildlife is not new.
Game is microchipped when moved from one location to the next.
Even cycads sold to the public are microchipped, enabling conservation authorities to keep tabs on permit holders. By Shaun Smillie. Courtesy of The Star. If you have no navigation at the top of the page, go HERE .