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Raya Delicacy May Push Pitcher Plant To Early Extinction

Raya Delicacy May Push Pitcher Plant To Early Extinction

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Stuffing our faces with the amazing food at Ramadan bazaars may be one of the greatest joy this season.

But did you know that one of those crazy delicious treats is severely endangering our precious flora?

The seductive temptress is none other than lemang periuk kera, a glutinous rice steamed in pitcher plants (periuk kera) famed for its soft and fluffy texture.

Lemang periuk kera.
(Credit: mohdzarin.com)

According to a 2019 article by NST, Kumpulan Pencari Periuk Kera based in Segamat, Johor, had goals to collect 140,000 pitcher plants to meet the high demand during Ramadan and Syawal.

Pitcher Plant aka Periuk Kera

These dizzying numbers made environmentalists deeply worried, as highlighted in a Facebook post by Chairperson of Malaysian Nature Society Pahang, Noor Jehan Abu Bakar.

In her post, Jehan highlighted that certain species of the pitcher plant, such as nepenthes macrophylla, are listed as a critically endangered species on The IUCN Red List.

With the epidemic of global warming hitting the planet hard, it seems that the plant will be literally facing an uphill battle as it climbs to higher elevations to seek cooler air.

She voiced her concern that large scale harvesting of the pitcher plant due to our insatiable appetite for lemang periuk kera during Aidilfitri may just be the death card for the bell-shaped plant.

She then advised Malaysians to stop eating the delicacy and spread the word to friends and family as well.

While the exact numbers of harvested plants is unknown, there is cause for concern as we’re hit with environmental tragedies like the end of Malaysia’s Sumatran rhinos.

Read her full post here:


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