Number of birds put down yesterday exceeds 500!

It has been revealed that the number of birds put down by Fisheries Ministry yesterday, exceeds 500.

A company named Furabithu Aquarium and Pets said that 266 birds imported by them had also been put down yesterday.

The company’s Managing Director Mohamed Niyaz said that the number of birds put down yesterday will exceed 500.

“In addition to the 120 birds belonging to Pet Master, 266 birds of ours were also put down. Another company’s birds were also put down,” he had said.

Niyaz said that the birds from the company being put down like that has resulted in a loss of over MVR 180,000 for the company.

Pet Master’s Managing Director Hussain Athif had said that the birds of the company which were put down had cost them MVR 800,000.

Athif said that at the time the birds were brought to Maldives, the permit to import the particular type of birds had not existed. However, Athif said that amendments were made to the law after which the permit to import such type of birds were granted.

The case of illegally imported birds being put down has been brought to the attention of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. He has instructed relevant authorities to conduct an investigation of the matter.

Youths in Male’ City, protested this evening over the birds being illegally put down. It was a peaceful protest.