Equipment required to manage the protected area of South Ari Atoll has been handed over under the Tech4Nature Maldives project.
The Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy said an important phase of the Tech4Nature Maldives project, which aims to use modern technology in managing the South Ari Atoll Marine Protected Area (SAMPA), has now been completed.
Under the project, specialised equipment required to manage the protected area has been handed over to the rangers working in the area.
In addition to handing over the equipment, practical training is being provided to rangers on how to use it. The ministry said the training is aimed at familiarising rangers with the equipment and strengthening field operations.
The main objective of the initiative is to expand the management of South Ari Atoll's marine area through the use of technology. The ministry said this would significantly strengthen efforts to protect the population of whale sharks in the area, which are considered globally threatened.
Tech4Nature is a project funded by Huawei. It is being implemented jointly by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy.
The project forms part of efforts to protect the Maldives' environment and promote the use of modern tools to conserve marine ecosystems, particularly under initiatives aimed at protecting marine biodiversity.