Opuntia Stricta – the Invasive Cactus Devouring African Rangelands

Opuntia Stricta – the Invasive Cactus Devouring African Rangelands

Livestock are Lazarus Lentula’s livelihood. For years, recurrent droughts have forced the herder in Kenya’s Laikipia County, like many others, to trek hundreds of miles across county lines in search of pasture. Today, however, Lentula told FairPlanet, another threat is eating away what remains of his livelihood: the cactus species Opuntia stricta. A 2025 high-resolution mapping study identified the species as one of Kenya’s most widespread invas…