World's stinkiest flower in danger

Smelly flowers disappearing - 23rd October 2023

Rafflesia grows in the forests of Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. It’s a giant red flower. It smells like dead bodies. But this unusual flower is disappearing.

Indigenous people make medicine from the flower. They say it gives energy. It’s popular with indigenous cultures. But western scientists don’t know a lot about this flower.

The flower can’t grow on farms. The forests are their natural home. But their natural home is disappearing fast. People are cutting down the forests. These flowers are dying.

Scientists want to save the flowers. They want to start studying them before they disappear. This way they can learn about them. They can find a way to grow them. Scientists would like to work with the indigenous people. They can share their knowledge with the scientists. They can work together to save the flower.