Of shrub, cactus, vine and toad: psychedelic species of conservation concern
Frontiers in Conservation Science September 29, 2025 Anna O. Ermakova, Sam Gandy
Naturally occurring psychedelic plants and animals—peyote, ayahuasca vine, iboga, and the Sonoran Desert toad—face threats from climate change, habitat loss, and overharvesting. Despite their biological differences, all four species share a lack of data that hinders evidence-based conservation. Priorities for protecting them include long-term ecological monitoring, genetic and chemical diversity research, sustainable harvest studies, and incorporating Indigenous knowledge into conservation planning.