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Apia, Samoa – August 26, 2024 – The swift response by authorities following the discovery of a meerkat in Vaitele last Thursday highlights how critical public awareness and cooperation are to protecting Samoa’s unique biodiversity.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) successfully captured the potentially destructive invasive species following an alert from the Samoa Water Authority’s Vaitele office that a suspected mongoose had been spotted on its grounds.
Recognizing the potential threat to Samoa’s ecosystem, the MNRE-DEC team quickly mobilized, working with the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) Pacific Regional Invasive Species Management Support Service (PRISMSS) to provide technical advice and equipment.
As of 6:48 p.m. that day, the team successfully captured a large meerkat, suspected to be a female.
Image of captured meerkats provided by India’s Department of Natural Resources and Natural Resources.
The ministry stressed the seriousness of the situation and the direct impact of the invasive pests.
Meerkats have contributed to the extinction of ground-nesting birds worldwide and pose a major threat to Samoa’s fragile ecosystems.
“Our native birds, Pacific pythons, other reptiles and even turtle eggs could be at risk if the mongoose becomes established here. The Ministry, in collaboration with key partners, is committed to preventing this invasive species from gaining a foothold in Samoa,” a statement from the MNRE said.
“We would like to assure the public that we will continue our efforts to locate and capture the remaining meerkats.”
Meerkats are small carnivorous mammals known for their long faces and bodies, rounded ears, short legs and elongated tails. They are often accidentally transported in shipping containers and ships.
Further investigations are underway to confirm its sex and species and how the meerkat ended up in Samoa.
MNRE expresses its gratitude to the SWA team for its timely report and SPREP-PRISMSS for its valuable support.
The ministry appealed to the public, especially residents of Vaitele area, to remain vigilant and report any sightings of mongoose or unfamiliar animals to MNRE at +685 67200.
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