On November 7th and 8th, 2025, the Lemur Conservation Network (LCN), together with Planet Madagascar and Teach For Madagascar (TFM), celebrated World Lemur Day in Ankarafantsika. Here, we share photos of the celebration and discuss the impact of our partnership.
This post was written by Koloina Rafenoherilala and Brynn Harshbarger.
Four Schools Celebrate the Lemurs of Ankarafantsika
Students and teachers from four public primary schools (EPP Ampombilava, EPP Ambikakely, EPP Ampasikabe, and EPP Befotoana) participated in colorful parades to celebrate lemurs! They also engaged in lemur education activities and learned about the importance of conservation in Ankarafantsika.
- To learn more the wildlife and conservation challenges in Ankarafantsika, check out this video by creative conservationist, Jessie Jordan.
The lemurs of Ankarafantsika include:
- Western woolly lemur (Avahi occidentalis)
- Fat-tailed dwarf lemur (Cheirogaleus medius)
- Common brown lemur (Eulemur fulvus)
- Mongoose lemur (Eulemur mongoz)
- Milne-Edwards’ sportive lemur (Lepilemur edwardsi)
- Gray mouse lemur (Microcebus murinus)
- Golden-brown mouse lemur (Microcebus ravelobensis)
- Coquerel’s sifaka (Propithecus coquereli)
Partnerships Amplify Impact in Ankarafantsika
We couldn’t do this work in Ankarafantsika without our partners: Teach for Madagascar and Planet Madagascar.
Teach for Madagascar
Teach For Madagascar (TFM) is a non-profit dedicated to educating and training youth to become future teachers, mentors and educators in their communities. Over the next 5 years, TFM is focused on extending into rural schools with the objective of improving reading literacy and providing professional development for teachers.
Supporting Teachers in Rural Madagascar
TFM is currently serving the rural community around Ankarafantsika, a national park in northwest Madagascar. Last year, Planet Madagascar sponsored a school near Ankarafantsika through TFM. This year, LCN is supporting the other 3 schools in the area to increase this impact. Planet Madagascar’s team worked with LCN and TFM to identify these schools, meet with the teachers to ensure the sponsorship would be embraced, and find housing for TFM’s volunteers.
The sponsorship provides 6 months of professional development to teachers. TFM sends graduates from Malagasy universities to work with community elected teachers. They train them on relevant education tools and skills, so they can create positive learning experiences for all. Through collaboration with “Zoky” (Malagasy elders or mentors), TFM aims to improve opportunities for Malagasy communities by improving quality education.
Learning about Lemurs
In addition to traditional education materials about math, reading, and more, each school supported by Teach for Madagascar also receives materials to help the students learn about lemurs! The volunteers build a library that includes LCN’s lemur card games and the Lemur Conservation Foundation’s Ako Storybooks.
Planet Madagascar
Planet Madagascar is a Canadian nonprofit dedicated to working with Malagasy communities to build and protect sustainable forests. Planet Madagascar works with communities in and around Ankarafantsifaka, a national park in northwestern Madagascar.
Thank you to our Partners!
We are grateful to Planet Madagascar and Teach for Madagascar for helping us hold a World Lemur Festival event with all four schools near Ankarafantsika National Park. LCN’s Madagascar Coordinator, Koloina Rafenoherilala, worked closely with both TFM and Planet Madagascar to organize the event. She traveled to Ankarafantsika to ensure its success and enjoyed learning about Planet Madagascar’s work with a site visit.
Planet Madagascar’s Madagascar Country Director and Operations Manager, Mamy Razafitsalama, shares about the event’s success:
Celebrating the lemur’s day in Ampombilava and Ambarindahy was such a wonderful unforgettable experience for the kids. It shows that environmental education and volunteerism help raise future generations to be protectors of wildlife.
— Mamy with Planet Madagascar
