Tag: endangered

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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Slow loris to be euthanised as Environment Ministry runs out of options

The Ministry of Environment has decided that an illegally trafficked slow loris – a species recognised as ‘vulnerable’ on the IUCN red list – will be euthanised.

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

“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.

The slow loris was discovered by police in a January drugs raid in the capital Malé, along with more than MVR300,000 in cash.

“In the capacity of the Management Authority of the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in Maldives, we have already explored all options and have come to a decision from the Ministry’s side,” Ilham told Minivan News today.

According to Ilham, there were three possible options when dealing with the animal – keeping it in captivity, returning it to the wild, or having the animal put down.

She explained that these are the three options given in accordance with the CITES resolution on ‘Disposal of confiscated live specimens of species’ which she noted was in line with international best practice.

The first option of captivity was not available in the Maldives, she noted, with no rescue centres, humane societies, or relevant university facilities.

As the CITES resolution details a number of other obstacles to keeping the creature in captivity in the Maldives, Ilham explained that the ministry had attempted to find a home for the slow loris elsewhere.

“Through the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums an announcement was made and two parties showed interest.  One from the Czech Republic and other from Brazil,” though Ilham explained that the interested parties in Brazil had not responded after initial enquiries.

Issues soon arose with the transfer to the Czech Republic, however, as the import of the animal could not be approved as it is not in accordance with World Organisation for Animal Health.

Furthermore, flights landing in Maldives are neither willing to take the animal, nor do  they meet with the IATA Live Animal Regulations. Alternatively, sea transport proved prohibitively expensive.

The second option of returning the animal to the wild was not available in the Maldives, stated Ilham, as the Maldives does not have the wild habitat of the slow loris.

“For countries that do not have the above two options this [euthanasia] is the only option and the least expensive one.”

“The resolution mentioned above also states ‘it cannot be overstressed that euthanasia may frequently be the  simplest and most humane option available’ and gives several clear advantages,” she explained.

Unnatural habitat

Following the discovery of the a number of exotic and illegal animals by police this year, the government has moved to step up customs security, in an effort to stem the flow of illegal animals being trafficked into the Maldives.

“We have instructed cargo checks and consider giving more attention to these, and will report any findings,” said Senior Superintendant of Customs Ahmed Niyaz, adding that customs were working closely with the police.

Any dangerous animals that are confiscated are handed over to the police, he said, adding that “if an animal is protected under convention they will inform the Ministry of Environment. They will then check with international bodies.”

In the majority of cases the dangerous animals will then be sent to other countries, due to insufficient space or expertise in Malé, he explained.

Aside from those trafficked, non-native species such as crocodiles have also found themselves in the Maldives, resulting in dilemmas regarding the appropriate way to handle these unusual arrivals.

In 1998, a small crocodile – or kimboo in Dhivehi – was found off the coast of a local island. The animal was brought back to the Malé and placed in a small cage as a central park attraction, where it remains to this day.

Kimboo occasionally makes it into local media and even has his own Facebook page calling for his release from his now-cramped quarters, which the World Society for the Protection of Animals has called “entirely inadequate”

Similar to the slow loris, attempts to have the crocodile relocated to have yet to produce results, with financial and legal obstacles barring kimboo’s path out of the country.

The discovery of two more crocodiles in early 2011 raised serious concerns around the containment and treatment of animals in the Maldives.

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