Lemur Conservation Network
A Project of the Madagascar Section of the IUCN SSC Primate Specialist Group
I’m sitting on a large piece of rock, jutting out from the forest with the treeline below me. The sun has just come out from behind the cliffs and is bathing the rocks in a golden light, perfect for filming. I can hear the sounds of the local village waking up as people start to go about their business. My guide, Joana, points out a group of ring-tailed lemurs in the distance, coming this way. Joana tells me that the […]
Eco-tourism and its importance Eco-tourism is tourism that is directed towards natural and exotic environments with the intention to support conservation efforts and the protection of wildlife. With the intention of giving a share of the monetary benefits to local communities and providing the visitor with a nature-based experience, eco-resorts are incredibly beneficial and important. According to WorldWide Ecolodges on their definition of the importance of eco lodges, they say that “many countries and regions have embarked on creating certifiable […]
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 […]
I visited Madagascar Biodiversity Partnership‘s (MBP) field station in Kianjavato last year to learn about their reforestation and conservation efforts in this region. Kianjavato is located about 1 ½ hours east of Ranomafana, and is home to at least 14,000 people and a dozen villages. The forest fragments surrounding Kianjavato are home to nine lemur species including the aye-aye, black and white ruffed lemur, and the greater bamboo lemur. Reforestation to Connect the Forests of Kianjavato and Vatovavy MBP established […]
Betsileo villagers take Lynne to Sakaviro Forest, 5km down a dirt road near Anja Reserve in southern Madagascar. They see ring-tailed lemurs, a cave & more.
Volunteer Belinda Bertrand visits Berenty Reserve in southern Madagascar and sees Verraux’s sifakas, ring-tailed lemurs, sportive lemurs, and a Skups owl!
This past October I volunteered in forest conservation for two weeks at Sainte Luce Reserve in south east Madagascar. I found the reserve listed on an international volunteer website and liked the variety it offered. Plus, it was in Madagascar which was a place that I’ve always wanted to visit. The volunteer listing mentioned lemur follows, tree planting, trail clearing, planting mangroves, sea turtle monitoring, and working in the tree nursery which all sounded perfect for me. I checked out […]
After spending several days in Ranomafana and then Kianjavato, we head back west past Ranomafana National Park and then south to Ambalavao, a small city an hour south of Fianarantsoa (Madagacar’s second largest city) and just 7 kilometers north of Anja Reserve. The Anja Reserve is a popular tourist stop on the RN7, and is viewed by many as Madgascar’s most successful community reserve. At lunch, my driver Zina introduces me to Adrian, who will be my guide for my […]
