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Home»OUTDOORS»Florida men accused of taking ghost orchid, other exploited plants, from state park
OUTDOORS

Florida men accused of taking ghost orchid, other exploited plants, from state park

Niceville.comMarch 4, 20232 Mins Read
K-9 alerting during a search in the woods with its handler from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission K-9 Susan reportedly sniffed out a bag containing stolen ribbon orchids and one ghost orchid at Fakahatchee Strand State Park in Collier County. (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission)

FLORIDA — The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) said it has charged two Florida men for allegedly stealing orchids from a state park after a K-9 reportedly alerted to a stash of dozens of plants.

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According to the FWC, the men were after a rare plant, the ghost orchid, which the FWC said is only found in Florida and Cuba.

The FWC said it received a report of two individuals taking orchids and air plants at Fakahatchee Strand State Park in Collier County, and an officer responded with a K-9.

Reportedly, the men initially denied taking any plants.

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A square digital ad for Midbay Veterinary Hospital with multiple dogs of different breeds, a blue veterinary cross logo, Dr. Maya Chapman’s contact information, and a “Click” button for scheduling an appointment.

An officer and K-9 Susan are said to have searched a pathway used by the men, where she alerted to a bag submerged in water that reportedly contained 36 plants, which the FWC said included one ghost orchid.

One of the men is alleged to have admitted to harvesting the plants after the bag of plants was found, the FWC said.

According to the FWC, both men were charged with harvesting exploited plants without permission.

Wild ghost orchid growing in Florida woods.
Ghost orchid. (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission)
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A square digital ad for Midbay Veterinary Hospital with multiple dogs of different breeds, a blue veterinary cross logo, Dr. Maya Chapman’s contact information, and a “Click” button for scheduling an appointment.

The plants were safely returned to their state park home, the FWC said.

According to the FWC, the incident took place in October. However, it was only recently announced.

The FWC said that ghost orchids are so rare that a book was written about a real-life theft ring in Fakahatchee Strand State Park titled “The Orchid Thief.”

Three Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers and their K-9 display ribbon orchids and a ghost orchid on the tailgate of a pickup truck.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers display ribbon orchids and a rare ghost orchid (on the tailgate of truck) before returning them to the wild. (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission)
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