European group shows interest in protecting slow loris

Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has said that a group from a European country has expressed interest in protecting and taking care of the caged slow loris recently discovered by police in the Maldives.

The slow loris, an endangered species, was discovered by police at a house named Zillion in Male’ during a drug bust in January. The animal has been kept under police protection for 46 days.

Director General of EPA Ibrahim Naeem told Sun Online that Maldives is party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), under which slow loris is a protected species.

Naeem said that CITES was consulted about how to proceed when the animal, which does not exist naturally in the Maldives, was discovered in the Maldives.

“A European country has expressed interest in taking care of it. They have the training and experience necessary to care of such animals. A group from another country has also shown interest in taking care of the slow loris,” he said.

Naeem said that several smuggled animals have been found by the police, including snakes and dangerous animals; and efforts are ongoing to make arrangements to send them abroad. He said that airlines however often refuse to have these animals onboard their flights.

“Animal rights are given high priority these days. If we were to build a zoo, we’d have to create the natural environment for the animal. I don’t think this is possible in the Maldives,” he said.

The parliament approved Maldives joining CITES, which provides protection to over 33,000 endangered species of animals and birds, in August 2012; following which Maldives became a member of CITES in March 2013.