Seychelles poachers go nutty for erotic shaped seed
Under cover of darkness in the steamy jungles of the Seychelles thieves creep out to harvest the sizeable and valuable nuts of the famous coco de mer palm, and their activities are threatening its long-term survival.
The trees survive, but slashing with knives means the rare palms produce fewer fruit each year, while the seeds themselves are taken off for sale rather than producing new plants.
"Shock and horror," the headline of a Seychelles news agency story read after a raid last month in which 10 nuts were stolen.
With some 17,000 trees counted on Praslin and 10,000 on neighbouring Curieuse island, the tree is now on the warning "red list" of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, IUCN.
It says numbers have dropped by almost a third within three generations of trees, warning the harvesting and illegal sale of the nuts poses a significant threat.
"Before we'd see about 75 coconuts on a tree, now there are just 25," said Victorin Laboudallon of the Seychelles Islands Foundation (SIF), which helps conserve the palm-filled Vallee de Mai national park, a UNESCO-listed World Heritage Site.
"Trees do not give as much fruit as before when a coconut is cut."
- Alleged aphrodisiac -
The nut is a fertility symbol for some and in Asia, particularly in China, it has a reputation as an alleged aphrodisiac.
Thousands of tourists who visit the white sand beaches of the Seychelles eye them as ornaments.
Britain's Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge were given a nut by the government at the end of their honeymoon on the Seychelles in 2011.
Protected by law, nuts can only be taken out of the country in accordance with strict regulations.
A nut, which can weigh as much as 35 kilogrammes (77 pounds), can reportedly sell for as much as $450 per kilogramme ($202 a pound) on the black market, meaning a single nut can sell for thousands of dollars.
In an attempt to curb the thefts and protect the 19 hectares (47 acres) of forest where the palms are found SIF has boosted the number of guards, but the rugged terrain and lack of fences complicate that task.
The bizarre "double" nut has an ancient history: traded far from the archipelago to the Middle East, Asia and Europe, earning legends of its healing powers.
For centuries, its origin was a mystery: nuts were found only adrift at sea or washed up on the white sand beaches of the Indian Ocean. Never having been seen growing on land, sailors thought that they came from the sea bed itself - giving the name, the "coconut of the sea".
Demand grew after the country's independence from Britain in 1976 and the boom in its tourism industry, said Laboudallon.
But the illegal smuggling continues.
Laboudallon fears the tree could suffer the same fate as the Dodo, the extinct bird that disappeared nearly 400 years ago on the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius.
The environment ministry insists
they are in control of the situation, installing x-ray machines at the
airport to scan for the nut, said top official Ronley Fanchet.
But environmental activists were shocked when a recent culinary
festival, organised by the culture ministry, featured the famous nut.For the first time, coco de mer dishes -- including ice cream, pies and bread -- were available for tasting at the one-off festival.
Defenders of the fruit warned that could create a new demand that would put the nuts under even greater pressure.
"If tomorrow there are menus with coco de mer in all restaurants, what do we do?" said SIF chief Frauke Dogley.
"It is not the one-off use of the kernel which is the issue here, but creating a demand, where the side-effects have the full potential to lead to an unsustainable exploitation."
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/seychelles-poachers-nutty-erotic-shaped-seed-051713045.html#f4I2Sgq
Hotels and restaurants are the main culprit.
ReplyDeleteNot hotels and rstauarants but For foreigne buyers especially Chinese.Since ,we have the present of Chines on our shores things has worsen and Paritilepep thugs who seems to be the main culrpits have done nothing to stop this damaging trend.
ReplyDeleteThe intensity of the illegal practice ,assume that the buyers (probably Asians)are offering high amount for a nut.Morevoer, it seems that the stolen nuts is aim for markets abroad which means that coc de mer nuts is leaving Seychelles either by paln or boat or in Diplomatic bags and private palnes---Diplomatic bags are not search and private planes benefit from partilepep laissez-faire and privildge.This also shows us how inffective CUSTOM in Seychelels are--that coco de mer is leaving the country whiouth then discoverying even one single nut shows how corrupt has become an edenmic problem created by partilepep and its gang.
When would partilepep put in palce a gang of garud to secure Valley de Mai 24 on 24 hours to ensure thatn this devastativng fleoh stop immedaiteely and culprits apprehended.
Some of the culprits --might be Hamilton Leon and his gang of fools--someone known for illegal ACTIVITES --INCLUDING STEALING COCO DE MER IN THE PAST.iT IS TIME pARTILEPEP ;sT aNGE REACT AND START DEALING WITH THE PROBLEM$
iS IT REALLY Seychellois INVOVLE,OR CHINESE WORKKERS OR COMBINE--WE ARE EXPECTING AND AWAITING PARTILEPEP TO TAKE ITS RESPONSIBILITY AND SECURE vALLEY DE mAI IMMEDIATELY FROM THIS DEVASTATION.
pARTILEPEP DONKEYS WE WANT AQ STOP OF YOUR CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES IMMEDAITELY AND I BELIEVE THE SENTENCE FOR ROBBERY AND THEFT IN REGARDS TO coco dE MER SHOULD BE PUT HIGH MINIMUM 20 YEARS WITHOUT RPOBABTION OR ELSE.
aPRTILEPEP DONKEYS HAS A DUTY AND RESPONSIBILITY TO STOP THIS FLEOH AND APPREHEND THESE MONKEYS WITHOUT BRAINS WHO DO NOT SEEM TO HAVE MORAL AND UNDERSTAND THE DEVASTATION THEY DOING TO OUR LAND.
wHAT IS SURE STOELEN COCO DE MER NUTS ARE BEING IMPORTED ,PROBABLY TO china-.wE KNOW THAT Chinese are crooks__fro instance,in a illegal IVORY deals by Chinese in Tanzania it was discovered that ivory was transported in CHINES PRESIENT palne to China by high Chinese official,these Chinese and Aseins are probably the main buyers and since they donot have the same notion of Environmnet protection etc.. as we do ,they would not mind cutting down all coco de mer trees to fulfill their crooknesss.
Partilepep must act and act now by recruiting special patrol guard and security to stop this monkeys destroying our Inheritage.
And any monkeys caught must be punished with high prison sentences.Diplomatic bags and private jets of foreigners must be controlled,especially Chines or Asians.
If it is hotel doing that t icould be five star hotels LIke Raffles and LUmeria who have to supply their clients with all they like regardless if it is destroying the National emblem of our land.Partilepep should start investigating these hotels.And of course since there is literally no Seychellois National wêmploy in these hotels then the secret is well kept.Foreign hotel workers might be recruited by their boos to commit this crime on our land.Partilepep mustz do everything to stop this criminal activities and aprtilepep should be able to tackle this problem for often Mature COC De Mer nuts are being stoelne near road sides at Valley De Mer ,which shows how easy it is and shows also thatr police in Seychelles are just ineffective.Te robbery of Coco de Mer is not new ,and still partilepep donkeys have done nothing to investigate ,recruit special security guard ,or CID etc.. to tackle the problem maybe because partilepep thugs is behind.
ReplyDeleteWe must stop this criminal act immediately partilepep ,so take action donkeys .Chkec these five star hotels especially those owed by foreigners.Partilepep have imported Arab mIndains to destroy our land----And it is no doubt that rich persons are behind this criminal activitiy-Aprtileppe must find those criminals and if found to be foriegners the foreign culprit should be immediately deported from our land.
Aprtilepep imported foreigners are destroying Seychelles heritage.Partilepep polcies are responsible and therefore partilepep must fit the shit.
Thanks for your comment. Coco de mer dishes are in demand in hotels and restaurant in Seychelles. It is highly likely that poachers sell them on the black market to these establishments. They get paid and the hotel owners make a profit by putting it on the menu. It is a vicious circle.
DeleteIt does NOT make it right!!
DeleteTge illegal importation od dried COco de Mer by paritlepep thugs must also stop.It has been going on too long.ONly Locals having soveneir shops should be allow to sale coco de mer nad that only locally,No COCO de MEr should be exported ,Partilepep.ONly Seychellois artists ,souvenirshop keeprs mustz have the right to sell them and that affordable only locally.
ReplyDeleteStop the mees you have created partilepep and that now donekys.It has been going on for too long. GO check raffle hotel,Lumieria and others they are ready to destroy Seychelles to fulfill their pockets and satifiies their crooked clients.
Ste Ange is destroying our heritage. He does not care about the environment and our future generations. All he cares is the number of tourist that lands on the shores of Seychelles.
ReplyDeleteTake a look at his bizarre behaviour, the minute there is a slight drop in the number of tourists visiting Seychelles, off he goes around the world with coco de mer in his suitcases to give to politicians and travel agents as gifts.
Parti Lepep cronies, hotels and restaurants are implicated in the depletion of the Coco de mer in Seychelles. This is fact not fiction.
Tourists are on holiday liberated from the social and cultural constraints of their everyday lives. They are in Seychelles to have a good time. They do not give a shit if they are destroying our national and cultural heritage.
The less tourists we have the better for our children. We should concentrate on the vast ocean resources that we inherited from the above.
The sooner the better.
NDEA ARE INVOLED IN IT.
ReplyDeleteAll we have in Seychelles are flip-flop politicians.
ReplyDeleteThis sudden change of policy and opinion by an individual is detriment to his integrity.
If we continue in this path, it will only lead into the hands of our enemies.
In my view, a person should stick to his beliefs and moral principles. There should be no U-turn in politics. Once you lose the trust of the people, you are a deadbeat. As simple as that!
Gary Tall
Well said Gary Tall they are lots of things Seychellios are unhappy seen years,but no politicians get ball to stop it by organise a march throw Victoria dem bomboo klatt are to cowade..
ReplyDeleteI tell you once again Seychelles politi-fes REVOLUTION ARE THE SOLUTION no other way out of captivity and stop invaders, wait for ballot box you turn up loser like always again lately PP have gave foreigners our citizenship.
So 27 k of this famous nut trees.
ReplyDeleteAlmost same amount of cannabis uprooted by law enforcement!
This is all about Pl failed policies they will preach one thing and next they do the opposite time after time.
The whole scenario in Seychelles is very sad and despicable. Truly the Seychelles islands have been high jacked by foreigners and Seychellois have themselves to blame. Soon it will not be the place of abundance as it was known in the past. Political power is in the hands of few incompetent and corrupt people. Seychelles is being torn apart bit by bit just to keep those few living 'devant and vivant'. The invading foreigners are in Seychelles for their own individual objectives and could not care less about your heritage. Examples are everywhere and chaos reign in every sector. Just look at the foreigners in the work places and businesses, they have swapped the Seychellois aside. Foreigners are even representing Seychelles overseas. Foreign visitors look at Coco-de-mer as a sexy delicacy, whilst STB is all out to please Chinese tourists who look at it as aphrodisiac. Foreigners are exporting fish and crustaceans for profits only and not a care for stocks and local consumption. Soon Seychellois will see beautiful red Bourjois in photos only and huge memorial mango trees in art pictures on the wall. At the end of the day, Seychelles will be just like other depilated, garbage-filled ocean rim countries. Seychelles would not be 'another world' anymore. Only then that Seychellois will realize that those foreign 'friends of Seychelles' were in fact the 'fiends of Seychelles'
ReplyDeleteGill pe poach
ReplyDeleteThis is 100% true.
ReplyDeleteSeychelles been hijacked by FOREIGNERS.
Creole nowadays are speechless and can't even open their mouth to voice their opinions. Sesel sa under the command of Colonel James Alix Michele.
And that was never going to happen under France Albert Rene.
I wish he was still alive!
Again destroying our famous cocodemer trees are wrong but who do you think are doing this? Yes..... we all know the answers.
ReplyDeleteJust like our famous turtle meat......... seselwa are not allowed to kill and consume it but who do you think is eating this meat whenever they want?
Yes..... we all know the answers.
DO WHAT I SAID ......DON'T DO WHAT I DO.
Partilepep must act and act now.By putting a gang of arm person patrol epsicially in evening at Valley de Mai.Valley is a Unique palce nad world heritsge and we have a duty to protect it by all means including Opening fire with machine guns on any crooks who try to destroy our heritage.
ReplyDeleteInstead of apying NDEA a fortune to bullshit Seychellois even in their homes ,aprtilepep should use NDEA to garud valley de Mai and apprehend those criminals.
OTHERS---CID investigations,collection of swaet,fingerprinters,footstep of crime scene should be collected by forensic experts ,then all men on PRASLIN including expat wokers should go through a DNA test to find out the criminals hiding <among us.There is no doubt that lots of traces of DAN are left behind by these criminals--when they climbed the tree.USing dogs,--but what is nnedded immediatiely is a SPECIAL UNIT FO security gaurds to patrol and protect ValleyDe MAi from this criminal assault immeidaitely.CID should go wuestions woreks in five stars hotels--for it seems the crime benefit rich foreigners coming inthese hotels who want because of their money want to eat--caviar,drink champagin and as DESET eat COCO_DE MER with COGNAC --the hotel direction if found involve in these crime should be harshly punished and if foreigners are involve they must be jail long sentence and after their sentence beported.
I donot accept the idea that consist of teeling us -we cannot find the culprits ro else--in a small population of a few thousands of persons with a maojirty og abolence and old people there is a handful of persons to be investigated there------by Collect DNA smaple from all MEN living ofn the Island .I am sure that in a few days those criminals can be apprehended and jailed.
Colloecting DAN smaple of a whole village to find out criminals had been practiced in Euroepan successfully in murder case .And one could imagine that if big countires with big villages with millions of inhabitants could collect DNA smaples to analyse then even found the criminals ,it should nopt be that difficult to do it On Praslin with a population of ) thousdans--What is needed is the WILL,the porffesionalsim, and the tools to do so.
I know Partilepep donkeys are brainless,but in any case this crime cannot and must not be left unsolved.If partilepep cannot apprehend these crimnals I am going to organize my own investigation,and security guard unite to apprehend these monekys by force.That is those criminals who would attempt to enter Valley de Mai night or any one present at certain time in the evening around Valley de Mia should be ready to take a good gunshot in their asseseholes.They can stop vonluntarily or they must know they will be shot dowm.We must not aloe donkeys to destroy our heritage to please ofreing rich partilepep brought to control us ro destroy us.
After coco de mer now tortoise to Chinese big bussiness them crook say, a deal sign once again with out approve by Seychellios peoples it seem those tortoise,coco de mer belong to PP.VOLER.
ReplyDeleteTalking night watch in Valle de mai forget it all force on Praslin never work 24 hours just past to those police station around 11 pm closed they gone to sleep only Seychelles police dont work 24 hours on 24 and change shift.
Its better Praslinios start to watch their coco de mer by themselves if only them crook benefiting from it. if they starting to export its plant to China.Destroying every things god gave to us to please red dragon and invaders and to get aid for free by destroying our environment same with hotels just built with thinking about water on a island its big mistake Seychellios wake up and smell reality.
ReplyDelete