Malé, Maldives – The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), today, released a warning stating that individuals who harm migratory dragonflies and other protected species will be penalized.
The EPA statement read that while this is migrating seasons for birds, insects and other species protected under the Protected Species Regulation (Regulation No. R-25/2021), there are increasing reports of harmful acts towards these species.
This is the dragonfly migration period and they stop in the Maldives during their migration, some between India and Africa. The dragonflies are known to be an actor in controlling the local mosquito population and EPA warned against any acts that may harm the protected dragonfly population.
EPA states that individuals set traps on plain grounds such as football fields to catch the protected birds and insects. The protected species are then locked and cages and harmed.
The EPA warned that perpetrators will be penalized according to the Environmental Protection and Preservation Act of Maldives (Law No. 4/93).
If found guilty of such an act, the perpetrators will be fined between MVR 30,000 to MVR 50,000.
