Residents anxious as mongooses invade Riffa

Manama : The increasing numbers of mongoose appearing in several residential areas in Riffa have caused a wave of panic among residents. Residents of Block 909, located near Hunainiya Valley in the southern parts of Riffa, have been complaining about large numbers of mongoose apparently entering their homes and attacking their pets.

The animals, locally known as Arais, are common in agricultural areas of the Kingdom such as the northern area and some parts of Muharraq, but the people of Riffa are unfamiliar with it, says Badr Al Tamimi, a Riffa resident and the municipal representative of the area. Mr Al Tamimi said, “The appearance of these animals in Riffa is unusual. They normally grow in farms and agricultural areas. Block 909 and the surrounding blocks are located near Hunainiya Valley, which is known for its desert nature. We have never seen this animal in Riffa before. It’s normal that people are panicking.” The councillor said at least ten complaints from residents about mongooses invading their homes in the past few days. 

Replying to the opinions stating that mongooses are harmless to humans and only eat rodents, birds, reptiles and smaller animals, Mr Al Tamimi firmly answered, “It’s a meat-eating animal after all. What if it doesn’t find any rodents or birds to eat. It might attack humans, especially children, to feed its hunger. A resident recently told me his hens were attacked by mongooses.” 

“Let’s believe that the animal is harmless, but we can’t deny the fact that the people are afraid of it and don’t know how to act when they encounter one. We have communicated with Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Ministry, Al Areen Wildlife Park and Reserve and the Environment Friends Society. We were given the same answer saying that the situation is natural and that the residents will have to coexist with it,” Mr Al Tamimi said. The representative demanded the related authorities to take immediate action to limit the breeding of mongooses in the area, fearing that the issue would escalate, quite similar to the stray dogs dilemma. 

“We demand finding a solution to this problem before it expands to the surrounding areas, such as Awali, West Riffa and other residential blocks. Prevention is better than cure. We must act before the problem grows out of control and cost the government big amounts to tackle it. The stray dogs issue is a good example,” Mr Al Tamimi added.