Wilmington gardener cares for stolen Venus Flytraps
Four people are facing felony charges in Pender County in connection to stealing hundreds of Venus Flytraps.
NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WECT) - The crime became a felony Dec. 1, 2014, and this was the first time the new law has been enforced as such in North Carolina.
The stolen plants have been recovered and are being cared for by a gardener in Wilmington.
Plant Expert Daniel Sheret is in charge of caring for and replanting some of the recovered Venus Flytraps. He said he is relieved that the plants are back where they belong.
"I think it's wonderful, because the point is there are only 35,000 left naturally in the wild," Sheret explained. "They're a rarity. Wilmington is the only place in the world that has carnivorous plants as the Venus Flytrap."
According to Captain Todd Radabaugh with the Wildlife Resources Commission, over 1,000 plants were recovered from the Holly Shelter Game Land.
Sheret said the value of all of the plants taken are worth at least $15,000.
He also said the new felony conviction will help prevent the precious plants from being stolen so often.
"That makes a big difference, it puts a little teeth into a law, otherwise it was just a slap on the wrist, and usually these guys just did this for beer and drug money," Sheret explained. "The important thing is that we find out who is the middle man who is purchasing these plants, because that will stop the poaching, so that's the next step for law enforcement and I support that a lot."
After all of the plants are healthy again they will be planted at the Stanley Rehder Carnivorous Plant Garden in Wilmington and given to local schools to care for.
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