Coronavirus pandemic fuelling plant poaching in Philippines
by Rebecca Ratcliffe from on (#582ZE)
Gardening craze has led to endangered species being dug up from mountains and forests
Officials in the Philippines say the coronavirus pandemic is fuelling a new problem: a surge in plant poaching.
The country's lockdown earlier this year, one of the strictest in the world, helped drive demand for greenery among Filipinos who were longing for nature. Though restrictions have eased, the craze for gardening has continued, and officials say sellers are digging up endangered species in the mountains and forests.
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