Category: Environment

Oil exploration attracts investors at Singapore investment forum

The Maldives has garnered interest in oil exploration during an investment forum in Singapore.

Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture, Dr. Mohamed Shainee, told Minivan News at least one investor will be visiting the Maldives in the coming weeks to present their company profile and discuss the project further.

Over 160 companies and nearly 200 representatives from 16 countries were present at the first overseas investor forum organised by the Maldives.

Speaking at the event on Friday, Shainee assured potential investors that there was no room to refute the presence of oil in the Maldives based on seismic testing by Royal Dutch Shell.

“Those studies were carried out 25 to 27 years ago, with limited technology capable of investigating under sea. However, now we have better technology that is more capable of more exploration,” he said.

Oil has been found in both Sri Lanka and India and therefore there is a high possibility that it will be found in Maldives too, he added.

Lying just a meter above sea level, the Maldives is among the world’s most vulnerable countries to climate change impacts such as sea level rise, ocean acidification and extreme weather events.

Crude oil will diversify and stabilise the economy, President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom has said. At present, the Maldives heavily relies on tourism, which supports an estimated 70 – 80 percent of its GDP.

However, some have argued that economic benefits will not outweigh the possible environmental repercussions.

“When you take up the issues of drilling, we are concerned about the oil container tanks with unrefined fuel passing through,” concluded Executive Director of local NGO Bluepeace Ali Rilwan. “We can’t afford to go into that dirty energy.”

With this in mind, Rilwan asked, “can we avoid a disaster in the Maldives? The Maldives is a tiny island and this can have a very negative impact, the tanks are a worrying thing.”

In addition to oil exploration, the government is seeking investment in establishing a port in northern Ihavandhippolhu Atoll, land reclamation and maritime seaport in Hulhumalé, expansion of the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA) and the relocation and expansion of the central port to Thilafushi Island.

The projects for which the government was seeking investors were “designed to position Maldives to take advantage of its strategic location as a hub and gateway for commerce, innovation and creativity, linking rest of the globe with South Asia,” President Yameen said in his keynote address.

“To address investment climate and to facilitate mega investments with attractive incentive packages, a Special Economic Zone Bill will be tabled in the parliament soon. Additionally, the Foreign Investment Act and Companies Act are being revised to cater the ever increasing needs of the modern foreign investors,” he added.

Meanwhile, a Singaporean court is currently overseeing the arbitration process between the Maldives government and Indian infrastructure giant GMR in which the company has claimed US$ 1.4 billion for the abrupt termination of a concession agreement to develop the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA).

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Negotiations to re-home slow loris continue

Negotiations for the re-homing of the slow loris are continuing after another offer for relocating the illegally imported animal appeared to have stalled.

After new inquiries from the UK regarding the possible re-homing of the endangered animal, the Ministry of Environment has revealed that communication with prospective new carers has broken down.

The mission to re-home the slow loris has proven difficult since the illegally trafficked animal – who was discovered in the Maldives during a drugs raid by police in January – has no formal paperwork or certified country of origin.

The Ministry of Environment subsequently considered euthanasia based on a number of factors which made re-homing the animal both difficult and costly.

The media coverage of this decision and an online petition drew further attention to the matter, resulting in various international partners expressing an interest in rehoming the endangered primate.

The Jakarta Animal Aid Network (JAAN) had originally offered a home at the Slow Loris Rehabilitation Centre in Jakarta, though recent correspondence obtained by Minivan News has revealed that they are unable to repatriate the creature as it is not native to Indonesia.

More recently, an offer was received from the UK-based Monkey World Ape and Rescue Centre, who suggested that the Jim Cronin Memorial Fund for Primate Welfare & Conservation may be able to cover the costs if a location could be secured.

Correspondence between JAAN and the Maldives government had previously revealed that the country was unprepared to meet any of the costs for sending the animal abroad.

“We do not have loris at Monkey World, nor do we have empty facilities that could taken long-term,” wrote an official from Monkey World. “However we would be very happy to assist and I have already contacted colleagues in the zoo world to find out if there is a good home for this individual.”

“I am also happy to organise the paperwork on this end (if UK CITES authorities will give us an import licence) and we could possibly even do the quarantine period (4 months) here at the park if there is a permanent home in another location thereafter.”

Despite these initial positive emails exchanged, the Ministry of Environment has confirmed with Minivan News today that no further correspondence has since been received from Monkey World.

Meanwhile, the Maldives National Defence Force has denied reports that new parties have shown an interest in relocating the corocodile – or ‘Kinboo’ – currently under its care in Malé.

A protest took place last week outside the enclosure – in the children’s park – where the Kinboo has been kept since its discovery on the coast of a local island in 1998.

“Some groups have shown interest in the crocodile since the day it was caught, but it quickly faded away,” said MNDF Deputy Spokesman Captain Ali Ihusaan. “We have not received any new interest recently.”

The crocodile has attracted a number of protests, including one led by the Billabong International school in 2010, which drew attention to the small cage and bad conditions the animal has been kept in.

Speaking with Minivan News today, an official from the Ministry of Environment said that promises to rehome the Kinboo had repeatedly run into problems.

“In the past years there have been many unsuccessful attempts to send it abroad,” the source stated.

“One of the reason being that it needs to be air lifted by a specialised air craft which costs hundreds of thousands of dollars. Another reason again is that it is of unknown origin.”

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Comment: Owl is symbol of Maldivian solidarity against cruelty to animals

An alternative draft of this article was first published on the Oevaru blog. Republished with permission.

A life of a pet owl, which seems to cast a spell on you with its fathomless deep blue eyes, is to be spared according to a recent update on MDP Haruge, which may bring some joy to a nation torn over an inability to distinguish between ‘dangerous’ and ‘exotic’ animals.

Some reports suggest the owl has been spared while other pet owner mourn their lost friends. One harmless iguana’s eulogy was given by its owner, Miusam Mushthaag: “Miss u igu” simply said all.

Matters have been made worse by conflicting official statements, with some government agencies reported that “all” the “illegal” and “dangerous” animals seized from the recent drug busts have been “destroyed”. This has not stopped heartbroken Maldivians going into a state of denial, refusing to accept that these animals have been killed.

The owner of the owl is reported to be pursuing legal action against the authorities – claiming that the owl confiscated from him during the special police operation was not ‘smuggled’ into the country but was, rather, a migratory foreign bird he had caught in an uninhabited island.

The owner’s conviction that his animal remains alive has given hope that the authorities, through bureaucratic slowness perhaps, have somehow not yet murdered at least some of these animals.

Specifically the owl was lucky not to have been mentioned in a list of outlawed and endangered animals that could be imported into the country without written permission from the authorities. It was also lucky not to be mentioned in the list of migratory animals that are prohibited from being caught and kept as pets.

“The ‪#‎Maldives authorities involved have shown that [the] dangerous aren’t the animals, but themselves,” writes Muna Aminath on the Facebook group ‘Colorless’.

The Pet Association of Maldives posted a letter signed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) director-general Ibrahim Naeem which claimed that owls are not specified as being allowed in Maldives, either as endangered or migratory bird. This itself is rather silly because you cannot expect the Maldives’ law to specifically name all the estimated 8.7 million species of living things in the world.

The unfortunate incidents of the past week beg the question: why has a certain resort – allegedly – been able to import Kangaroos which are also not specifically mentioned as an ‘allowed bird’? Why the discrimination in policy implementation?

Also, as Minivan News documented out, it raises the question as to why various ministries, rather than passing blame around, have not specifically agreed among themselves on how best to cooperate under such circumstances. They could do this first by asking themselves the question: who should define ‘exotic’ and ‘dangerous’, and who should regulate the import into the country of animals and pets based on these two characteristics?

Indeed, it’s a strange subject, and – other than the rumours that the owl when straight to a leading politician’s residence – it is hard to see what the benefit of the whole operation was. The animals let loose in the country were isolated incidents. Meanwhile, some lowly citizens lost their owl, while pictures circulate of a baby cheetah in Hulhumalé, reportedly owned by one of the country’s most prominent families. Will this be investigated?

In fairness to the Maldives National Defense Force, it seems like the authorities decided to collect these animals without the faintest idea as to what they would do with them. They would have been better left where they were – doing no real harm.

The reality is that the Maldives is only now slowly waking up to the concept of cruelty against animals and that all living things have basic rights as well as us humans. The long after-effects of the murder of Evan Naseem are now resonating, with Maldivians extending their courtesy not only to their fellow species but to other sentient beings also. Yes, Maldivians will no longer tolerate torture or violence against humans or any other living thing.

First there was Meemu Zaviyani with his EcoCare and Ali Rilwan with Bluepeace who began to make Maldivians aware of their place in the balance of the environment. But it should not be a surprise, in a country where there are no trained vets for pets and animal care, that others did not follow a stronger approach to animal cruelty.

No NGOs were set up before the somewhat recent Pets Association of Maldives – set up in 2010 – and in a society which has embraced both Buddhist and Islamic views on environmental balance, it is surprising that only a few vocal groups, like Maldivian Cataholics, advocate for the rights of all living things – in addition to their beloved cats.

Perhaps the climax of this confusion of mistrust will see the ministries reach agreement among themselves, and will allow Maldivians to enjoy animals that are not endangered and are not ‘dangerous’ to the Maldives’ environment and its human inhabitants.

All comment pieces are the sole view of the author and do not reflect the editorial policy of Minivan News. If you would like to write an opinion piece, please send proposals to [email protected].

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Fisheries Ministry and MNDF at odds over decision to destroy confiscated pets

The Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture has said it was not consulted by the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) before the destruction of over 120 confiscated pets.

“I was as shocked as anybody else when I saw that they had killed the animals -we were actually talking to the owl owner at the time when I saw the news,” an official with the ministry told Minivan News today.

Confusion surrounded the decision to destroy the animals after a joint operation of all relevant state institutions was prompted by a spate of exotic animal discoveries in the country in recent weeks.

The MNDF yesterday maintained that the animals had been put down upon request of the police, though the police service has denied this.

The Fisheries Ministry has today argued that regulations required the presence of witnesses to the destruction, as well as questioning the legality of the termination of the owl – whose owner had claimed the animal was found rather than imported.

“On Saturday, the ministry’s stand was that if you hand over the animals to us, we would give the choice of re-export – and the fact that the owl was something that was not imported, there was an issue – it was a controversial case that had to be dealt separately,” said the ministry source.

MNDF Deputy Spokesman Captain Ali Ihusaan has refuted these claims, arguing that the owl’s owner had initially claimed that the owl was legally imported, before changing his story.

“The only places that provide this authorisation were the Ministry of Defence and National Security and the Ministry of Environment – we asked both of these authorities and we asked the owner to provide the owner to provide any documentation given by these ministries,” said Ihusaan.

After cross-checking these confiscated creatures with import records, and thus proving they could not have been imported legally, the animals were put down, he explained.

“We are not an animal farm or a zoo and we cannot take care of that number of animals at the same time,” he added. “The animals that we disposed of were not endangered species so we didn’t really have to consult with any other authorities.”

Regarding the requirement that witnesses be present for the animals’ destruction, Ihusaan suggested that this was regulation was only applicable to animals seized at the ports.

The source at the Fisheries Ministry has revealed that a letter has been drafted to request proof that the animals have been terminated, suggesting that this was important in order to halt speculation about the animals potentially being transferred to new owners.

“A lot of people speculate because that actually does happen sometimes and people really don’t trust these institutions, and that’s why I stressed they should be destroyed in the presence of everybody.”

Local media today reported that the lawyer representing the owl’s owner claimed the animal has not been destroyed, arguing that the owner will withdraw charges filed with the Police Integrity Commission if the bird is returned.

The ministry of fisheries source revealed that the outpouring of anger following the animals’ destruction resulted in anxious crowds gathering at the ministry, as well as threatening phone calls being received from angry owners – hence the official’s request for anonymity.

The official went on to suggest that they had clearly requested that all the institutions involved in the operation to confiscate the animals should have been consulted before their destruction, suggesting that the only legal rationale for their transfer to the MNDF’s mandate was that the animals had been deemed ‘dangerous or wild’.

The animals destroyed included 11 iguanas, a snake, a sugar glider (possum), an owl, a squirrel, and 105 rats.

“We did not want any of the animals to be killed,” said the ministry official.

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Authorities pass responsibility for decision to destroy confiscated animals

Confusion surrounds the decision to destroy over 120 animals confiscated by authorities last weekend, with both police and the Maldives National Defence Forces (MNDF) denying responsibility for the move.

With initial media reports today suggesting that the Maldives Police Service (MPS) had “executed” the animals, an official spokesman revealed that custody of the animals had been handed to the MNDF on Sunday, just hours after their seizure.

MNDF Captain Ali Ihusaan subsequently confirmed that all of the animals had been put down on the request of the MPS.

“The animals that were being handed over to the Ministry of Defence and National Security were being handed over in order to get rid of them, and we have established procedures and processes that we go through in order to take care of them and we have gone through that process on the day they were handed over to MNDF,” said Ihusaan.

These claims were promptly rejected by the police, however, who denied having asked the MNDF to terminate the animals.

“The information you have received is not right, we didn’t actually request from the MNDF to put them down,” said a police spokesperson who said he had been unable to contact his MNDF counterpart to clarify the conflicting account.

The spokesman went on to suggest that the responsibility for the transfer of the animals lay with the customs department, stating that the legal rationale for the decision could be explained by customs authorities.

“What we did was was request customs to take over those confiscated animals, to take the animals under their custody. So they requested us to hand over those animals to the MNDF,” said the MPS spokesman.

“Under customs regulations it is not allowed to bring those animals to Maldives. We requested them to take over the case, to take these animals to their custody”.

“I think it is because customs is run under Ministry of Defence, which might explain that decision”.

Minivan News was unable to contact customs officials at the time of press.

EPA deeply concerned

Meanwhile, news of the animals’ termination has prompted an outcry, with groups reportedly gathering outside of the Environment Ministry.

A group of protesters have assembled outside the children’s park in Malé – home to a captive crocodile – in opposition to the move, with one placard reading:  “Stop killing animals against the law and regulations”.

Former President Mohamed Nasheed has taken to Twitter to denounce the decision.

“People’s beloved pets should not be killed just like that. Necessary regulations could be made,” tweeted Nasheed.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), whom the police have previously said were being consulted on the animal’s care, have expressed concern.

“As an organisation responsible for the protection and well being of all these creatures, we are not happy with killing or doing anything lethal to any of the animals. That is something that we are deeply concerned about,” said Director General of the EPA Ibrahim Naeem.

Naeem denied having been consulted over the care and maintenance of the confiscated animals.

The animals – including 11 iguanas, a snake, a sugar glider (possum), an owl, a squirrel, and 105 rats – were taken by police in an operation to tackle the number of illegal pets last weekend.

The scale of the problem has become apparent as the police have embarked on a campaign to tackle the nation’s endemic narcotics problems, with a series of exotic creatures increasingly featuring in the lists of items seized during raids.

In a joint operation with multiple branches of the government, the police revealed that animals were to be confiscated “so that the legality of their presence in the country can be assessed,” read a police statement.

Customs regulations list dogs and dangerous animals as prohibited from import, while other live animals entering the country are required to have valid sanitary certificates.

The regulation on importing live animals specifies that the procedure for handling animals considered wild or dangerous includes consultation with the Fisheries Ministry and the MNDF, as well as the production of a report, before repatriation or extermination.

When asked if the police had allowed relevant time for owners to produce the necessary certificates before the animals were destroyed, Minivan News was again referred to the customs department.

The EPA’s Ibrahim also condemned those who bring such animals into the country, saying that they should share some of the blame for the animals’ fate.

“We don’t expect these animals in the Maldives. I condemn those who import those who import them to Maldives, they should actually take the responsibility.”

Authorities have confirmed that the endangered slow loris – confiscated during an earlier police operation – was not amongst the destroyed animals. The EPA is currently discussing the potential repatriation of the animal with interested parties.

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Averting climate change catastrophe is still possible, says environment minister

Minister of Environment and Energy Thoriq Ibrahim has called for a cap on global temperature rise, and pledged to increase renewable energy to 30% in the next 5 years.

“Averting catastrophe is still possible,” said Thoriq in a statement released yesterday (April 14).

“The impacts of climate change are already being felt, and that is why we are calling for a cap of 1.5 degree Celcius.”

Thoriq’s pledges were made in response to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report entitled ‘Climate Change 2014: Mitigation of Climate Change’, released on March 31.

The IPCC report contends that the world, in many cases, is ill-prepared for risks from a changing climate. However, it also argues that there are opportunities to respond to such risks, though the risks will be more difficult to manage the higher the levels of warming.

The report confirms that carbon emissions have risen more rapidly during the last decade, and that a rise in our current temperature would make the effects extremely difficult to manage. It further urged leaders to invest in low carbon energy projects in order to limit global warming to 2 degrees celcius.

The statement by Thoriq explains that the Maldives – with its low lying islands vulnerable to a rise in sea levels – has been actively campaigning the impacts of climate change for 27 years.

“We are determined and actively working towards increasing our share of renewable in the electricity production of populated islands by 30% within next 5 years,” stated Thoriq.

“The Maldives is committed to introduce cost effective renewable energy as part of a diverse, low-carbon and secure energy mix in our low carbon development.”

The IPCC report prompted calls from Foreign Minister Dunya Maumoon for the international community to switch from ” ‘business-as-usual’ mode to ‘action now’ “.

“Let this report be the much needed impetus for this September’s Climate Summit in New York, and let us all put our names in history books for saving the planet for our children, in Paris next year”, said Dunya shortly after the report’s publication.

Policies in progress

In keeping with these statements, the Ministry of Environment had recently revealed plans to set up a climate research institute in the Maldives.

Speaking as the guest of honour at the second forum on climate held in the Maldives, Minister Thoriq said that this forum was an important step in mitigating the risks of climate change that low-lying island states experience, reported local media outlet CNM.

Introduced in the Maldives in July 2012, the Monsoon Forum has taken a multi-hazard approach, integrating issues on forecasts and warning information with concerns regarding geological hazards like earthquakes and tsunamis.

This forum – organised jointly by the Maldives Meteorological Service and the Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems – is geared as an opportunity for dialogue between hydro-meteorological scientists, who generate climate information and promote the application of forecasts and warning information for enhanced management of climate change risks.

Thoriq said that these meetings were crucial as different institutions have to anticipate possible impacts and develop a set of potential responses or management strategies to minimise them. He was also reported to have highlighted the importance of having a climate research institute in the Maldives.

In addition, the ministry recently held an international renewable energy investor’s conference, focusing on the development of solar energy, in a bid to transform the Maldives’ energy sector.

Held on March 26, the ministry reported that a total of 78 participants from government organisations, the World Bank, foreign consultants, and investors discussed photovoltaic systems at the conference.

The conference came after the government last week outlined it’s strategic aims for renewable energy in a proposal named ‘Accelerating Sustainable Private Investments in Renewable Energy programme’ (ASPIRE).

Published March 21 2014, this report detailed some of the difficulties faced by the Maldives, as well as future plans to increase the proportion of sustainable energy consumed in the country.

After the publication of the IPCC report, Thoriq stated that there was “no room at all for any hesitancy”.

“Bold and urgent actions are the order of the day. Now is the time for world leaders to show leadership, implement bold and urgent actions and avert future generations from impending danger before it’s too late. Humanity cannot afford further delay.”

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Growing for the future: Hydroponics in the Maldives

Agricultural practices are ingrained in the traditional Maldivian lifestyle. However, Mohamed Shafeegu – Director of Seagull Maldives – argues that with space at a premium and most foods imported, the art of agriculture is at risk of being lost forever.

“They will forget,” warns Shafeegu, “before they know what to do, food security will be a big problem – it will come.”

The answer to a sustainable farming future, according to Shafeegu, is hydroponics.

Hydroponics is a branch of horticulture which uses water to deliver minerals and nutrients to plants rather than soil – allowing farmers to grow crops in places where soil is arid or unyielding.

“I think hydroponics is our future. The demand [for food] will increase with tourism, so there is a big future for agriculture. If we can plan, we can do this.”

Seagull currently operates one of the Maldives’ few farming and fishing operations on Mafaahi island – the produce of which is used to stock their cafe and supermarket in the capital Malé.

The company grows a variety of fruits and vegetables, as well as making boats, keeping goats, and fishing. According to Shafeegu, this is one of only two islands that are carrying out an agricultural project of this scale.

“They said ‘nobody can do this’ – so we tried to do it”

With space at a premium, and much of the land barely arable, the Maldives is a challenging place to grow food. Currently the Maldives imports the majority- an estimated 90% – of its food from neighbouring countries.

The company’s project on Mafaahi it one of the only businesses to be growing its own food – and with 41 different varieties of fruits and vegetables the operation seems to be a success.

The key to the fruitful harvest, according to Shafeegu, is a hydroponics model which they brought from Australia.

“We studied in Australia, and I was doing engineering. We didn’t study agriculture,” revealed Shafeegu. “The reason we did agriculture was for the challenge – because they said ‘nobody can do this’, so we tried to do it.”

As well as the hydroponic system, Seagull brought in an Australian consultant named Graham Evans who helped to evaluate the business. In his review of the Mafaahi establishment in 2008, Evans praised the island’s move towards a sustainable and environmentally friendly agricultural system.

“Changes being made on Mafaahi with the introduction of hydroponics to maximize production with limited resources is commendable. The installation of the very latest solar technology on Mafaahi for pumping water from ground wells has immediate application in many locations throughout the Maldives,” wrote Evans.

In addition to environmental benefits, the effects of the Seagull hydroponics programme can already be seen in the cost of living.

“When we started in 1996, a chilli [was] 6 rufiyaa,” Shafeegu explained. “Now the chilli is around 2 rufiyaa.” Because of these benefits, people are already starting to see the benefits of localised agriculture, he contended.

Water – a precious resource

The only limitation on the potential of hydroponics is water itself, stated Shafeegu.

“We need a lot of water. Now the system we are doing in Mafaahi- we need around 2 thousand tons of water in storage. Because in the rainy season, we get a lot of rain from the roof.”

“If we can desalinate water, it costs a lot of money, but if you can go solar it will be much better.”

Desalination continues to be a huge issue in the Maldives. The lack of fresh drinking water in the country’s 190 inhabited islands – made worse with the contamination of groundwater following the 2004 tsunami – leaves most communities reliant on rainwater and vulnerable to shortages during the dry seasons.

Pioneering attempts to desalinate water using the excess heat from electricity generation have recently been launched in Kaafu atoll, although they remain in their infancy.

“Because we have done 20 years of agriculture, now the island is suffering, so we have to go for another form of irrigation. We put a line, with only a very small amount of water, given just to the roots. Now what we do is we take the pump and put water there, and a lot of water is wasted. So we have to really do a lot of quality control on the water.”

He illustrates the seriousness of this issue with a story about a neighbouring island Thoddoo, and their mis-use of water supplies.

“What has happened to this island is they have done extensive agriculture without scientific methods – what has happened now is the whole water system has gone.”

“They put chemicals in the water, and when you see people there they have white patches on them, from the chemicals – and kidney problems as well. So they are misusing because the demand is so high. And so, it [the environment] is getting destroyed, the control is not there, awareness is not there.”

The future for agriculture

Seagull is currently bidding to extend their lease on Mafaahi, which is due to expire in June 2014.

” Now we are in a very critical situation, and the water is gone now. But we can’t invest in the future, as we are almost at the end of the lease now. I think if we don’t give to us, I don’t know to whom they will give.”

“So I think the only thing is hydroponics – the government has to invest in this,” confirmed Shafeegu.

“If they don’t do that I think we will even lose the backyard farming [a traditional farming practise on local islands]. And we will not have anything to eat. Food security will be finished. Now we have a good food security based on this backyard farming, now I think it’s going to a different level.”

The Maldives has previously been described as one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to climate-change related food security issues, due to its dependence on fish stocks regarded as likely to migrate with changing conditions in the oceans.

“They [Maldivians] will forget. I think what will happen is, they will forget even to grow their own plants. Before they know what to do, food security is a big problem, it will come,” says Shafeegu.

“But I think we can grow enough, if we can plan.”

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Reports of exotic animals set loose as police crack down on illegal pets

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has described as “alarming” reports that exotic pets are being set loose in response to a police crackdown on illegal animals.

“We have heard from the police that some people are releasing those things into the wild, and that is a big concern to us,” Director General of the EPA Ibrahim Naeem told Minivan News.

Reports of animals being released came as authorities yesterday revealed details of a joint operation to tackle the rise of illegal pets in the country.

The scale of the problem has become apparent as the police have embarked on a campaign to tackle the nation’s endemic narcotics problems, with a series of exotic creatures increasingly featuring in the lists of items seized during raids.

When urging customs to tighten security last month, Police Commissioner Hussain Waheed complained that his forces were devoting as much time to dealing with illegal pets as they were to illegal drugs.

Representatives of the police, the customs service,  and the environment and fisheries ministries held a joint press conference during which they declared that action needed to be taken.

“As this is something that could likely result in a dangerous and tragic incident, the operation has been commenced to take necessary measures before such an incident occurs, locate the animals and bring them under our custody,” said Superintendent of Police Ahmed Azhan.

State Minister for Environment and Energy Hassan Shah warned of dangerous consequences of the import of “alien species” to the Maldives as the country lacked the medicine to treat snake or spider bites.

Shah stated that there was an increase in dangerous and endangered animals but a lack of medicine or rescue centers available locally.

A source within the police today revealed that the animals have been taken to Dhoonidhoo police custodial centre, where the EPA is being consulted regarding their upkeep.

Police have revealed that the operation has so far resulted in the confiscation of 11 iguanas, a snake, a sugar glider (possum), an owl, a squirrel, and 105 rats.

Also being kept at Dhoonidhoo is a slow loris, also confiscated during anti-drug raids. The Ministry of Environment and Energy revealed last week that it had little option but to destroy the endangered primate, though conservation groups have since shown interest in the animal’s plight.

At least three snakes have been discovered on the streets of Malé in recent weeks, with Shah yesterday suggesting that these alien species could pose a threat to both the public and to the delicate balance of the ecosystem.

As well as releasing exotic pets into the streets, Minivan News has also received reports that some animals are being destroyed rather than allowing their owners to be incriminated. One reported incident saw a pet snake killed and cut up into small pieces in order to prevent its discovery by authorities.

The territory of the Maldives – made up of over 1000 small islands – is made of of 99 percent water, with bats, birds, and small reptiles being the only significant indigenous species to be found on land.

The EPA today also revealed that it had been made aware reports that two kangaroos had been brought to the Maldives from Dubai Zoo as part of the attractions at the soon-to-be-opened Amilla Fushi resort in Baa atoll.

“That is not verifiable – we are still looking into it,” said Naeem.

He did, however, note that the EPA had not been informed of any such imports – including the arrival of four emus earlier this year, reported on social media by the same developers for a separate project.

“Normally, if you were trying to importing something that is alien to the Maldives you have to inform the EPA before importing them.”

Minivan News was unable to contact Amilla Fushi on their publicly listed number at the time of press.

Similarly, the Maldives Customs Service explained today that the import of these animals did not appear on their records.

“We currently don’t have any information regarding that. Our records don’t show that kind of animal has been imported earlier,” a media official said today.

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Indonesian NGO offers to rescue slow loris from euthanasia

The plight of an illegally trafficked slow loris has attracted international attention with the Jakarta Animal Aid Network (JAAN) offering to re-home the animal and a petition being launched to rescue it from euthanasia.

“We are much willing to repatriate this endangered primate back to Indonesia,” stated Femke Den Haas, founder of the Slow Loris Rehabilitation Centre has told the Ministry of Environment.

“We oppose the plan to euthanise. The loris should provided specialised veterinary care and high animal welfare standards.”

However, the reply from the government – also obtained by Minivan News – outlined a number of difficulties that needed to be overcome before they could proceed.

“If you could find a flight or any other mode of legal transportation, could bear the expenses and if Indonesia will allow the slow lori [sic] to be imported into the country in spite of it not fitting OIE standard, we will be able to move forward,” an official from the ministry told Femke.

The slow loris – which is currently being held at Dhoonidhoo police custodial centre – was discovered by police during a drugs raid in the capital Malé, along with more than MVR300,000 in cash.

Following the discovery, the Ministry of Environment has faced a number of hurdles in finding a sanctuary for the primate, leaving it facing the decision to destroy the endangered animal.

“After running out of other options, the ministry sees euthanasia as the only option available,” said Assistant Director for the Environment Department Ilham Atho Mohamed last week.

“This decision does not affect the wild population or the conservation potential of the species. It will also help prevent further illegal trade of such species and  prevent the specimen from re-entering illegal trade,” she contended.

An offer of sanctuary

Associates of the Slow Loris Rehabillitation Centre contacted the government after reading last week’s article in Minivan News (April 10).

In an email sent to the Ministry of Environment on April 11, Femke offered JAAN’s services, and expressed a firm interest in taking care of the animal.

“We are much willing to repatriate this endangered primate back to Indonesia. For this, we would need one letter of request for repatriation from your environment ministry,” she wrote.

Despite the offer, the government’s reply listed a number of reasons that were currently obstructing the animal’s rescue.

“When they request for a repatriate letter, the slow lori found in Maldives is a Bengal Slow Lori whose origin is in a wide range of countries but not in Indonesia,” Assistant Director for the Environment Department Ilham Atho Mohamed told Minivan News today.

“Therefore, such a letter cannot be issued to be transferred to Indonesia,” although Ilham expressed hope such issues could soon be resolved.

One of the other difficulties cited was the lack of knowledge of the animal’s history and the absence of medical records.

“The animal does not fit OIE standards,” said a ministry official. “We do not know the age or country of origin of the Slow Lori as it was confiscated during a police operation, and the accused illegal traders chose their right to stay silent on this issue.”

In addition, the expense of transporting the slow loris was a major factor in deciding to contemplate euthanasia.

“Maldives cannot bear any expense of transporting it,” read the email sent to Femke.

In spite of the protests from the government, Femke insists that there are ways to overcome the difficulties outlined by the government.

“I have repatriated many confiscated animals back to Indonesia and always the costs we made were shared. The airlines normally allow the transport to happen for free. It’s good for their publicity,” she stated.

“If the Maldives is a member of CITES it should follow its regulations. If they can’t care for the loris the loris should at least be handed over to a specialised rescue – rehab center , the closest nearby.”

Some Maldivians and members of the international community have expressed their support to rehabilitate the animal in a petition on Avaaz.

The petition – started Maldivian resident called Nora on April 12 – has reached over 300 signatures in just one day.

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