Bush crickets are not considered a threat to Seychelles, but officials had closed the cargo area for testing. (Salifa Karapetyan, Seychelles News Agency)
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(Seychelles News Agency) – A preliminary analysis conducted on Tuesday on two insects in the cargo area of Seychelles International Airport shows that they are bush crickets rather than grasshoppers, as previously thought.
Bush crickets are not considered a threat to Seychelles, but officials had closed the cargo area for testing.
The managing director of the National Biosecurity Agency (NBA), Marc Naiken, said at a press conference that “the two insects were intercepted on the Turkish Airlines TK 748, which came from Turkey and arrived on Tuesday, July 20 at around 11:05 am Seychelles arrived “.
“While the documents were being reviewed by NBA officials, an Air Seychelles official discovered and caught an insect that jumped on a box of watermelon. The insect looked like a grasshopper, ”said Naiken.
Another similar insect that was seen flying in the cargo terminal was also caught and placed in a container to prevent it from escaping.
“The health department was notified and it was decided to fog the entire area to ensure that no other insect that might have got into the hold could escape. In addition, a buffer area was fumigated, ”continues Naiken.
Air Seychelles informed all arriving airlines that the cargo area would then be closed so that no further cargo should be unloaded that day.
Naiken explained that the officers went to the cargo area at 6:00 a.m. the next morning to check if there were any more insects. After a thorough examination, the perishable goods were released.
The flight carried goods for five importers who brought 32 types of fruit and vegetables to the Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean. Among the goods was frozen processed pork.
“After we caught the insect, our staff began identifying the insect to get a preliminary identification that should help us understand the risks it might have posed if one had escaped,” Naiken said.
He noted that based on the information collected, the results showed that the insects were two male bush crickets, a creature that is not dangerous.
“This type of insect feeds on other insects as well as tender grass. She lives in the Mediterranean. We will send a sample to our regional partners for confirmatory analysis, ”said Naiken.
“According to bio-security laws, it is up to the captain of the aircraft to ensure that no pests, insects or diseases are brought in that are detrimental to the economy or the ecology of the country. Any action taken will be directed.” to the airline as they were the ones who accepted the goods. They will take over the border controls in Turkey because they didn’t do their job properly, “said Naiken.
