NEWSRELEASEJanuary2017
AhuraResortsFijiAppointEnvironmentalSpecialist
LikulikuLagoonResortandMaloloIslandResortwillcontinuetoshineforfuture
generations
AhuraResortsisdelightedtoannouncetheappointmentofenvironmentalspecialistSiaRasalatoto
thepositionofGroupEnvironmentManager.
AsaleadingFijiresortcompany,signingonSiademonstratesAhura’sseriousongoingcommitment
tosustainableandresponsibleeco-tourism.
“Asaresortcompanyoperatinginapristine,sensitiveenvironmentsuchasours,withoceanand
coralreefsononesideandlandfloraandfaunaontheother,wefullyrecognizetheimportanceof
sustainabletourismandbelievethatdevelopmentinsuchareascarriesbothalegalandmoral
responsibilitytoensureourenvironmentisnotdegradedthoughirresponsibleactivitiesand
practices.SiahasextensivequalificationsandexperienceinenvironmentalmanagementwithinFiji,
anditisagreathonourtowelcomehimtoourteam”commentsSteveAnstey,GroupGeneral
ManagerAhuraResorts.
“Ouraimistonotonlyminimizeourimpactontheextraordinarynaturethatsurroundsusbutalso,
througharangeofactivities,programsandinitiatives,improveandenhancetheenvironmentfor
imperilledspeciesandfuturegenerations.Thesignificantworkwehavedonetodatewiththe
iguanasandnowtherecentappointmentofSiademonstratesthiscommitment”continuesSteve.
ThediscoveryofaFijiCrestedIguanain2010atLikulikuLagoonresortkickedoffanincredible
researchjourney,sparkedbythespecies’classificationascriticallyendangeredontheIUCNRedList.
FijiCrestedIguanasarenaturallyfoundonlyinFiji,andtheirpresenceisthereforebeneficialtothe
eco-tourismeconomy.Eachislandthatisluckyenoughtostillhaveaniguanapopulationwillhave
theirownuniquegenetic“fingerprint,”andeachislandoftensupportsaniguanaspeciesdifferent
fromallothersinFiji.Theymaylooksimilarandbecloserelatives,buttheyaredifferentandDNA
samplingofiguanaswillindicatewhichislandtheyarefrom.TheiguanasonMalolowerethoughtto
beextinctforover25yearsbeforetheexcitingrediscoveryin2010.
Likemostanimalsonthebrinkofextinction,thedemiseoftheFijiIguanahasbeenlargelyduetothe
destructionoftheirnaturalforesthabitatthroughhumanactivitiesandtheintroductionofnon-
nativeanimalsincludingrats,cats,mongooseandgoatswhicheithereattheiguanasoreattheir
food.
Dryforestisoneofthemostendangeredeco-systemsontheplanetandiscrucialtothesurvivalof
theFijiIguanaandotherwildlife.Unfortunately,onlysmallpocketsofdryforestremainonMalolo
andtheislandsoftheMamanucagroup.
TheUSGeologicalSurvey,SanDiegoZooandTarongaZoohavebeenvaluablepartnerswithAhura
Resortsoverthelastsixyears.Theteamhascarriedoutmajorcontrolofferalcatandrat
populations,andhasbegunareforestationprojectwhichhasnowbecomeafocalpoint.Ahurahave
startedtheirowndryforestnurserywhichSiawillnowmanageinadditiontodevelopingand
overseeingtheregenerationworkontheAhuraleases.Siawillalsoberesponsibleforthe
managementoftheIguanacatch,tagandreleaseprogramandtheon-sitecaptivebreeding
program.HewillalsobeworkingcloselywiththeMamanucaEnvironmentSocietytoensure
conservationandpreservationofourmarineandreefareas.
Sia exudes a passion for conservation. At his former post with BirdLife International Pacific
Secretariat he led numerous restoration and land protection activities including invasive species
feasibility assessments, invasive species eradication, island biosecurity implementation, species
monitoring, and endangered species recovery. Sia was also instrumental in conservation and
managementplanningofsignificantconservationsitesinCookIslands,FrenchPolynesia,andFijiand
supportedinvasivespeciesworkinTonga,NewCaledonia,PalauandSamoa.Heiscurrentlypursuing
his graduate studies at the University of the South Pacific, Fiji and has attended an impressive
numberofconservationworkshopsandinternshipsinFijiandabroad.
“IamexcitedtostartanewchallengewithAhuraResorts,Fiji’sleadingresortcompanyandIlook
forwardtoworkingwiththeteamtofurtherdeveloptheircommitmenttosustainableeco-tourism.
It’sagreatprivilegetobejoiningarespectedcompanythatpridesitselfontopqualityserviceand
promotesecologicalapproachestotheconservationofnaturalresources”addsSiaRasalato.
Sia comes to Ahura Resorts Fiji with over 10 years of experience in the conservation field. Most
recently,heplayedamajorroleinsecuringtheconservationsiteoftheendangeredFijiMastiffBat
andwasalsoinvolvedintheconservationworkofFiji’smostnotableseabirds-theCollaredandFiji
Petrel.
ENDS
Ahurawasanancientgodofcreationswhosymbolisedlife,kindness,equality,careoftheenvironment,
charity,loyaltyandfaithfulnesstosettlement,tribeandcounty.Theomnipresentsunwasanenduring
symbolofradiance,purityandlifesustenance.Today,AhuraResortsembodiesthesesamevalues.Asa
100%Fijian-ownedcompany,withover30yearsexperienceintourismandhospitalitythroughoutthe
Pacific,Ahuraisdedicatedtoprovidingqualityholidayandlifestyleexperienceswhilepreservingcultural
valuesandthesurroundingenvironment.AhuraisthemanagementcompanyoperatingoneofFiji’smost
popularandwell-knownresorts-MaloloIslandFiji,andtheluxuryescapeforcoupleswhichfeaturesFiji’s
firstandonlyauthenticover-waterbures-LikulikuLagoonResort.ExperiencetheWarmHeartofFijiwith
AhuraResorts.www.ahuraresorts.com
Forfurtherinformation–PleasecontactTraceyLeitch–ImpressionsPR–0415290023
[email protected]