Lemur Conservation Network
A Project of the Madagascar Section of the IUCN SSC Primate Specialist Group
What loves to bask in the early sunlight, has sweat glands in their wrists, and is found only in Madagascar? If you said the lemur, then you guessed right. We will highlight what makes lemurs so fascinating and unique, explore why they need protecting, and share what you can do to help them. For example, did you know lemurs are Incredible pollinators? Or that they use stink fights to resolve group problems?
What is ExplorerHome Madagascar? ExplorerHome aims to: Inspire young people with scientific curiosity and interest in STEM fields; Inform the public about scientific research in Madagascar; and Provide educational and recreational activities for students that help them learn STEM skills while having fun. The Beginning of ExplorerHome When Dr. Tsiory Andrianavalona and Dr. Ramihangihajason Tolotra Niaina were in their third year of university for paleontology, they knew they wanted to make science easier for all to understand and appreciate. They […]
Tell us about the history of NGO Sadabe. In 2000, we started our research at Tsinjoarivo classified forest as Phd Students from Antananarivo University and Stony Brook University. We worked for the NGO ICTE/MICET. Tsinjoarivo Forest has high biodiversity richness and is bio-geographically unique. Tsinjoarivo contains the most intact forest that remains in the Vakinankaratra region. However, Tsinjoarivo forest has faced conservation problems for many decades. The forest is threatened by commercial and illegal wood exploitation to produce a transport […]
In September, I visited the small town of Kianjavato in eastern Madagascar to meet with LCN members Conservation Fusion and Madagascar Biodiversity Partnership to learn about their work first hand. Both Conservation Fusion and MBP work closely with the villages in this area to build a strong foundation for continued conservation of the eleven lemur species in the nearby forests. Madagascar Biodiversity Partnership has worked in this region since 2009, and Conservation Fusion began their education programming here in 2010 to help teach the local children about […]
Many conservationists agree that ecotourism is the number one thing that can ensure the survival of lemurs in Madagascar. “Lemurs are the goose laying the golden eggs for Madagascar,” says Jonah Ratsimbazafy, Secretary General of GERP Madagascar. “Thousands of families depend on lemurs, because tourists will not come to see empty forests.” The local Malagasy people need to see that lemurs are more valuable alive than dead. Tourists will come to see lemurs in the wild. But much more work needs to be done […]
Film’s impact on awareness of lemurs still felt years later This year marks the tenth anniversary of the Dreamworks Animation film, Madagascar, which debuted in theaters in the summer of 2005. Ten years later, the impact the film had on awareness of lemurs is still being felt around the world. Hundreds of millions of people worldwide have seen the film, and a very large percentage of those were probably hearing the word ‘lemur’ for the first time. The film is […]
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 […]
The Importance of Conservation Education As a conservation educator, I am a strong believer in the power of education to influence behavior and attitude changes, and I have seen the results first hand. Innovative and engaging conservation education is key to inspiring conservation action. As famed conservationist Baba Dioum once said, “We will only conserve what we love, we will only love what we understand, and we will only understand what we are taught.” Zoos provide the unique opportunity […]
