Director General of the Ministry of Environment, Mohamed Zahir has said that the issue of the smuggling of dangerous animals to Maldives reached such alarming levels because of the neglect of all responsible authorities.
Mohamed Zahir made this remark speaking at the discussion held at the SHE building on controlling alien species smuggled into the country.
Mohamed Zahir said that the smuggling of these animals have been creating hybrids changing the natural state of these animals. He said that there is also fear of endangering these animals because of changing their habitat
.He said that there is also fear of the smuggling of poisonous snakes even though the snakes confiscated by the police were not poisonous. He said that there are no health care service available for snake bite victims.
He underscored the importance of preparation of medical expertise and service to respond to such situations.
Meanwhile, an endangered animal called Slow Loris was confiscated during a drug raid last year.
After several unsuccessful attempts to transfer the animal, Monkey World-Ape Rescue center from UK has offered to take proper care of the slow loris until it finds a permanent home. The animal will be transported in accordance with the international laws and regulations of Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES) and International Air Transport Association (IATA).
All species of loris are protected by the International law under the Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species, CITES. In 2007, all loris species were upgraded to CITES Appendix 1 in order to provide these primates with the highest international protection due to increasing and unsustainable trade for traditional medicine and the illegal pet trade.
Director General of Ministry of Environment and Energy urged the public not to import the endangered species illegally and said that it would be difficult to take the same decision on other illegally imported animals.