Samoa is grappling with the implications of a recent mongoose sighting, with no updates yet on how this invasive species entered the country. 

Senior officials from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (M.N.R.E.) D.E.C. division confirmed that efforts are still underway to determine how the mongoose got to Samoa. 

 Last week, M.N.R.E. issued a public alert urging vigilance due to the potential threat mongooses pose to Samoa’s delicate ecosystem.

On August 22, 2024, the Samoa Water Authority's Vaitele office reported a suspected mongoose sighting.

 The M.N.R.E.’s Division of Environment and Conservation (DEC) quickly responded by mobilising a team to address the situation. 

Working closely with the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and the Pacific Regional Invasive Species Management Support Service (P.R.I.S.M.S.S.), they received technical assistance and equipment.

By the evening of August 22, the team successfully captured a large female mongoose. Further examinations are underway to confirm its species and sex. 

Mongooses are known to be detrimental to ground-nesting bird species and could severely impact native wildlife, including birds, the Pacific Boa, other reptiles, and sea turtle eggs.

The M.N.R.E. is collaborating with government agencies, S.P.R.E.P., and international partners not only to identify how the invasive species deemed as a threat to Samoa's fragile ecosystem but to prevent the mongoose from establishing a foothold in Samoa. 

The ministry assures the public that efforts to track and capture any additional mongooses will persist. 

Mongooses are small carnivorous mammals with elongated bodies, round ears, short legs, and long tails are often transported unintentionally via shipping containers and vessels.