Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Growing concern over presence of the mongoose in Samoa

Posted at 07:07 on 09 February, 2010 UTC

There’s growing concern in Samoa among farmers for their crops after a number of mongoose sightings in the Aleipata district.

The area’s coastline was badly damaged by the tsunami last September but many inland plantations weren’t ruined and are thriving.

Several sightings of mongoose in the district since late last year is raising alarm for environment officials and farmers who believe the mammal will wreak havoc on the rural environment and root crops.

Our correspondent in Apia Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia, says its a worry as its the first time he’s heard of any mongoose on-island, let alone its impact on the environment.

“The division of quarantine of the Ministry of Agriculture says it is a pest because it can eat other useful root crops like taro and taamu. Especially those villages still relying on those root crops after the tsunami even though the plantation is still safe from that natural disaster and the village still has to have that food for their everyday consumption.”

Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia