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Radio ID Chips Help Stem Cacti Theft

March 4, 2009 -- As if being covered in inch-long, needle-sharp spikes weren't protection enough, Saguaro National Park's signature species is getting some additional protection.

By injecting radio frequency identification tags (RFID) into saguaro cacti, park managers hope to stem a rash of cactus thefts from the park.

"Deterrence is the biggest objective for putting microchips into saguaros," said Bob Love, chief ranger for the Arizona park. "If people know that we are doing something electronically then they are less likely to steal them."

The RFID tags are the same ones used in pets or other animals. Each $4 chip will be inserted into the saguaro using a needle and should last the lifetime of the saguaro, which in some cases is more than 200 years.

There are over one million saguaros at the National Park, but Love and his fellow rangers don't plan on tagging them all. Just those in their prime. The young and old cacti aren't targeted by thieves because they are either too small or too large for easy transportation.