Preserving the Oldest Plants on Earth: How We Can Save Cycads

Protect Species Podcast

Can you imagine a plant that predates even the dinosaurs, surviving dramatic shifts in our planet's history for 300 million years? Discover the ancient and extraordinary world of cycad plants in our latest episode featuring Dr. John Donaldson from the IUCN SSC Cycad Specialist Group. With fascinating details on their unique reproductive features, including motile spermatozoa and beetle pollination, Dr. Donaldson illuminates why these ancient plants are so biologically unique and why they desperately need our conservation efforts.
Explore the global journey of cycads as we discuss their evolutionary history and geographic spread from Mexico to southern Africa. Learn how their slow growth rates have made them susceptible to competition from faster-growing flowering plants and why innovative strategies are being developed to ensure their survival.
71% of these ancient plants are threatened with extinction. Illegal trade and habitat loss are just a few of the dangers putting cycads at risk. Dr. Donaldson shares the collaborative efforts of the Global Cycad Conservation Coalition, including promising initiatives in Zimbabwe and Mozambique. These efforts, driven by strong relationships with landowners, governments, and NGOs, offer a hopeful outlook for the future of these ancient and irreplaceable plants. Join us as we highlight the urgency and importance of concerted conservation action for cycads.
Links:
IUCN SSC Cycad Specialist Group
Wild Cycad Conservancy

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1. Preserving the Oldest Plants on Earth: How We Can Save Cycads (00:00:00)

2. Cycad Plants (00:00:02)

3. Global Distribution and Conservation of Cycads (00:08:17)

4. Threats to Cycad Plants (00:14:07)

5. Conservation Action Plans for Cycads (00:28:27)

6. Conservation Partnerships Bringing Hope (00:36:36)