Continuing on from Andasibe and Ranomafana, I was sad to be leaving behind Madagascar’s rainforests. I don’t know when or where I’ll next be able to stand in awe of jungle, its sights, its sounds, its wildlife. I wasn’t quite done with lemurs though, oh no. Madagascar’s south is drier, warmer and has more of a mainland African feeling to it. This is the area where the world famous baobab trees grow, evolving perfectly to suck up and store […]
Held at the end of October, the 2nd annual World Lemur Festival raises awareness for lemur conservation, celebrates lemurs and Madagascar, and educates the public about why it’s important to protect them and their habitats in Madagascar. If there isn’t an event in your area, check out this blog post for ideas on how you can celebrate wherever you live! Hosting an event? Send us the info and we’ll add it to the calendar! » Download event graphics Jump to […]
Recently, we chatted with Ash Dykes during his stop in Fort Dauphin near the start of his epic 1,800 mile trek across Madagascar. He had just finished his first 120 miles—hiking through grueling sand dunes with limited water—and had met with both Azafady and Sainte Luce Reserve to discuss their work in southwest Madagascar. For the first section of the trek, Ash was joined by a local guide named Mi. We’ve seen wildlife: snakes and chameleons. I saw a lemur only on the drive down south. Mi […]
When did you first get interested in working with lemurs and what motivated you to undertake this work? I didn’t start working with lemurs until the beginning of last year (2014) when I was approached about an interesting study on color vision with the ruffed lemurs. Color vision is very important in primates; presumably, the ability to perceive red is advantageous for finding ripe fruits in ruffed lemurs as they are frugivores (fruit-eating animals). However, ruffed lemurs are interesting because males […]
As we prepare for all the amazing events coming up for the 2015 World Lemur Festival, let’s take a look back at the first ever World Lemur Festival, celebrated just last year from October 25th-31st 2014. The event was the brainchild of Jonah Ratsimbazafy of GERP Madagascar, one of Madagascar’s leading primatologists (and one of our Project Advisors at the Lemur Conservation Network!). The festival was successful in attracting the attention of the Malagasy press, as well as the many […]
Every Tuesday on Facebook, the researchers from Lemur Love hold an “Ask a Researcher” Q and A. Here are some recent highlights.
For the Zoboomafoo series’ final post, Carmen interviews Travis Steffens, founder of Planet Madagascar, which protects lemurs in Ankarafantsika, Madagascar.
Oral storytelling is the oldest method of transferring knowledge in human history. Stories are as old as human culture itself. And even though the medium may have changed, stories are just as important in today’s society as they were thousands of years ago. Through television, movies, books, the news, and even music, we hear new stories that move us and inspire us every day. Stories teach, inspire, entertain, and influence attitudes and beliefs in ways that facts alone could never […]
