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EAZA Madagascar Campaign
AROVAKO i MADAGASIKARA
(Conserve Madagascar)
Contents
Foreword
Foreword
Foreword
Foreword
Marc Ravalomanana, President of the Republic of Madagascar
John Cleese, Patron of Campaign
Leobert E. M. de Boer, Chairman of EAZA
Lesley Dickie and Alex Rübel, Campaign Core Group
Introduction to the Info Pack
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4
5
6
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Section 1: Campaign guidelines
Participation and registration
Registration form
Use of images
List of images and additional information on the CD-ROM
Use of logos
Fundraising money transfer details
Sharing information and materials
Awards and certificates
Campaign contacts
Thanks and acknowledgements
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Section 2: Campaign targets
Campaign targets
Possibilities for long-term relationships with Madagascar
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Awareness
• Ten good reasons to get involved
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Education
• Photographs and logos
• Exhibition panels
• Flyer
• Worksheets for schools
• Madagascar postcards
• Madagascar painting competition
• Digital photography competition
• "Madagascar-Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2007"
• Other ideas
• Promotion of eco-tourism
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29
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Fundraising
• Suggested fundraising activities
• How will my money be used?
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40
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Section 3: Merchandise
Madagascar Campaign merchandise
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Plant
•
•
•
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merchandise
Malagasy succulents: Ambassadors for Madagascar
Order form
Illustrations of plants
Merchandise product sheets
• Ravensden
• Something Different
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Section 4: Madagascar information
Madagascar - A fantasy island in the balance
Madagascar's new system of protected areas
Examples of protected areas around Madagascar and the projects ongoing
• Sahamalaza
• Betampona
• Ranomafana
• Baly Bay
• Alaotra
• Menabe
• Masoala
• Andringitra
Bibliography
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Section 5: Beneficiary projects
Project selection process
Overview of selected projects
Selected first round projects
Waiting list second round projects
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101
102
133
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Foreword - Part I
Madagascar is a magnificent country and we are very proud of it, of its animals, plants
landscapes and people. We know how unique and special they are, not only to us in
Madagascar but to the whole world. We wish to conserve our precious biodiversity. For this
reason, my government has been drafting and implementing plans to greatly increase the
number of protected areas for conservation across the island in a process that has come to
be known as the "Durban Vision".
However, we face many challenges. Through conservation we need to create a sustainable
future for the environment and humans alike and successfully balancing the needs of people
and biodiversity is a major challenge in countries with high biodiversities. We hope our
community-based approach to conservation across the island will bring great dividends to
both people and wildlife.
Many international conservation groups work in Madagascar in habitat protection projects,
community projects, training projects and more. We are especially encouraged by the
efforts of so many different groups assisting us in our task of ensuring a future for
biodiversity in our country. Working in conjunction with government authorities and our
universities we are also particularly pleased with the emergence of a new generation of
Malagasy scientists and conservationists. We know that many European zoos already have
projects in Madagascar and have committed much time, effort and funds to help us in
achieving our goals.
As President of Madagascar I am delighted that the European Association of Zoos and
Aquaria (EAZA) has chosen Madagascar for its conservation campaign. This public show of
support for Madagascar, its people and its biodiversity by zoos of Europe, and their visiting
public, will be deeply appreciated throughout Madagascar, thank you. We welcome the
emphasis put on the concept of "twinning", where local communities in protected areas
establish long-term relationships with European zoos.
We hope that this EAZA Madagascar Campaign 2006/2007 will be an ongoing one,
increasing the European zoo interest in our country. We look forward to many years of
fruitful cooperation.
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Foreword - Part II
Madagascar is a jewel!
This island, and in particular the lemurs, has been a fascination of mine ever since I was
fortunate enough to travel there while making a documentary about lemurs in Madagascar,
each time seeing something new and exciting. The beautiful country, outstanding scenery,
unique animals and plants, and the welcoming people, make Madagascar one of the great
treasures of the world.
However, I am fully aware of the countless challenges that Madagascar faces and so
whenever possible I actively support conservation initiatives on the island. I hope I have
done my bit to help, and I am delighted to be able to do so. Last year I was particularly
touched when a recently discovered species of lemur was named after me; Avahi cleesei.
Fame at last!
I also support the work of responsible zoos, zoos that are using their facilities to improve
the survival chances of threatened species in the wild through conservation breeding,
fundraising, in situ projects and many more activities. These zoos also work with local
peoples, ensuring those people a stake in the future of their wildlife. So, it should be no
surprise that a project combining Madagascar and responsible zoos would be a cause to
which I could lend my efforts.
The EAZA Madagascar Campaign will bring this extraordinary island to millions of visitors
throughout the EAZA network, stimulating, we hope, a positive surge of energy and interest
that will generate funds for the vital projects featured.
The EAZA Madagascar Campaign has my full support, it has the full support of the President
of Madagascar, and it’s hoping for yours.
I ask you to join the campaign. It fully supports the work of the government of Madagascar
and we should all do our best to assist them in their great endeavour, the ‘Durban Vision’.
The EAZA Madagascar Campaign will do its bit to help... but only if as many institutions as
possible participate.
So, Arovako i Madagasikara, Conserve Madagascar!
John Cleese
Patron, EAZA Madagascar Campaign 2006/7
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Foreword - Part III
As a result of its special geological history Madagascar developed a spectacular flora and
fauna, including thousands of endemics unique to this great island. No wonder that
Madagascar was declared one of the most important biodiversity hot spots on earth. Many
of Madagascar’s diverse ecosystems, however, are in great danger because of human
developments, and it is to be feared that much of this island’s fabulous flora and fauna will
disappear soon if we are unable to protect these effectively.
EAZA Campaigns have proven to be able to create substantial awareness among European
zoo visitors and politicians of the necessity of conservation. Additionally, previous
Campaigns raised considerable amounts of money for concrete conservation projects. With
the biodiversity hot spot Madagascar as the next EAZA Campaign’s subject, I sincerely hope
that, once again, we will be very successful. For this we need the enthusiastic participation
of as many as possible EAZA member institutions. So please, join the Madagascar
Campaign. Madagascar’s flora, fauna, and people really deserve it.
Leobert E.M. de Boer
Chairman
European Association of Zoos and Aquaria
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Foreword - Part IV
We are both fascinated by Madagascar, as are the rest of the Core Group consisting of
Quentin Bloxam, Martin Bauert and Roger Graf. There is something about this amazing
island that means that once you have been there you want to return again and again.
More than that – you also want to help, in what ever way you can, to conserve the
remarkable biodiversity that you find and that means helping the people of Madagascar
conserve their own unique and wonderful contribution to the amazing planet we live on,
their island home.
To do so you will notice that this campaign is very much about relationships between
communities and their environment, between EAZA institutions and protected areas in
Madagascar and between the peoples of Madagascar and Europe. We believe that it is in the
forging of these strong relationships that Madagascar will flourish. To this end the Education
Section illustrates numerous ways to connect with the Malagasy people and to bring an
understanding of their lives to the inhabitants of Europe, particularly schoolchildren. This
information pack also gives examples of long-term relationships between EAZA institutions
and projects in Madagascar and we include a section on the prospect of longitudinal
relationships between EAZA institutions and the new protected areas.
Madagascar, through the inspired leadership of President Ravalomanana, is finding new
ways to conserve its wild places and wild life. We urge all EAZA members to give their
support to this campaign, and in doing so send a strong message of support to the
government and people of Madagascar – this is the world’s biodiversity and we are going to
help save it, for Madagascar and for the world.
Lesley Dickie
Alex Rübel
Co-Chairs, "Arovako i Madagasikara", the EAZA Madagascar Campaign 2006/7
Core Group
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Introduction to the Information Pack
The information pack follows a very similar format to that employed by the previous
campaigns – why change a winning recipe! We hope that this pack will provide you with all
the information you need to participate successfully in the Madagascar Campaign, but if you
need a more specialized piece of information or advice then please contact any one of the
Core Group or your nearest country representative. We really hope that as many of you as
possible join in what we hope will be a successful, informative and fun campaign.
The information pack is divided into five sections in what is hopefully an accessible tool for
your use.
Section 1 – Campaign guidelines
This is the technical bit, the campaign guidelines. Here you will find all the information
about the practical aspects of joining the campaign: registration, use of images, banking
details, awards and certificates, contact details for the Core Group and country
representatives, and our thanks to the many people who have helped organise this
campaign to date.
Section 2 – Campaign targets
Here we provide some very good reasons for joining the campaign – in fact 10 good
reasons. Roger Graf, Head of Education of Zoo Zurich, brought together a fantastic group of
European zoo educators who have developed an imaginative and user friendly education
‘mini-pack’ for your use. The activities they have developed will, we hope, form a sense of
connection between the zoo visitors of Europe and the people of Madagascar and the island
as whole. There are also fully developed interpretive boards that can be purchased for your
zoo displays as well as information to help you develop your own graphics. Fun education
activities are described. While awareness and education are key aspects of the campaign,
we also want to raise as much money as possible. EAZA members have proved themselves
to be highly original in their fundraising, but provided are a list of possible activities to get
you started.
Section 3 – Merchandise
This section provides the details of the all the merchandise, from t-shirts to the amazing
living plants provided through Zoo Zürich.
Section 4 – Madagascar information
As we began planning what information to put in this pack we thought about the many
unique species found throughout the island. Which ones to include, which ones to exclude?
How could we choose, between the remarkable lemurs, the exquisite amphibians, the
fascinating carnivores and on and on…………
We quickly came to realise that this approach was not possible. Instead we have provided a
general overview of the natural history and anthropology of the island. A description of the
new protected areas system is also provided and we hope that a lasting legacy of this
campaign is the increasing collaboration between EAZA zoos and aquaria, other
international conservation NGOs and ANGAP, the government agency of Madagascar that
has previously overseen the national park system in the country. There then follows
descriptions of some of the existing protected areas and the conservation activities within
them, some carried out by EAZA member zoos in partnerships and consortiums, and some
by non-EAZA groups. This is not exhaustive, but we hope provides a flavour of some of the
inspiring conservation work that is undertaken on Madagascar.
Madagascar is a huge island, with amazing scenery and wildlife, gregarious, friendly people,
a complex cultural life and many challenges. In the bibliography, we have provided a tiny
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snapshot of material for your use and to stimulate your interest. Here we provide a list of
more detailed reference material for your use.
Section 5 – Beneficiary projects
This section describes how we chose the 20 projects (16 in round one, four in round two)
that will hopefully benefit from funds raised by the campaign participants. We are delighted
that 46 applications were made, though this made the job of choosing even more difficult. A
cross section of high quality projects, from all around the island, were selected and we hope
within this project diversity there is interest for everyone. There is also a short discussion
item where we describe some of the options if we raise more monies than those allocated to
the projects.
Campaign CD-ROM
In the back of this Info Pack, you will find a campaign CD-ROM with many useful campaign
materials such as photo material, logo's and the Info Pack texts. A detailed description of
the contents of the CD-ROM can be found in Section 1.
In November 2006, a separate Education CD will be sent to all EAZA member institutions.
This CD will contain various educational materials, such as digital data for campaign posters
and flyers and detailed Madagascar species information sheets. In the Education Section
(Section 2) of this Info Pack, many of these educational materials are already introduced.
Arovy Madagasikara!
(Protect Madagascar!)
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Section 1 – Campaign guidelines
Contents
Registration form
Use of images
Use of logos
Campaign contacts
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The EAZA Madagascar Campaign 2006/7 "Arovako i Madagasikara" was officially launched
on 4 October 2006, World Animal Day, at the 23rd EAZA Annual Conference in Madrid.
All EAZA members are invited to join EAZA's sixth conservation campaign. A registration
form for participation is available in this Info Pack. The form should preferably be completed
and returned when collecting the Info Pack at the EAZA Annual Conference in Madrid, but it
is also possible to register throughout the year by sending the form to the EAZA Executive
Office.
Participation
In principle, participation in the EAZA Madagascar Campaign is exclusive to EAZA members
as part of their membership services. However, when a zoo / aquarium is member of a
national zoo association, which is an associate member of EAZA, participation is also
allowed. In this case, the regional association will be responsible for the distribution of
Campaign information (e.g. Info Pack and CD-ROM).
As Madagascar is a versatile island with a unique flora and fauna, many non-EAZA
institutions and NGOs might be interested in participation as well. Therefore, every nonEAZA institution will be given the opportunity to participate. These organisations should
submit a motivated application for an Info Pack to the EAZA Executive Office
([email protected]).
Campaign Info Pack and CD-ROM
This Info Pack and the included CD-ROM contain information that participating institutions
can use for Campaign activities throughout the year. The Info Pack contains information on
the rules and guidelines of the Campaign, but also useful information on the unique
ecosystems of Madagascar and the in situ conservation projects that will benefit from the
Campaign. Images can be found on the Campaign CD-ROM.
Information updates
Throughout the year, all EAZA member institutions will be kept updated on the
developments of the EAZA Madagascar Campaign on the EAZA website (www.eaza.net) and
through the EAZA News magazine. The main focus will be successful fundraising and
awareness activities in participating institutions as well as information on the progress of
the selected projects.
Please send your Campaign updates to Corinne Bos, the EAZA Conservation Campaign
Coordinator ([email protected]) at the EAZA Executive Office, for inclusion on the EAZA
website and/or EAZA News.
Contact
For additional information and questions you can contact your regional coordinator, the
Campaign Core Group and, in particular, Lesley Dickie, Campaign Core Group Chair or the
EAZA Executive Office. Contact details for these people can be found in the "Campaign
Contacts" later in this section of the Info Pack and on the EAZA website.
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Registration form
EAZA members that would like to participate in the EAZA Madagascar Campaign 2006/7
should complete this form and return it to the EAZA Executive Office as soon as possible.
By signing this form your institution declares that:
•
•
All photographs and other publicity material contained in the Info Pack and CD-ROM
will only be used to support the EAZA Madagascar Campaign 2006/7, following the
relevant copyright details (see "Use of images" - Section 1). Full credits must be
given when using the photographs.
When raising funds for the EAZA Madagascar Campaign, these must be transferred
to the Campaign’s account (see "Fundraising money transfer details" - Section 1).
The Campaign Core Group will divide the funds between the selected campaign
beneficiary projects in Madagascar (see Section 5).
Institution:
Date:
___________________________________________
_______________________________________________
Name & Signature:
_______________________________________
We also request the following information:
Contact person for the Madagascar Campaign:
Email address of this person:
Fundraising goal (in euros):
________________________
________________________________
____________________________________
Estimated start date of the Campaign at your institution: ____________________
Estimated closing date of the Campaign in your institution:
________________
Is your institution interested in a partnership with a Malagasy radio station (see Section 2 Education for details):
9 Yes
9 No
Please return the completed Registration Form to:
Corinne Bos
EAZA Executive Office
C/o Amsterdam Zoo
PO Box 20164
1000 HD Amsterdam
The Netherlands
Fax: + 31 20 520 0754
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Use of images
EAZA has been incredibly fortunate to have been supplied with a generous number of
images for the Madagascar Campaign by a number of photographers across the world. The
Campaign core group is particularly grateful to Nick Garbutt, who has allowed extensive use
of images from his world-class collection (www.nickgarbutt.com). All of the images are
available for use in the Campaign, free of charge, by all participating institutions as part of
their Campaign activities within their institution.
The images are available on the Madagascar Campaign CD-ROM that is enclosed in this Info
Pack. Due to the limited space, they may not all be in the highest resolution possible.
However, they should be large enough for most of your work. If you would like a higher
resolution still, please contact Roger Graf, who will then ask you to send him a blank CDROM. He may also be able to help if you need a particular type of image that has not been
included in the selection provided.
Please take note of the following restrictions regarding all images supplied in connection
with the Madagascar Campaign:
•
•
•
•
•
•
The use of the images is restricted to registered EAZA Madagascar Campaign 2006/7
participants.
Use of images is only allowed during the period of the Campaign (October 2006 –
September 2007). Any signs, brochures etc. produced for your EAZA Madagascar
Campaign 2006/7, containing the images and produced before September 2007, may be
used after the end of the Campaign.
Images are to be used only for educational and fundraising purposes and only in
material relating directly to the EAZA Madagascar Campaign 2006/7. They are not
available to EAZA members for general use.
If you want to supply any image to an external agency such as a newspaper or
magazine, to make any commercial use of a picture (e.g. to print on a T-shirt), to put a
picture on a website (other than at low resolution), or to use any picture after the
Campaign has ended (September 2007), you must contact Roger Graf or the EAZA
Executive Office to request permission. They will then contact the owner of the image or
will have a pre-arranged process.
Images are only allowed for use on websites of participating institutions in lowresolution format.
When using any of the images, it is essential that full credit is given to the
photographer. The correct credit line is given as the name of each subfolder of images
on the CD-ROM.
If you have any questions, please contact Roger Graf ([email protected]) of the EAZA
Madagascar Campaign Core Group.
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Enclosed in this Info Pack is a CD-ROM containing various campaign materials. Additional
educational materials (e.g. data for flyers, education panels etc) will be sent on a separate
CD in November 2006.
The following information is available on the CD-ROM that is enclosed in this Info Pack:
•
•
•
•
The contents of the entire Info pack are included in word and pdf format;
EAZA logo;
EAZA Madagascar Campaign logo;
Madagascar postcards to colour in.
Images
Furthermore the enclosed CD-ROM contains many images that can be used for your
campaign activities. Various photographers have generously allowed use of their pictures for
the EAZA Madagascar Campaign. The images are grouped in the following categories:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Land and people
Life habitat
Fauna
Amphibians
Birds
Invertebrates
Mammals
Reptiles
Flora and fungus
Fungus
Trees
Other plants
Environmental problems
Solutions
EAZA projects
Images of the majority of the selected conservation projects (see Section 5)
Plants sale
Please use the correct copyright when using the images from the Campaign CD-ROM: All
image files on the CD-ROM have been named to include a brief description of its subject and
the credits that should accompany the image.
Education CD
A separate Education CD will be sent to all EAZA member institutions in November 2006.
This CD will contain various educational materials, such as digital data for campaign posters
and flyers and detailed Madagascar species information sheets. In the Education Section
(Section 2) of this Info Pack, many of these educational materials are already introduced.
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Use of logos
The EAZA Madagascar Campaign core group has prepared a series of Campaign exhibition
boards and flyers that can be used to promote the EAZA Madagascar Campaign. Please see
the Education Section of this Info Pack for more information and ordering details.
Of course, you are more than welcome to create and produce your own materials, possibly
using the templates for the posters and leaflets provided on the Education CD-ROM. Our
regional representatives will be happy to help you with this. Please observe the following
guidelines when developing your own campaign promotion materials.
Logos
All printed material associated with the Campaign must include two logos: the EAZA logo
and the Campaign logo.
The EAZA logo and the EAZA Madagascar Campaign logo are available on the Campaign CDROM in colour and in black-and-white. Examples of each are shown below:
The correct wording of the Campaign for all printed materials is as follows:
EAZA Madagascar Campaign 2006/7
Arovako i Madagasikara
The sixth conservation campaign organised by the
European Association of Zoos and Aquaria
Exception for non-EAZA participants:
Non-EAZA organisations participating in the EAZA Madagascar Campaign should remove the
EAZA logo from their Campaign materials. However, the Madagascar Campaign logo must
be included. This logo should be accompanied by the following text: "The European
Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) has provided this organisation a special exception
to participate in its 2006/7 Madagascar Campaign."
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One of the EAZA accounts will be used to receive funds collected for the EAZA Madagascar
Campaign 2006/7. Preferably, funds should be transferred bank-to-bank, but if necessary
sending a cheque is possible as well.
Please also send an email to Corinne Bos ([email protected]) when (a part of) the
fundraising money is transferred to the EAZA Madagascar Campaign. Indicate in this email
the amount of money that has been transferred and the name of your institution. If the
funds are sent by cheque, please sent the cheque together with a message stating the
name of your institution and amount. This will enable easy labelling once the money arrives
on the account.
Account details
Account number
Bank
BIC
IBAN
Address EAZA
:
:
:
:
:
80.66.04.409
Fortis Bank, Amsterdam
FTSB-NL-2R
NL-77-FTSB-0806604409
c/o Amsterdam Zoo
PO Box 20164
1000 HD Amsterdam
The Netherlands
:
:
f.a.o. Corinne Bos
c/o Amsterdam Zoo
PO Box 20164
1000 HD Amsterdam
The Netherlands
Payment by cheque
Make cheques payable to
Send to
Please send any funds you raise at intervals throughout the year, rather than waiting until
the end of the Campaign. Doing this will enable us to:
•
•
•
Get the projects supported by the EAZA Madagascar Campaign started as soon as
possible;
Receive news and updates from these projects during the lifetime of the Campaign;
Send out the Fundraising Certificates for your zoo or aquarium as you reach the Bronze,
Silver, Gold, Platinum and Red levels (see later in this Section).
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From EAZA to you
During and after the EAZA Madagascar Campaign, the Core Group will keep you informed of
the progress of the Campaign. Not only will you be kept up-to-date with progress at the
beneficiary field projects, but also about other Madagascar conservation stories and related
issues. Furthermore, ideas for fundraising and awareness activities from your fellow
members will be provided to stimulate the membership in successful campaigning and
consequently making the EAZA Madagascar Campaign a huge success.
From you to EAZA
We need your help in order to provide the membership with successful ideas for raising
awareness and fundraising for the selected projects. Please provide EAZA with your success
stories, which we will then share with the membership. Your Campaign activities will be
published in EAZA News and / or posted on the EAZA Madagascar website (www.eaza.net campaigns section). If you are willing to assist EAZA this way, please read the instructions
below:
EAZA News
• Published quarterly (mid October, mid January, mid April and mid July) and sent to all
EAZA members and subscribers;
• Information and updates on EAZA Campaigns are published in the Campaign section of
each issue;
• If you want to submit your success story, please write a small article in English (100200 words) and submit it by email ([email protected]). Relevant photos (in jpeg
format, at least 300dpi) or illustrations are very welcome;
• Please refer to the EAZA website for more guidelines for contributions to EAZA News.
EAZA website: www.eaza.net
• If your article is not placed in the magazine, it will be posted on the EAZA website;
• Information and updates on the EAZA Madagascar Campaign will be posted on the EAZA
website throughout the year;
• If you want to submit your success story, please write a small article in English and
submit it by email ([email protected]). Relevant photos or illustrations are very
welcome.
EAZA files
• EAZA keeps files on all conservation campaigns at the EAZA Executive Office, which
includes information such as newspaper clippings, photographs, articles and press
releases;
• If you want to submit information on your activities to the Campaign Archives, please
send it by email ([email protected]) or mail (PO Box 20164, 1000 HD, Amsterdam,
the Netherlands) to the EAZA Executive Office.
EAZA membership emails
• Information on the EAZA Madagascar Campaign which is relevant to the whole EAZA
membership will be made available, by email, to the contact persons at all EAZA
member institutions;
• A separate list of email addresses will be kept for the Madagascar campaign
representatives in each participating institution.
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Madagascar Campaign Fundraising Certificates
As in the previous EAZA Conservation Campaigns, special fundraising certificates will be
awarded to participating institutions in recognition of the fundraising achievements. All
participating institutions, whether EAZA members or not, will receive a special Madagascar
Campaign fundraising certificate when they reach - and hopefully pass! - the following
fundraising targets:
Award
Target (€)
Bronze
1,500
Silver
4,000
Gold
10,000
Platinum
20,000
Red
40,000
These certificates will be sent to the participating institutions as soon as the money arrives
on the campaign account (see "Fundraising Money Transfer Details"). Please transfer raised
funds during the campaign (rather than at the end of the campaign) so certificates can be
sent during the campaign as soon as one of the targets has been reached.
Madagascar Campaign Special Awards
We do not just want the EAZA Madagascar Campaign to be about successful fundraising - as
not all zoos and aquaria have the same fundraising potential.
We are therefore inviting applications for special awards in the following categories:
• Madagascar Campaign Education Award
This will be awarded to the most innovative and original school and/or public education
programme or product produced by an EAZA zoo or aquarium in support of the awareness
target of the EAZA Madagascar Campaign.
• Madagascar Campaign Fundraising Award
This award is for the most innovative and imaginative fundraising scheme or event by an
EAZA institution in support of the fundraising target of the Madagascar Campaign. This
award will be judged only on the imagination and innovation involved – not on the amount
of money raised.
• Madagascar Campaign Community Impact Award
This will be awarded to the participating EAZA member that is most active in the
Madagascar Campaign community outreach activities (see Education Section), through the
post cards, drawing competition and/or radio stations. The award will be for the zoo or
aquarium that is most actively involved in these activities and/or develops its own
community outreach programme.
These Madagascar Campaign Special Awards will consist of a unique colour certificate and
prize to be presented at the closing of the Madagascar Campaign at the EAZA Annual
Conference in Warsaw in September 2007. The panel of judges will consist of members of
the EAZA Executive Office and EAZA Madagascar Campaign Core Group.
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Written applications should be no more than 500 words long and should be supported with
photographs wherever possible. They should be submitted, preferably by email or on CDROM by 1 August 2007 to Lesley Dickie:
[email protected]
or
EAZA Madagascar Campaign
Lesley Dickie
c/o ZSL
Regent's Park
NW1 4RY London
United Kingdom
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Campaign contacts
Madagascar Campaign Core Group
The Madagascar Campaign Core Group, chaired by Lesley Dickie and Alex Rübel, has
developed and prepared the Madagascar Campaign and will oversee its successful running
throughout the campaign period and, if necessary, afterwards.
Core Group members:
Lesley Dickie (ZSL)
Alex Rübel (Zoo Zürich)
Roger Graf (Zoo Zürich)
Martin Bauert (Zoo Zürich)
Quentin Bloxam (Durrell)
Corinne Bos (EAZA Executive Office)
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Education Planning Group
The Education Planning Group has prepared a whole range of various educational materials
and activities for the Madagascar Campaign. The result of their work can be found in the
Education Section of this Info Pack (Section 2), on the enclosed CD-ROM and on an
Education CD that will be sent to all EAZA Members in November 2006.
Education Group Members:
Roger Graf (Zoo Zürich)
Constanze Melicharek (Apenheul)
Robert van Herk (Rotterdam Zoo)
Dave Naish (Bristol Zoo)
Mark Chappell (Durrell)
[email protected]
Regional Representatives
The regional representatives for your area are available as contact points in order to help
you promote and support the Madagascar Campaign in your zoo or aquarium.
They will be able to help with translation of the Campaign materials into your language and
provide you with additional sources of information. If they are unable to help you directly,
they will be able to put you in contact with someone who can. Furthermore, they may assist
in case of (national) media interest in the Campaign.
Please contact your representative if you or your institution can help by either suggesting a
sponsor to support the Campaign in your region or by taking on some of the work or
responsibility for the promotion of the Madagascar Campaign. Please note that all potential
sponsors of the Campaign must be approved by EAZA and by the Campaign Core Group
before work can begin.
The overview on the next page shows the representatives for each region. If your country is
not shown in this table, than please don’t worry! Contact Lesley Dickie or Corinne Bos
directly for assistance.
Austria
Gaby Schwammer (Wien-Zoo)
[email protected]
Belgium (French-speaking) and Luxembourg
Sylvie Bonne (Bettembourg)
[email protected]
19
Czech Republic and Slovakia
Tomas Pes (Plzen)
[email protected]
Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden
Peter Haase (Kobenhavn-Zoo)
[email protected]
France
Pierre Moisson (Mulhouse)
[email protected]
Germany
Jens-Ove Heckel (Landau)
[email protected]
Hungary
Marta Szabon (Budapest)
[email protected]
Italy
Cesare Avesani Zaborra (Bussolengo)
[email protected]
[email protected]
The Netherlands and Belgium (Dutch-speaking)
Jenny van Leeuwen (EAZA Executive Office)
[email protected]
Poland
Radoslaw Ratajszczak (Poznan)
[email protected]
Portugal
Eric Ruivo (Lisboa-Zoo)
[email protected]
Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Ukraine
Elena Migunova (Moskva)
[email protected]
Spain
Olga Santacana (AIZA)
[email protected]
Switzerland
Roger Graf (Zürich)
[email protected]
United Kingdom and Ireland
Olivia Walters (BIAZA)
[email protected]
20
Many, many people were exceptionally helpful and generous in compiling the information
pack and assisting with all aspects of the planning of the campaign. This could not have
been done without them
We are particularly grateful to four people;
•
Nick Garbutt, Wildlife Photographer, who has so generously allowed us use of his
amazing images of the island,
•
Iary B. Ravaoarimanana, Chargé d’Affaire, Embassy of the Republic of
Madagascar, London, who helped us contact the President and with other aspects
of the campaign,
•
John Cleese, Actor and Conservationist, who has so generously allowed us use of
his image and name to aid the campaign,
and most of all……
•
Marc Ravalomanana, President of the Republic of Madagascar. His Durban Vision
is an inspiration to all working on Madagascar for biodiversity conservation. We
are extremely proud that he has lent us his support.
A number of other people have also helped get this campaign in progress and are named
below – we hope we have not missed anyone out but if we have our apologies and we are
really grateful!
Lantoniaina Andriamampianina, Aristide Andrianarimisa, Herizo Andrianandrasana, Chris
Birkinshaw, Bert de Boer, Jeff Bonner, Corinne Bos, Robert Bourou, Helen Crowley, Joanna
Durbin, John Fa, Anna Feistner, Karen Freeman, Joerg Ganzhorn, Pierre Gay, Jean-Noel,
Matthew Hatchwell, Roland Hausheer, Frank Hawkins, Robert van Herk, Bengt Holst, Jukka
Jernvall, Richard Lewis, Martijn Los, Lanto, Constanze Melicharek, James McKinnon, Dave
Naish, Martina Raffles, Lala Jean Rakotoniaina, William Francisco Rakotombololona ,Angelo
Ramy, Jonah Randriamahefasoa, Herilala Randrimahazo, Jonah Ratsimbazafy, Chris
Raxworthy, Christophe Schwitzer, Peter Schachenmann, Nicole Schnyder, Mark Stanley
Price, Miranda Stevenson, Hafany Tiandray, Anselme Toto Volahy, Olivia Walter, Chris West
and Pat Wright.
21
22
Section 2 – Campaign targets
Contents
Campaign targets
24
25
Awareness
• Ten good reasons to get involved
26
Education
• Photographs and logos
• Exhibition panels
• Flyer
• Worksheets for schools
• Madagascar postcards
• Madagascar painting competition
• Digital photography competition
• "Madagascar-Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2007"
• Other ideas
• Promotion of eco-tourism
28
29
29
29
29
32
34
35
38
38
Fundraising
• Suggested fundraising activities
• How will my money be used?
39
40
23
Campaign targets
Six targets have been set for the EAZA Madagascar Campaign:
•
Raise public awareness of one of the most important reservoirs of natural
history on the planet. Promoting the idea of biodiversity through the unique fauna and
flora found on Madagascar.
•
Promote ecotourism to Madagascar.
For many biodiversity rich countries, responsible ecotourism can be a viable way to
bolster their economy, whilst ensuring that the unique habitats and wildlife that visitors
come to view are afforded greater protection by being recognised as an asset.
•
Raise funds for specific conservation projects throughout the island. The fundraising
target for the Madagascar Campaign has been set at: €500,000
•
Highlight ways in which the public can make positive
contributions to conservation through activities in their daily lives.
If world conservation goals are to be achieved, sustainable use and recycling are
messages that are particularly prevalent in the developed world, which uses a far
greater share of the world’s resources than the biodiversity rich developing world.
•
Alert EAZA collections to the diversity of Madagascar wildlife – it’s
not just lemurs! Promoting the responsible sourcing and keeping of conservation
dependent species currently held in small numbers, or not at all, in EAZA collections.
By disseminating information regarding threatened Malagasy species it is hoped that this
will influence future collection planning decisions at EAZA institutions.
•
Promote the concept of "twinning" between EAZA members and National
Parks and protected reserves.
Whilst the EAZA Madagascar Campaign will run for one year, it is hoped that long-term
interest in the island will be stimulated (see next pages). ANGAP (Association Nationale
pour la Gestion des Aires Protégées), the government body established in 1990 to
administer the protected areas of the island, hopes to link to zoos who wish to support
protected areas.
24
EAZA Madagascar Campaign participants are invited to commit themselves to the
conservation projects in Madagascar (see Section 5) also after the campaign year. The
Malagasy project organisers set high hopes on the success of this EAZA scheme. Please
consider a longer-term participation and join!
You can find a list of possible project partners in this Info Pack (Section 4 - Protected areas
and Section 5 - Supported projects). Several European zoos have already gathered
experience in collaborative partnerships with nature conservation projects in Madagascar,
for example the Mulhouse and Cologne zoos with Sahamalaza, Bird Park Walsrode, Allwetter
Zoo Münster, Zoo Landau and Zoo Duisburg with the project Voronosy, Zoo Zürich with the
Masoala National park, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust with Lake Aloatra and Menabe
and various other zoos with the Betampona reserve.
A long-term commitment of your institution could consist of the following:
• Raise and donate money for the selected project over a fixed time period of several
years and in return receive exciting up to date information related to the project.
• The received information can be communicated directly to the visitor. This will boost
your institution's credibility and may lead to further donations.
• By doing so, engagement in in situ conservation becomes a reality, without the need
for your institution to get involved locally. Serious Non-Governmental Organisations
are your direct contact and therefore act as your representative on site.
• Your institutions name will be carried to Madagascar. Locals and tourists will take
note of your involvement.
• A long term engagement will enrich your activities and lead to an interesting northsouth-exchange.
• You aid a substantial contribution towards nature’s conservation.
We would like to offer you our help in the selection and mediation between project partners.
Furthermore we dispose over a wide experience background in collaboration with Malagasy
project partners. Please feel free to address one of the following advisers:
Dr. Martin Bauert
Curator for Nature Conservation
Zoo Zürich
[email protected]
Telephone: +41 44 254 25 21
or
Dr. Alex Rübel
Director
Zoo Zürich
[email protected]
Telephone: +41 44 254 25 01
25
Ten good reasons to get involved
1. Madagascar is a biodiversity ‘hotspot’
Madagascar is the fourth largest island in the world with a unique fauna and flora.
Madagascar has the highest combined levels of species richness and endemism of any place
on the planet. It ranks in the top five ‘hotspots’ of the world. 3.2% of the world’s plants
species are only found on Madagascar. 2.8% of all global vertebrates are endemic to the
island. When considering the approximately 117 described mammal species, 90% are
endemic, and if bats are excluded this rises to 100%.
2. Most EAZA members have Malagasy species
Most EAZA members will have some form of Malagasy species, be it a lemur, bird, reptile or
invertebrate, and therefore this campaign is very inclusive. Additionally, many aquaria
house Malagasy fish, both freshwater and marine. Many zoos will also have Malagasy plants
on their sites, allowing for botanical stories to be incorporated into campaign materials.
3. Lemurs are an instantly recognisable group that visitors love
Although the fauna of Madagascar is generally small-bodied, lemurs are high-profile species,
with a great deal of public goodwill associated with them. Lemurs will act as an informal
flagship for the campaign, galvanising their popularity, whilst bringing attention to the
lesser known, yet equally fascinating and unique species found on the island. Therefore this
single island can be used as a focus for multi-taxa conservation awareness.
4. The movie ‘Madagascar’ has given the island higher profile and made it popular
amongst all age groups
Dreamworks, the Steven Spielberg film company, has made an animated film entitled
Madagascar. It was a very popular film throughout 2005 and a sequel will be released in
2008. This popularity ensures that recognition of the island is appreciably higher in Europe
than prior to the film release, and this is likely to be beneficial to the campaign.
5. In situ conservation on Madagascar needs our help
Much of the fauna of Madagascar is threatened, with 90% dependent on the dwindling
forest cover for their existence, and is therefore a conservation priority. Of the 332
Malagasy species described on the IUCN Red List 46.4% are listed as Critically endangered,
Endangered or Vulnerable. Much of the flora of the island is also unique, with illegal trade in
orchids and hardwoods a threat to their continued survival.
6. Madagascar has many different habitats
The diversity of habitats found on the island includes rainforests, dry deciduous forests,
bush, xerophytic and spiny forests, seasonal humid forests and anthropogenic grasslands. It
is this striking diversity and varied topography that has led to Madagascar being termed the
‘8th Continent’.
7. Madagascar is an island!
The majority of extinctions that have taken place in the past 500 years have occurred on
islands (72% of all recorded extinctions) – Madagascar can be used as a tool to talk about
this. EAZA campaigns have not targeted an island ecosystem, yet these are amongst the
most conservation dependant areas of the world.
8. Madagascar is a culturally fascinating place as well as biodiversity hotspot
Madagascar is culturally rich, with unique traditions, music and dance. Madagascar is
associated with myth, legend and mystery (the Rohk of Sinbads travels is likely to have
been based on the extinct Malagasy elephant bird, and historically pirates of the 17th and
18th centuries routinely based their Indian Ocean raids from Madagascar) allowing for
informative, creative and fun materials to be developed for the campaign.
26
9. The government of Madagascar endorses this campaign
The government of Madagascar, led by President Marc Ravalomanana, supports the aims of
the EAZA Madagascar Campaign. This is an amazing level of support for the aims of the
campaign and we hope to show that this support is not unwarranted.
10. "This is not just Madagascar’s biodiversity, it is the world’s biodiversity"
These were the words of President Marc Ravalomanana at the World Parks Congress in
Durban in 2003. This is an opportunity for us to get involved to make a real difference in
Madagascar, for its biodiversity and its people.
Let’s help in saving our biodiversity.
Arovako i Madagasikara
Conserve Madagascar
27
Education Section
For educational activities, the EAZA Madagascar Campaign Core Group has prepared the
following materials and products:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Photographs and logos (on the enclosed Campaign CD-ROM)
Exhibition panels *
Flyers *
Worksheets and information materials for schools *
Madagascar postcards (on the enclosed Campaign CD-ROM)
The materials marked with an * are not yet available. As soon as these are complete, the
will be available for download on the EAZA website so you can print and reproduce these
materials yourself. A final Education CD with all educational materials will be sent to your
educational zoo department probably in November 2006.
The EAZA Madagascar Campaign Core Group also invites you to participate in the following
events:
6.
7.
8.
Madagascar painting competition – for children and young people
Digital Photography Competition for adults
Hire the travelling exhibition
"Madagascar-Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2007"
9. Other ideas
10. Promotion of eco-tourism to Madagascar
You can find detailed information on the above on the following pages. For queries, please
contact Roger Graf at Zürich Zoo ([email protected] or telephone 0041 44 254 25 00/35).
1. Photographs and logos
We offer you a series of high quality photographs from Madagascar, which you can use
freely for the purposes of the campaign at your institution (please refer to "Use of Images" Section 1 for detailed information). Please always mention the respective copyright when
printing. The photos and logos can be found on the CD-ROM in the following folders:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Land and people
Life habitat
Fauna
Flora and fungus
Environmental problems
Solutions
EAZA projects
Plants sale
Logos
The EAZA and the Madagascar Campaign logo's have to be printed on all released or sold
Madagascar documents, worksheets, leaflets etc. produced by your institution. The addition
of your institution's own logo is of course permitted. Please refer to the "Use of Logos"
(Section 1) for detailed information. You will find the logos of EAZA and the Madagascar
Campaign on the CD-ROM.
28
2. Exhibition panels
The EAZA Madagascar Campaign Core Group has prepared a standard interpretive
exhibition with five information panels for use by participating institutions. The panels are
available in the following languages: English, French, German and Dutch. Due to foldable
partitions, panel number 3 allows for the possibility of interactive configurations of your own
choosing.
The panels have the following themes:
Board 1
Board as an Eye catcher (with holes for a "photo-moment")
Board 2
Evolution, geography, habitat, species diversity, and endemism
Board 3
Fauna and Flora
Board 4
Problems (fire threats, erosion, poverty, illegal hunting, over-fishing,
firewood, damage caused by storms)
Board 5
Proposed solutions (donations, fair trade, tourism), dispensers for flyers and
donation box. Board also functions as an Eye catcher (with holes for a "photomoment").
Proposed printing format of each board: 150 cm (wide) x 200 cm (tall)
The boards can also be printed onto another format, the text can be changed and there is
space for your own logo, a dispenser or a donation box. You will find the digital data for the
education panels on the special "Education CD" (to be distributed in November 2006).
3. Flyer
In addition to, or instead of, the exhibition panels, the EAZA Madagascar Campaign Core
Group also offers the possibility to hand out a four-page flyer in A5/6 format to your
visitors. The contents of the flyer are the same as the exhibition panels 2-5. The flyer is also
available in four languages: English, German, French and Dutch.
As with the panels, the contents of the flyer can be changed. You will find the digital data
for the flyer on the "Education CD". You can print out this information for your own use.
4. Worksheets for schools
Worksheets for children of various ages are under development. On the "Education CD" (to
be sent to the education departments of all EAZA member institutions in November 2006)
you will find the worksheets and further information.
5. Madagascar postcards
A special EAZA Madagascar Campaign postcard has been developed to send directly to
Madagascar. The postcard is in black and white so it can be coloured in by children and
adults alike. The postcard campaign procedure will be organised as follows:
1.
For small children and people who only like to colour in, biodiversity postcards will be
available. These postcards can be printed by your institution. The template is available on
the enclosed campaign CD-ROM and on the "Education CD". Or you can order postcards
(see below) at Zürich Zoo. The card (size A5) can be coloured in bright colours and sent to
your allocated radio station (see next point of postcard section) bearing messages
preferably in Malagasy, French or English. Please do not send any negative messages.
29
Some ideas for short messages (in all three languages):
Madagascar – Island of diversity.
Madagascar – Île de la diversité.
Madagasikara – Nosy maro endrika
Protect Madagascar!
Il faut protéger Madagascar!
Arovy Madagasikara!
Protect the forest! The forest is alive.
La forêt, c’est la vie. Protégez-la!
Arovy ny ala! Fa loharanom-piainana
I protect the forest, do you?
Je protège la nature. Et toi?
Arovako ny tontolo iainana, ary ianao?
Madagascar must live!
Madagascar doit vivre!
Tsy maintsy velona Madagasikara!
Colourful Madagascar.
Madagascar – une île haute en couleur.
Madagasikara mibaliaka.
2.
During the campaign year, a Malagasy radio station will be allocated to your institution as a
partner. The Madagascar Campaign Core Group will provide your institution with the
address of the selected radio station. The address can be applied to the postcards on preprinted sticky labels. Please make sure to sell stamps with the card in order to make sure
that they will be sent to Madagascar. The postcards should not be included in the drawing
competition (see below), but sent to Madagascar directly.
3.
The recommended sale price of a postcard is 2 euros. The net profit can be used as
contribution to the EAZA Madagascar Campaign.
4.
The radio stations will collect the postcards and make them available for public viewing.
30
Order form Postcards EAZA-Campaign 2007
The size of the postcard is A5.
We print postcards in your preferred language and with the address of your Malagasy radio
station.
Costs:
1,000 copies: €200.2,000 copies: €250.5,000 copies: €450.10,000 copies: €700.Please complete the following:
Number of cards required:
____________________________
Preferred language:
________________________________
Delivery address:
________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
Billing address (if different):
____________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
Responsible person
Name:
________________________________________
Telephone number for queries:
E-mail address for queries:
Please return by post:
Zoo Zürich
Zooinformation
Zürichbergstrasse 221
CH-8044 Zürich
________________________
____________________________
or by fax:
0041 44 254 25 10
Please return before: 30 November 2006
31
6. Painting competition
A joint painting competition will be organised for children and young people in Europe and
Madagascar. The following two age categories for schools and other groups can participate:
children between the age of 8 and 12 and young people between the age of 13 and 18.
Name: Anja Steiner
Zoo: Zürich Zoo
Zoo visitor in Masoala exhibit looking at two snakes and a lot of leaves.
The procedure for the painting competition will be as follows:
1.
School classes from your region can paint or draw pictures of Malagasy animals and/or
plants, which they have seen in your zoo, aquarium or botanical garden.
Age groups:
Category 1: 8 to 12 years
Category 2: 13 to 18 years
Image size: Not larger than an A3 format
Number of pictures: Each child or young person can paint or draw one image and the
submission of the paintings is respectively as school class or group (at least 10 pictures per
group or class).
2.
Each picture has to be clearly labelled with the category, name of school or group, the name
of the institution and the location of production.
32
Every collection of school class or group work should be accompanied with a (short) friendly
letter or a simple greeting. Please write in French or Malagasy, should this not be possible,
please write in English. Please do not write any negative massages.
Some ideas for very short messages:
Madagascar – Island of diversity.
Madagascar – île de la diversité.
Madagasikara – Nosy maro endrika.
Protect Madagascar!
Il faut protéger Madagascar!
Arovy Madagasikara!
Protect the forest! The forest is alive!
La forêt, c’est la vie. Protégez-la!
Arovy ny ala! Fa loharanom-piainana!
I protect the forest, do you?
Je protège la nature. Et toi?
Arovako ny tontolo iainana, ary ianao?
Madagascar must live!
Madagascar doit vivre!
Tsy maintsy velona Madagasikara!
Colourful Madagascar.
Madagascar – une île haute en couleur.
Madagasikara mibaliaka.
3.
The drawings must be sent or handed in to your institution directly. The drawings need to
be sorted by category (1 or 2 depending on the age of the participants, see above), school
classes or groups, addressed, wrapped and tied up. Please store the pieces of works.
4.
Finally, the collected works can be, probably in a parcel, sent off to Madagascar. The
Madagascar Core Group will allocate a Malagasy radio station as a partner to your institution
during the campaign year. The radio stations in question are private radio stations, which
are politically as well as religiously neutral and socially accepted. Please send the pictures to
the radio stations (address will be provided) by the end of May 2007. Each individual zoo
should send its own pictures to the radio station and therefore bear the cost of postage – an
additional cost for the zoo that you should be aware of. The respective people at the radio
station in charge will be informed by the EAZA about the campaign in time and all
agreements confirmed by the Madagascar Campaign Core Group.
5.
The Malagasy radio stations will keep the pictures available for access. The people in the
catchment area of the respective broadcasting studios will be informed about the painting
competition and the EAZA campaign via the radio. School classes will be invited to visit a
radio station and pick up drawings made by a European school class. Malagasy are used to
picking up information at radio station offices or simply drop by for a visit, as vast parts of
the country do not benefit from postal delivery. The Malagasy children and young people
will be asked to draw pictures in return, which they will enjoy! The theme of the works will
be their everyday lives.
33
6.
The Malagasy schools will submit their works to the radio stations by the end of August
2007. From there the drawings made by Malagasy children will reach Europe and the
respective zoo partners via the Wildlife Conservation Society office in Antananarivo and the
EAZA Executive Office in Amsterdam.
7.
The participating EAZA members have the possibility to exhibit "their" pictures made by
Malagasy children and young people. The most impressive and beautiful class works can be
rewarded with a prize. Exercise books, crayons and other school materials (printed school
material only in French) are very welcome.
8.
Finally, the Malagasy works can be dispersed to European school classes and groups. This is
where the EAZA campaign and consequently your institution's responsibility ends.
9.
Continuing correspondence between European and Malagasy schools is possible and to be
encouraged. In this case the European schools will write directly to Madagascar (without a
detour via your institution). Dependant on the regional situation, the radio station's office
remains the contact address, should there be no possibility of a direct postal delivery.
With the painting competition and the postcard campaign we hope to reach the following
goals:
In Europe:
•
School participation in the painting competition surrounding the themes of Madagascar,
the tropical rainforest’s, endangered animal and plant species, zoo animals.
•
Exhibition of drawings produced by Malagasy children and young people portraying their
everyday lives. These drawings will be ideal to illustrate nature and environment
conservation related themes.
In Madagascar:
•
The campaign will be viewed as an act of friendship and hopefully bring lots of joy
and support to the Malagasy people.
•
The multiplicity of the portrayed animal and plant species, will awake an impression
among the Malagasy, that the Europeans are fond of their environment. Thereby
pride and motivation in supporting nature conservation can be supported.
•
The media coverage of the EAZA Madagascar Campaign will be successful through
the involvement of the Malagasy radio stations. The message of friendship and the
EAZA campaign information, will be carried to the most remote parts of the country.
The EAZA Madagascar Campaign Core Group will supply the radio stations with
appropriate press releases.
7. Digital photography competition
During the official campaign year, every participating institution can call on their visitors to
participate in a photography competition. Only digitally produced images are allowed. This is
to enable the future possibility of reusing the images for a travelling exhibition (see
information on travelling exhibition below). Conventional photography with negatives or
34
slides causes too much effort and the image quality, especially with slides, can suffer. The
subjects admitted to the competition are to be exclusively Malagasy animal and plant
species displayed in your zoo, aquarium or botanical garden.
A jury, appointed by your own institution (perhaps a prominent person), evaluates the
images and draws up a ranking list, at least for the top three ranks. Naturally your
institution can also hand out prizes of your choosing. Your institution is absolutely free with
regards to the advertisement of the photography competition as well as jury selection. You
must ensure that all competitors give permission to use their image as part of the travelling
exhibition if they are a winning entry.
The competition participation is free, but it is possible to implement a fixed participation fee
to raise extra funds for the EAZA campaign. However the decision upon these participation
fees is up to you.
8. Travelling exhibition
"Madagascar-Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2007"
The three best photographs taken in your zoo or aquarium can be sent on a CD to:
Zoo Zürich
CH-8044 Zürich
Switzerland
on 30 September 2007 (date of the post stamp) ultimately.
A jury selected by the EAZA Madagascar Campaign Core Group will select the best 30
photographs for exhibition. Prizes for the best photographs may also be awarded dependent
on prize sponsorship. The 30 selected photographs will be honoured in a special exhibition,
which will be produced at the Zürich Zoo. This weatherproof exhibition can then be shown
as a travelling exhibition in various zoos and aquaria all over Europe. The exhibition can be
booked in advance using the enclosed form. Depending on the number of participating
institutions, the exhibition will cost around €5,000 at a maximum. This is due to costs for
production, installation, disassembly and transport. This price may decrease considerably as
sponsorship is being investigated, EAZA Member institutions will be kept updated the costs.
Naturally, the exhibition offers further possibilities to collect money for nature preservation
in Madagascar.
35
The exhibition consists of the following elements:
•
•
•
•
The 30 best photographs of animal and plant species of Madagascar;
With each photograph, the name of the photographer and the name of the institution,
where the photograph was taken will be mentioned;
Accompanying each presented photograph will be a brief text with a relevant nature
conservation statement;
All institutions that show the travelling exhibition, can present their logo on the
exhibition boards.
The last station of the travelling exhibition is the Malagasy capital of Antananarivo. There
the exhibition shall be permanently on display at the local zoo or on the boulevard close by
the central station.
36
Entry form for the travelling exhibition
The exhibition can be shown at each presentation location for a maximum of two months.
Whereby time for set up, disassembly and transport from and to another presentation
location needs to be allocated. The required space is approximately 20 square meters.
Our institution would like to book the travelling outdoor exhibition "Madagascar-Wildlife
Photographer of the Year 2007", for the following time period:
Please tick the appropriate time period (please select at least three possible time periods):
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
January 2008
February 2008
March 2008
April 2008
May 2008
June 2008
July 2008
August 2008
September 2008
Delivery address:
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
October 2008
November 2008
December 2008
January 2009
February 2009
March 2009
April 2009
May 2009
June 2009
________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
Responsible person:
Name: ________________________________________
Telephone number:
________________________________
E-mail address:
________________________________
Please return by post:
Zoo Zürich
Zooinformation
CH-8044 Zürich
or by fax:
0041 44 254 25 10
Please return before: 30 August 2007
37
9. Other ideas
•
Leaf painting
Visitors will be able to buy a paper leaf from a selection of designs, to paint or initialise
with a message. These will then be stuck over the silhouette of a baobab tree. This act
represents reforesting Madagascar and turning it green. Funds raised from the sale of
leaves will go towards the campaign. Required materials for the leaf painting activity will
be made available on the "Education CD (to be sent in November 2006).
•
Discounted zoo entrance for children that have painted a mask featuring a Malagasy
animal onto their face.
•
Create animal dolls out of old socks.
•
Organise a sport-or fun contest with VIP’s and/or their respective partners in order to
collect funds.
•
Also see the general fundraising ideas list later in this Section.
10. Promotion of eco-tourism
Madagascar is aiming to receive more tourists. Tourism acts as an important instrument in
applying economic value to protected landscapes. Many national parks and their
surrounding villages rely on an income through tourism (park fees, provision of work to
local people). To support this, you could produce an address list of travel agents that offer
reputable (eco-friendly) trips to Madagascar. Or you could keep promotional material of
these businesses at hand, visitors interested in travel will be grateful.
38
Suggested fundraising activities
The fundraising target for the EAZA Madagascar Campaign is €500,000 euro. It is an
ambitious target – but we are confident that EAZA members can meet this challenge! There
are many ways that you can raise funds for the EAZA Madagascar Campaign and no doubt
EAZA members will be highly imaginative and experienced after five conservation
campaigns. But to start you off here is a suggestion list:
Have a special Madagascar day/week/month at your zoo or aquarium
Do you want to have a daytime event? Kids art competitions (see Education Section) face
painting and raffles, are just some of the possible activities. How about special evening
ticketed events, with Malagasy music and dancing? "Salegeh" the rhythmic contagious
music of Madagascar will get everyone on their feet!
Have a special competition to win an ‘up close and personal’ meeting with the
Malagasy species at your zoo or aquarium
Sell raffle tickets for a once in a lifetime meeting with lemurs, hissing cockroaches, mantella
frogs, and vasa parrots. What if you have fossa? Then allow your winning visitor the
opportunity to prepare enrichment items and diet for the largest carnivore on Madagascar,
the "pink panther" of the island. Get your local newspapers, radio and television stations
involved in promoting any events and competitions.
Merchandise
Purchase the campaign merchandise for your shop and make a special shop display. The
varied materials will make great presents for young and old (see Section 3 - Merchandise).
Evening lectures
Do you have any local experts on Malagasy species, folklore, music? What about a special
evening lecture series?
Corporate Donations
Do you know of any local businesses that may be interested in donating to this cause? Do
they have a Malagasy animal or plant as their logo – if they do, why not ask them to help?
Local Museums
Does your nearest large museum have Malagasy artefacts? Would they help out with
spreading the news about the campaign with a special display?
Local travel companies
Can you link up with a local travel operator or tour company to offer a special raffle prize of
a trip to Madagascar?
Sports Events
Is there a marathon run near your zoo or aquarium? How about finding volunteers to run
the marathon for the campaign? Or any other sponsored sports event or physical challenge?
39
How will my money be used?
Twenty different projects have been selected as recipients for funds raised and a full
description of the selection process and summaries of the projects is given in Section 5
(Beneficiary projects).
Each of the projects will use the money in different ways, but below are a few examples
from the projects (individual projects not specified) of how funds raised will help secure
biodiversity in Madagascar;
Cost
Activity
€75
25 watering cans could be purchased and distributed to enable villagers to
be more productive and environmentally friendly in their agricultural
practices
€200
GPS packs, torches, data loggers and tents could be purchased to allow
vital research work to be undertaken in designated locations for the new
national park system
€300
A boat could be purchased to allow more efficient and improved
monitoring and protection of an important marine area
€700
450 information ‘comics’ could be compiled, printed and distributed to
children in villages to help them understand, and thereafter conserve, their
endemic wildlife
€1440
Two forest protection guards could be hired for two years
€2500
Fruit trees and seeds could be purchased and sold at a subsidised rate to
local villages to assist them to set up long-term, sustainable agricultural
practices to generate income
€2800
An entire college science lab could be renovated to assist in the improved
training of Malagasy scientists and conservationists of the future
€2880
Three trained field assistants could be employed for one year to help
monitor and protect endangered lemurs in lowland rainforest
€5760
A new local community-NGO conservation structure could be initiated and
run for one year, providing local field coordination of conservation actions
These are just a few examples of the kind of uses for monies raised in the campaign year.
Although the fundraising target for the campaign is €500,000 we have only allocated
€361,645 to the conservation projects (see Section 5) at this point and this has been done
for a number of reasons.
Firstly we wanted to have some confidence when allocating funds – the first round funding
comes to €289,777 – and I think we would all be disappointed, given the fantastic
performance of the previous campaigns, if this sum could not be reached. However, we
have been cautious.
Secondly if we are very successful and raise more than the €361,645 then we would like to
investigate whether a more permanent EAZA Madagascar fund could be initiated and we will
40
be discussing this over the campaign year. Your ideas and input are invited. If at the end of
the campaign we have decided not to create a new entity then the additional monies will be
distributed to the existing campaign recipients, through discussion with the campaign core
group and the project reviewers.
Thirdly, we wanted to have a contingency fund. We very much hope that no new
environmental disasters strike Madagascar, but if this does occur, for example during the
cyclone season particular damage is sustained by high priority areas, then we would like to
be in a position to offer emergency funds, as with the 2004/5 EAZA Shellshock Campaign in
the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami.
41
42
Section 3 - Merchandise
Contents
44
Plant
•
•
•
45
47
48
merchandise
Order form
Merchandise product sheets
• Ravensden
• Something Different
49
51
43
Selling Madagascar merchandise in your souvenir shop is a good way to raise funds for the
Campaign. That is, if you allow part of the profit from the sales to go to the Campaign. And
of course, this can be done in addition to putting up a collection box and/or organising all
kinds of activities to collect money for the Madagascar Campaign conservation projects.
To assist you in setting up a special Madagascar Campaign corner in your gift or souvenir
shop, the Campaign Core Group has made arrangements with a number of companies to
prepare special Madagascar merchandise with the official Campaign logo. Of course, you can
also produce your own Madagascar souvenir products, for which we sincerely hope that you
will contribute a part of the profit made to the Campaign.
Malagasy succulents
Some extraordinary plants from Madagascar can be ordered through Zoo Zürich. The plants
are grown in the "Stadtgärtnerei" of Zürich and offered to all Madagascar Campaign
participants. Selling these plants with an amount added for the campaign is a very good and
interesting way to raise money for the campaign.
More information and ordering details can be found on the following pages.
Merchandise already prepared for the Madagascar Campaign
Information and order details of two companies that have prepared Madagascar
merchandise are provided on the next pages. Both companies have agreed to donate 10%
of the sales revenue from each product to the EAZA Madagascar Campaign.
On the following pages, a brief description of the products of both companies is provided.
More detailed information can be found on the colour inserts. The following two companies
have prepared Madagascar Campaign merchandise:
Something Different: T-shirts
Ravensden: Various products (e.g. plush toys, mugs, writing materials)
Source your own Madagascar Campaign merchandise
Registered participants in the Campaign may also produce their own products to support the
EAZA Madagascar Campaign financially. The EAZA logo, the Campaign logo (if using just
one, then please use the Campaign logo) and the images on the CD-ROM may be used on
these products.
Madagascar Shop
For further information on available Madagascar Campaign products, please also refer to the
EAZA website (www.eaza.net) as part of the Campaign section. Merchandise information
will be regularly updated during the Campaign period in the "Madagascar Shop".
44
The sale of these extraordinary plants from Madagascar for the benefit of selected
conservation projects for the EAZA Madagascar Campaign is a very appealing way to
promote the Campaign in your institution. In the context of its commitment to the Masoala
National Park in Madagascar, the Zoo Zürich has been selling these plants regularly in the
last few years, with favorable response from the zoo visitors. By advertising in the local
media it was possible to sell more than a thousand plants during each of these weekend
sales in the Zoo Zürich.
Malagasy succulents are beautiful ornamental plants and easy to care for. They are
attractive and well appreciated by the public. As live ambassadors of Madagascar they allow
their purchaser to care for some of the rarest species. Many of these plant species are
under threat of extinction in their natural environment, due to habitat destruction, fire and
illegal harvesting. Therefore, a large number of these plant species are protected under the
Washington Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
Madagascar boasts an extremely large diversity of water-storing plants. In the highlands
and in the even more arid Southwest of the island some really remarkable succulent species
can be found, many of them limited to a small habitat. The study of these plants is far from
concluded, new species are being discovered and described all the time. The Stadtgärtnerei
Zürich in cooperation with experts on succulents and the Zoo Zürich, under the supervision
of the CITES authorities in Switzerland, has set up a program for the reproduction of these
Malagasy succulents. All plants are reproduced and grown in Zürich, so no plants are taken
from the island.
Registered EAZA Madagascar Campaign participants that would like to sell these plants as
well, have to agree to contribute an amount of at least €2 for each plant sold to the
EAZA Madagascar Campaign.
Preliminary order
The preparation and production of the plants takes time. Please let us know before 31
December 2006 if and when you intend to have a plant sale. See order form for contact
details.
Order
Orders need to be submitted to the Zoo Zürich at least 5 weeks before the date of delivery
to allow for the procurement of the required CITES documentation. See order form for
contact details.
45
Delivery
The plants will be delivered ready for sale in a clay pot of 8 cm diameter. The soil in the pot
is interspersed with ornamental pebbles corresponding to the origin of the plant. Each plant
is provided with a plastic sticker showing its scientific name.
Storage of the plants
The plants need to be irrigated regularly and stored in a temperate and bright place until
the sale. Temperatures below 10°C (even for short periods) and drying out of the soil is not
well tolerated by the plants; it reduces their quality or may destroy them. Responsibility for
storage lies with the purchases.
Documentation
An illustrated documentation on origin and maintenance of the various plant species will be
available in German from December 2006. The two tables with photographs in this
document are included on the CD-ROM that is enclosed in the Info Pack.
Plant species
A set with the number of plants ordered will be selected from the plant species listed below.
The set will include those plants which are the most beautiful at the time the order is
picked.
All these plant species are endemic to Madagascar and are grown from seeds in the
Stadtgärtnerei Zürich specifically for the EAZA Madagascar Campaign. Between ten and
twenty species out of the list below will be represented.
Aloe capitata
Aloe conifera
Aloe descoingsii var. augustina
Aloe schomeri
Didiera madagascariensis
Euphorbia cap-manombatoensis
Euphorbia gottlebei
Euphorbia horombensis
Euphorbia iharanae
Euphorbia lophogona
Euphorbia milii var. Ihosy
Euphorbia milii var. Mandritsara
Euphorbia milii var. roseana
Euphorbia milii var. vulcani
Euphorbia spec.
Euphorbia vigueri
Kalanchoe grandidieri
Kalanchoe tomentosa
Lomatophyllum spec.
Operculicaria pachypus
Pachypodium ambongense
Pachypodium baronii
Pachypodium densiflorum
46
Pachypodium geayi
Pachypodium lamerei
Pachypodium mikea
Pachypodium rosulatum ssp.
cactipes
Pachypodium rosulatum ssp.
rosulatum
Pachypodium rutenbergianum
Pachypodium windsorii
Talinella pachypoda
Xerophyta dasylirioides
Order form
Offer
price per plant
shipping costs
1) set of 576 plants
€3.00
€2.70
€2.50
To be paid by the purchaser
The shipping costs for sets of 576 and 1152 plants
are the same.
examples:
1) set of 576 plants to London: ca. 800 €
1) set of 576 plants to Madrid: ca. 820 €
actual shipping cost will be calculated on request
customs duty, VAT
contribution to EAZA
Madagascar Campaign
dates of delivery
Varies according to country, to be paid by the
purchaser
at least € 2 per plant
calendar week 14 (before Easter)
calendar week 16
calendar week 19
calendar week 21 (before Whitsun)
other delivery dates to be agreed on request
To order plants please contact:
Zoo Zürich
"Malagasy Plant Ambassadors EAZA"
Zürichbergstr. 221
CH-8044 Zürich
Switzerland
Preliminary orders (notification) should be
made before 31 December 2006.
Email: [email protected]
Fax: +41 (0)44 254 25 10
Final order should be made at least five
weeks before the requested date of delivery.
47
Pachypodium lameri
Euphorbia milli
Aloe conifera
Euphorbia gottlebei
48
Ravensden has been supplying
a comprehensive range of animal themed merchandise to zoos and
aquariums for over 30 years.
We stock over 2,000 products which
can be viewed at our UK showroom
by appointment.
We are pleased to be involved in the
Madagascar campaign with 10% of all
proceeds to be donated to the EAZA fund.
Ravensden Plc
Ravensden Farm, Bedford Road, Rushden, Northamptonshire. NN10 0SQ. UK.
Telephone - +44 (0) 1933 356221
Fax - +44 (0) 1933 410108
email - [email protected]
www.ravensden.co.uk
For further information or a copy of our catalogue please contact us by email : [email protected]
telephone : +44 (0)1933 356221
fax : +44 (0)1933 410108
or visit our website at www.ravensden.co.uk
We look forward to hearing from you soon
Printed By
Approved EAZA Campaign Merchandise
The NEW 2007 EAZA Conserve Madagascar Campaign Merchandise from The Mountain
T-Shirt Company and Something Different.
We are proud to support EAZA by supplying environmentally friendly T-shirts for the up
coming campaign; this range has been designed with the co-operation of EAZA and The
Mountain so that we can help achieve the campaign target of €500,000.
Children’s Gecko Lizard
Burgundy
Adults Ring Tailed Lemurs
Brown
Children’s Black & White Lemur
Dusty Blue
Adults Gecko Lizard
Burgundy
Pocket Reverse Print T-shirts
Front
Back
Adults
Ring Tailed Lemurs
Brown
Front
Back
Adults
Gecko Lizard
Burgundy
Front
Back
Adults Campaign
Madagascar Map
Beige / White
For all our product and price information or to request a FREE sample, please visit the EAZA website
www.eaza.net or e-mail us at [email protected], we offer a 90 day free trial to all campaign
participants and easy ordering options.
Units 3 & 4 Thistle Park, Crossways Road,
Bridgwater, Somerset, TA6 6LS, UK.
Tel: 0044 (0)1278 423600
Fax: 0044 (0)1278 420966
E-mail: [email protected] www.somdiff.com
Section 4 – Madagascar information
Contents
Madagascar - A fantasy island in the balance
Madagascar's new system of protected areas
Examples of protected areas around Madagascar and the projects ongoing
• Sahamalaza
• Betampona
• Ranomafana
• Baly Bay
• Alaotra
• Menabe
• Masoala
• Andringitra
Bibliography
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64
69
73
77
80
84
87
91
95
Madagascar – A fantasy island in the balance
Lesley Dickie
Introduction
Madagascar, lying in the Indian Ocean 400 km off the east coast of Africa, is the 4th largest
island in the world, with only Greenland, New Guinea and Borneo larger. It is over 1600 km
in length and covers nearly 600,000 km2. The island has always attracted travellers and
adventurers, and retains an air of mystery and wonder, not least because of its fascinating
and unique wildlife. But how did Madagascar come to have this remarkable flora and fauna
and why is it so unique? Moreover, what are the challenges for conservation on the island
and how can EAZA member institutions help?
Geology, geography and habitat
The great landmass of Gondwanaland was made up of present day South America, Africa,
Antarctica and Australia. Madagascar, the ‘Great Red Island’, was at the core of this supercontinent. The Malagasy tectonic plate split apart from mainland Africa, creating the
Mozambique Channel, approximately 165 million years, beginning Madagascar’s journey to
becoming an island in the Indian Ocean. However it was not until 70 million years ago that
the Indian sub-continent, that other great landmass, split off, creating the straight eastern
edge of Madagascar, and began its journey northwards, driving into the Asian continent to
form the Himalayas.
The island is famed for the remarkable breadth and diversity of its habitats, so much so that
it is sometimes known as the ‘8th Continent’. This diversity results from its geographical
location, (nestling almost entirely between the Tropics), its great size and unusual
topography. The east coast is characterised by
an abrupt steep slope rising from the Indian
Ocean, and this side of the island has a very
wet climate and is battered by tropical storms
between December and March. This scarp leads
up to the Haute Plateaux, with its cool nighttime temperatures and then begins the long
slow slope to the west, where Madagascar
meets the warm, blue waters of the
Mozambique Channel. The west coast is dry,
becoming even drier still towards the south.
Fig. 1 Biogeographic areas of Madagascar
(after Garbutt, 1999)
The island can be roughly divided
biogeographically into the Eastern Region and
the Western Region (Figure 1). The Eastern
region is then further subdivided into four
naturally occurring ’domains’ and one manmade landscape; the eastern domain of
lowland rainforest, the central domain of midaltitude montane rainforest, the high-mountain
domain of high-altitude montane forest, the
Sambriano domain of seasonal humid forest
and the eastern anthropogenic grasslands.
The Western Region is divided into two
naturally occurring domains and one area
thought to be man-made; the western domain
of dry, deciduous forest, the southern domain
of spiny forest/thorn scrub and the western
anthropogenic grasslands (see Garbutt, 1999
and Goodman and Benstead, 2003 in
54
bibliography for further details of geology, geography and habitats).
Why is the flora and fauna so unique?
Madagascar split from mainland Africa in the time of dinosaurs and today, particularly on
the west coast, dinosaur fossils have been extensively recorded. This of course leads to the
question as to how the stem fauna of extant Malagasy species arrived on an island, so far
from mainland Africa, that had rifted apart when dinosaurs were extant and the mammalian
fauna was yet to evolve?
The answer is a peculiar one, but it appears that the stem fauna may have rafted to the
island. These rafting events are sometimes called "sweepstakes dispersals". It is suggested
that large mats of vegetation break away from the mouths of vast rivers and act as rafts,
allowing species to cross water barriers of considerable distance. This is also the
hypothesised method of dispersal of proto-New World monkeys to South America from
Africa across the Atlantic, a far greater and more arduous crossing than that of East Africa
to Madagascar. Very occasionally today sailors report vegetation mats at sea with animals
sometimes observed.
Although a difficult crossing, statistically a rafting event is favoured and as the early
colonisers of all forms were likely to be small this would aid a sea-crossing event. Some
modern representatives of the Carnivora, display traits which would make them more able
to survive a sea crossing. The Malagasy civet (Fossa fossana) can lay down fat reserves,
particularly in its tail, to cope with times of lean foraging opportunities. These fat reserves
may account for 25% of their body weight. It is, however, suggested that mammals have
successfully colonised the island fewer than a dozen times. Herptiles could also have used
this rafting method and birds and insects may have been blown off course as they navigated
around the African coastline. Vegetation mats would also have brought the stem plant
species from which the endemic forms evolved. Alternatively they were blown to the island,
or were brought in the droppings of the rafting species.
The early colonisers of Madagascar are thought to have been insectivorous mammals,
perhaps similar to present day tenrecs, with subsequent colonisation events bringing
several founding species, which then evolved in isolation for millions of years to bring about
the unique assemblage of species observed today. The amazingly high levels of endemicity
found on the island result from the millennia Madagascar has spent in splendid isolation
from the other great landmasses.
Examples of endemism on the island today (from Goodman and Benstead, 2003);
Plants
~12,000 species
85% endemic
Amphibians
>300 species*
>90% endemic
Reptiles
346 species
>90% endemic
Birds
209 species▪
51% endemic
Terrestrial Mammals
101 species
~100% endemic
* More and more amphibians are being described
▪ 209 is the figure for birds that breed regularly on the island. A total of 283 species are
recorded on the island
But is this endemism exceptionally high in comparison to other parts of the globe?
Madagascar as a ‘hotspot’
When discussing the importance of Madagascar globally, it has been described as a
‘hotspot’. The phrase hotspot was first coined in 1988 by the scientist Norman Myers to
describe areas that were especially rich in endemic species and threatened by human
activities, such as deforestation and urbanisation. Since then 25 areas worldwide have been
identified as hotspots. These hotspots contain 44% of all species of vascular plants and 35%
of all mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles in only 1.4% of the land surface of the
earth. Since this original listing Myers and colleagues then identified the ‘hottest hotspots’
55
to provide a focus for conservation priority setting, suggesting that global conservation
bodies and governments take a ‘silver bullet’ approach to the current extinction crises. They
identified areas that should be targeted forthwith, in an effort to slow the rate of loss of
species (Table 1)
These five hotspot areas cover only 0.4% of the earth's land surface, yet clearly account for
a significant amount of global biodiversity. Madagascar and the Caribbean are also relatively
small areas, intensifying their importance as high biodiversity areas.
Table 1. The top five "hotspots"
Endemic Plants
Endemic vertebrates
Hotspot
(% of global total)
(% of global total)
Tropical Andes
20,000 (6.7)
1,567 (5.7)
Sundaland
15,000 (5.0)
701 (2.6)
Madagascar
9,704 (3.2)
771 (2.8)
Brazil’s Atlantic forest
8,000 (2.7)
567 (2.1)
Caribbean
7,000 (2.3)
779 (2.9)
Totals
59,704 (19.9)
4,385 (16.1)
When examining the number of threatened species in relation to the total described
Madagascar once again emerges as an area of high importance. Coupled with the high
levels of endemicity previously described it would appear imperative that global
conservation efforts should focus resources on this island "continent".
Today, remarkable animals and plants are found on Madagascar; the beautiful and varied
Sifaka sp., the fabulous fossa (Plate 3), the remarkable seven species of baobabs (in
comparison to the single species found on mainland Africa) (Plate 4), and the intriguing
amphibians (Plate 1), reptiles (Plate 2), invertebrates (Plate 5) and birds (Plate 6). It is this
fascinating biodiversity that keeps visitors returning to the island time and time again. But
in our interest in the island we should also take time to meet with the welcoming people of
Madagascar.
Plate 1. Tomato frog (Dyschophus aquineti)
© Franco Andreone
Plate 2. Chameleon (Brookesia peyrierasi)
© Nick Garbutt
56
Plate 3. The fossa (Cryptoprocta ferox) ©Nick Garbutt
Plate 4. Baobabs ©Nick Garbutt
57
Plate 5. Giraffe-necked weevil ©Nick Garbutt
Plate 6. Vanga ©Nick Garbutt
58
The Malagasy
Humans arrived surprisingly late on Madagascar, with archaeological evidence of their
activity dating from approximately 2000 years ago. Evidence of settled communities only
dates from 1200 years ago. The likely origins of the Malagasy are found in
Indonesia/Austronesia and they share common features such as rice growing practices, outrigger canoes and language affinities. In
addition a number of Bantu African practices
can also be found on the island and some
Bantu words are part of the language.
Europeans began trading extensively with the
island from the 16th Century onwards and
many pirates made their base on the island to
conduct Indian Ocean raids. Many early
European traders and settlers fell prey to
malaria and survival rates were low. The very
earliest travellers may have included Marco
Polo who described the mythical Rohk bird,
believed to be based upon the long extinct
elephant bird, Aepyornis. Amongst the
earliest European explorers were the
Portugese in 1500 followed by the French and
English. From around this time some detailed
maps were produced (Fig. 2) – complete with
sea-dragons!
Today the people of Madagascar are grouped
in 18 distinct tribes, with varying
interpretations of the "vintana" or codes of
practice which govern the animist belief
system of many of the people.
Fig. 2 Map dating from the 17th Century.
Threats to the biodiversity of the island
Madagascar is an economically impoverished country that is making great efforts, through
the government of President Marc Ravalamanana, to improve the living standards of its
people. The population at present stands at over 17 million with an annual growth rate of
3.03%, a doubling time of 25 years. Half of the population is under 15, with a median age
of 17.4 years. The birth rate is 41.9 births per 1000 with an infant mortality rate of 78.5 per
1000 live births. Illiteracy is running at 45% and the average Malagasy mother has 6.6
children. Madagascar is a very young country. Coupled with the fact that agriculture, much
of it small scale (rice, coffee, vanilla, spices) is the primary livelihood for 70% of the
population, the land is under extreme pressure.
In the south of the island cattle herding predominates and the zebu rapidly destroy native
habitats, nutrient poor grasslands often replacing them. It is also in the south that much of
the forests are being destroyed in charcoal burning, as most Malagasy still cook over
charcoal.
It is estimated that 90% of Madagascar’s original forest has been converted by man, for
extraction of hardwoods, fuel-woods, for farming and for mining. In the eastern rainforest
111,000 ha have been lost every year from 1950-1985, a 50% decline in 35 years. The
eastern rainforest is thought to cover, at best, just 34% of its original extent. The dry
deciduous forest is believed to be declining at an even more advanced rate. Inevitably, as
the forests and other unique habitats disappear, so do the species that depend upon them.
It is not only outright destruction of habitat that is of concern. Sustained exploitation can
lead to that habitat being degraded and fragmented, creating small islands of remnant
forests in seas of anthropogenic grasslands. Secondary forest growth may begin to
59
predominate, which can have great effect on some species. While some introduced species
thrive in altered and man-made landscapes, the endemic fauna is at far greater risk
Many species are entirely reliant on forested areas, and as these disappear, they will face
greater and greater problems. Although in some areas of Madagascar hunting of certain
species is prohibited by local tribal "fady" or taboo, many threatened species are hunted.
Commercial trade is also threatening many endemic species.
It must be emphasised that much of the threats to biodiversity in Madagascar are due to
poverty. Tavy, the slash –and-burn agriculture practice is carried out by rural Malagasy to
feed their families, as is charcoal burning and hunting. The Malagasy are proud of their
island and culture but often the choices they have are limited.
Madagascar is very much an island paradise in the balance.
The solutions
We have described above some of the problems facing Madagascar and its people. But
many conservationists are now hopeful that Madagascar has a more promising future. The
President of Madagascar, Marc Ravalomanana, announced at the World Parks Congress in
Durban in 2003 that his government would triple the protected area in Madagascar in 5
years (2003-2008). This bold statement has been followed by the formation of a new
protected area system (see next chapter) and millions of hectares of land have been
designated as new protected areas under this system. Many of the new areas will be
available as managed resource areas for local peoples and the management of the areas will
be very much collaborations between local people, government, private sector bodies and
conservation NGO’s, to name but a few agencies.
Providing the Malagasy people with the skills they need to effectively manage these areas
will be a major challenge, but is one that is being firmly grasped by many conservation
bodies in conjunction with the government. You will see in the Projects Section (Section 5)
of this Info Pack that many of the selected projects have training elements – a key for the
future of the island.
However, the President also stated during this historic address that "This is not just
Madagascar’s biodiversity, it is the world’s biodiversity". This was both a statement of fact
and challenge to the world. Is the world ready to respond and assist Madagascar in this
amazing and bold effort? We hope so. Already many EAZA members are doing their best to
help conserve biodiversity in Madagascar (see next chapters). We hope this campaign
represents an opportunity to get involved and we can all help the President, his government
and the people to conserve the most wonderful island on Earth – Arovako i Madagasikara,
Conserve Madagascar.
Next chapters
We realised that this Info Pack island introduction could only give a taste of the biodiversity
on the island. We therefore decided not to focus on just a few species, but to set out how
the new protected area system works and to describe some existing locations on the island
where exemplary conservation work is taking place. We hope the work described in the
following pages will prompt you to find out even more about Madagascar and a bibliography
is provided at the end of this Section to help you begin further reading.
60
Madagascar’s new system of protected areas –
Implementing the ‘Durban Vision’
Joanna Durbin
The Government of Madagascar made a bold commitment in September 2003 to conserve
the nation’s wealth of natural resources and biodiversity by tripling the protected area
network from the existing 1.7 million hectares to cover 6 million hectares or 10% of the
country’s surface area in the coming five years. This commitment made by the President of
the Republic of Madagascar at the Vth World Parks Congress in Durban, South Africa,
became known as the ‘Durban Vision’.
Creating the new protected areas has stimulated remarkable collaboration between
Government, funding agencies, non-governmental organisations, private sector and
individuals at all levels. The ‘Durban Vision Group’ was created in 2003 as a think-tank and
orientation platform grouping government entities and national and international partner
organisations working in conservation and biodiversity in Madagascar to support the
Ministry and its partners in implementing the Durban commitment. The group was divided
into several sub-groups: site prioritization, management and categorization, legal
framework, communication, finance. Regional commissions have also been created that
provide a platform for local and regional interests, ensuring good communication between
national and regional levels, while also guiding and coordinating creation of the protected
areas in the field.
Plate 7. Isalo landscape (© Richard Durbin)
Plate 8. Lake Bedo (© Alice Smith)
A more flexible approach to protected area management has been adopted, with the aim of
maximizing direct and indirect uses of natural resources while also safeguarding
biodiversity. It was decided that most of the new protected areas will not be managed by
ANGAP, the existing protected area management agency, but could be managed by the
Directorate General of Waters and Forests (DGEF) or its regional offices (DIREEF or
CIREEF), by non-governmental organisations, by community organisations, by private
sector organisations, or by a combination of these through collaborative management
agreements. According to the management objectives defined for the site, the protected
areas can be classified in any of the six International Union for Conservation of Nature
(IUCN) protected area categories:
• Category 1 - extensive wilderness or ecosystem areas that are strictly protected,
• Category 2 – ecosystem areas that also provide recreation, such as national parks,
• Category 3 - areas that conserve specific features, such as natural monuments,
• Category 4 - managed areas that maintain species and habitats,
• Category 5 - protected landscapes with harmonious interaction between people and
nature
61
•
Category 6 - substantially natural areas managed for sustainable use of natural
resources.
All Madagascar’s protected areas will belong to a single national system of protected areas
(Système d’Aires Protégées de Madagascar or SAPM), including existing ANGAP-managed
and new protected areas. The three fundamental objectives of the SAPM are:
• To conserve the entirety of Madagascar’s unique biodiversity (ecosystems, species,
genetic variability);
• To conserve Madagascar’s cultural heritage;
• To maintain ecological services and promote sustainable use of natural resources to
contribute to the reduction of poverty and sustainable development.
Fig. 3 Map showing existing protected areas and potential sites for new protected areas, July 2004
In addition to contributing to these national objectives, each protected area should conform
to the IUCN definition of a protected area: "An area of land and/or sea especially dedicated
to the protection and maintenance of biological diversity, and of natural and associated
cultural resources, and managed through legal or other effective means".
62
The prioritization of sites has followed an iterative process. Results of earlier prioritization
exercises were overlaid to provide a preliminary map of potential sites: CI-GEF 1995,
Birdlife’s Important Bird Areas 1999, APAPC-MBG Priority Sites for Plants 2004 etc.
Subsequent and on-going analysis has mapped polygons of endangered and endemic
species to model distribution of sites to ensure maximum biodiversity coverage. A further
exercise has been to take the new concept of protected areas and the maps of high
biodiversity value to the regions to verify that they corresponded with regional and local
interests and preoccupations. In general, the SAPM approach has been received positively
and a new set of priority sites have been identified according to local interests, particularly
ensuring that areas of cultural importance in addition to biodiversity value were included. In
the meantime, different organisations proceeded with negotiations over definition of
management objectives and delimitation for specific sites around the country.
A new decree (Décret d’Application No 848-05) for the existing protected area law (Code
des Aires Protégées or COAP) was approved by the Council of Ministers on 12 December.
This enabled the creation of four new categories of protected areas (Natural Park, Natural
Monument, Protected Harmonious Landscape and Natural Resource Reserve corresponding
with IUCN categories II, III, V and VI respectively), to add to the three existing categories
(Strict Nature Reserve, National Park and Special Reserve corresponding with IUCN
categories I, II and IV respectively). The decree also stipulated that the Ministry could
delegate organisations other than ANGAP for protected area management, enabled comanagement and simplified the process for creation of protected areas.
With a legal framework in place, the new protected areas are now being created. The
Minister of Environment, Waters and Forests signed a set of protected orders (arrêté de
protection temporaire) in December 2005 giving legal protection to 5 new protected areas:
Loky-Manambato (near Daraina) of 70, 837 ha, Iles Radama/Sahamalaza of 130,000 ha,
Makira of 371,217 ha, Ankeniheny-Zahamena forest corridor of 425,000 ha and the
Anjozorobe-Angavo forest corridor of 52,200 ha. This meant that the Government’s
objective of creating 1 million hectares of new protected areas in 2005 had been achieved.
These protection orders grant provisional legal protection as well as defining the
management objectives and the organisation delegated to manage the protected area. The
dossiers have to be supported by evidence of consultation at the Commune level and
general support at local and regional levels for the creation. The protection orders stipulate
that further negotiation must be undertaken to agree on the exact limits, which must then
be verified by the appropriate government departments, and a management plan must be
developed and approved within the following year to justify final creation of the protected
area.
The President of Madagascar declared in January 2006 that a further 1 million hectares of
protected areas should be created before Independence Day celebrations on June 26 2006,
which has stimulated increased efforts to prepare the dossiers for other new protected
areas. In the meantime further work is in progress to finalize a manual on creation,
management, negotiation and communication for SAPM and also to improve understanding
of governance types and quality with respect to protected area management particularly
promoting participation by local communities.
63
AEECL Programme Sahamalaza
Iles Radama: Conservation and study of critically endangered lemurs
in northwestern Madagascar
Christoph Schwitzer
The blue-eyed black lemur (Eulemur macaco flavifrons; plate 9) is a highly endangered
lemur taxon from the Sahamalaza Peninsula, northwest Madagascar. The population size is
estimated to be in the low thousands. The subspecies E. m. flavifrons is still one of the
least-studied of all lemur taxa. It exclusively occurs in a very small area of about 2,700 km2
south of the Andranomalaza, north of the Maevarano, and west of the Sandrakota rivers,
where it inhabits primary and secondary forests and forest fragments.
The Sahamalaza Peninsula lies within a
transition zone between the Sambirano
evergreen forest region in the north and the
western dry deciduous forest region in the
south. Called the southern Sambirano, this
area harbours semi-humid evergreen
forests with tree heights of up to 30 m on
ferruginous alkalescent and alkaline soils
based on sandstone, basalt or clay. Average
annual precipitation is around 1600 mm.
The dry season lasts from April to October,
the rainy season from November to March.
The vegetation in Sahamalaza both includes
plant species from the Sambirano as well as
from the western dry deciduous forests. The
forests and forest fragments are separated
through grassland with shrubs.
Plate 9. Female blue-eyed black lemur
(Eulemur macaco flavifrons) in Sahamalaza.
(© Nora Schwitzer)
In addition to the blue-eyed black lemur,
Sahamalaza is home to a secretive species of
sportive lemur (Lepilemur sahamalazensis;
plate 10) that was first described by science
in February 2006 from the Ankarafa Forest on
the Sahamalaza Peninsula. The Sahamalaza
sportive lemur also seems to exclusively occur
in this area. Even though nothing is yet
known about the size of its remaining
population, looking at the amount of available
habitat the species is likely to be highly
endangered, too. Other lemur species in
Sahamalaza include the aya-aye
(Daubentonia madagascariensis), the western
bamboo lemur (Hapalemur occidentalis) and
the newly described Mirza zaza.
64
Plate 10. Sahamalaza sportive lemur (Lepilemur
sahamalazensis), a species newly described in
February 2006. (© Klaus Krieger)
Box 1. The blue-eyed black lemur (Eulemur macaco flavifrons)
The blue-eyed black lemur is a critically endangered lemur taxon from northwest
Madagascar. It exclusively occurs in a very small distribution area on and adjacent to
the Sahamalaza Peninsula. Blue-eyed black lemurs are sexually dichromatic, the
females being beige brown and the males being completely black. Probably because of
these differences in fur colouration, the two sexes were regarded as different species
and were thus described separately by science during the 19th century: Gray named
the females Lemur flavifrons in 1867, and in 1880 Sclater described the males as
Lemur nigerrimus. As nobody knew where exactly these animals came from, and no
scientist seems to have seen them again for the 100 years that followed, the blue-eyed
black lemur was by some authors regarded as a "neverending myth" until as recently
as 1983, when the subspecies was finally rediscovered by L. Koenders during an
expedition financed by Mulhouse Zoo and Strasbourg University. After subsequent
genetic studies, the subspecific status of Eulemur macaco flavifrons was verified.
Blue-eyed black lemurs are critically endangered because of their limited distribution
area, fragmentation of their remaining habitat, and small total population size. The
latter is estimated to be in the low thousands. In 1984 and 1986, some individuals
from a non-viable subpopulation were captured and brought to Europe to become the
founders of the blue-eyed black lemur EEP. The EEP is directly linked with an in situ
conservation and research programme for the taxon, carried out by European and
Malagasy scientists on the Sahamalaza Peninsula. All European zoos keeping blue-eyed
black lemurs contribute to finance this programme through their membership in the
Association Européenne pour l’Etude et la Conservation des Lémuriens (AEECL).
The lemur species living in Sahamalaza are threatened by hunting and forest destruction. All
over Madagascar forests are burned down at a very high rate, both for slash-and-burn
agriculture and to gain space for grazing cattle. Blue-eyed black lemurs were assessed
Critically Endangered (CR A2cd) by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature
(IUCN) at their most recent Red List Assessment in April 2005, based on an 80% population
reduction during the last 25 years. The same probably applies to the Sahamalaza sportive
lemur, which was however not yet assessed at this Red List Assessment.
The Association Européenne pour l’Etude et la Conservation des Lémuriens (AEECL) is a
consortium of 16 European Zoological Gardens and one University who have joined forces to
carry out conservation and research projects for Madagascar’s highly endangered lemurs
Since the late 1980s, AEECL has implemented or financed a number of different research
projects, mainly on the cytogenetics, taxonomy and distribution of lemur genera such as
Hapalemur, Lepilemur, and Propithecus. The Sahamalaza region has been in AEECL’s focus
of scientific and conservation interest since 1988. As one of its priorities, AEECL has been
working on the creation of a reserve for the blue-eyed black lemur on the Sahamalaza
Peninsula since a number of years.
The work of AEECL has led to the implementation of a UNESCO biosphere reserve in
Sahamalaza in September 2001. On 26 January 2005 the Malagasy government issued a
decree proclaiming an immediate temporary protection of the core zones of the future
protected area Sahamalaza – Iles Radama, altogether comprising 260 km2 of forests, coral
reefs and mangroves, until the final creation of a national park. This was an important step
on the way to achieving an official conservation status for the area under Malagasy law, but
it does not yet effectively increase the level of protection of the last remaining blue-eyed
black lemur habitat. To achieve an effectual protection, a motivated and well-equipped
troop of park rangers is needed, a measure which is however already foreseen in the
programme of the Malagasy national parks authority ANGAP for the coming years. The
future protected area Sahamalaza – Iles Radama is one of a few parks in the process of
creation that were selected to be part of the Programme Environnemental 3 (PE 3), a
65
governmental nature conservation programme. The worldbank has made a donation of
around 50 million US$ (the highest amount of money ever given to a country without the
obligation to pay it back) to fund this programme, and part of the money will be used for
Sahamalaza.
Box 2. The Association Européenne pour l’Etude et la Conservation des
Lémuriens (AEECL)
European zoos have been involved in efforts to protect the last remaining habitat of
the blue-eyed black lemur on the Sahamalaza Peninsula since the late 1980s, when
the zoos of Mulhouse, Cologne and Saarbrücken as well as the University of Strasbourg
founded a consortium for lemur research and conservation. This consortium has
developed into the Association Européenne pour l’Etude et la Conservation des
Lémuriens (AEECL), which today counts 16 member zoos from all over Europe.
Together with its American partners, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), and with
the Malagasy national parks authority (ANGAP), AEECL has since its creation been
working on the implementation of a UNESCO biosphere reserve (created in 2001) and
a national protected area on the Sahamalaza Peninsula. During the course of 2004 a
field research and conservation station and a scientific working group have been
established by scientists of AEECL and the Universities of Antananarivo and Mahajanga
in the Ankarafa forest, situated within the UN Biosphere Reserve and proposed national
park "Sahamalaza - Iles Radama". Ongoing studies address the ecology of the blueeyed black lemur and other lemurs living in Sahamalaza. The results will be used to
help design effective conservation measures for these critically endangered lemurs.
The AEECL member zoos have furthermore initiated captive propagation programmes
for the blue-eyed black lemur as well as for other lemur species within the framework
of EAZA, that are directly linked to the in situ conservation project in Sahamalaza.
During the course of 2004 a field research
station (plate 11) and a working group have
been established by scientists of AEECL and the
Universities of Antananarivo and Mahajanga in
the Ankarafa Forest, situated within the
UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and proposed APMC
(Aire Protégée Marine et Côtière) Sahamalaza –
Iles Radama. Ankarafa’s forest fragments
accommodate one of the largest populations of
blue-eyed black lemurs still remaining. The first
three long-term research projects, namely on
the nutritional ecology, socioecology and
parasitic status of E. m. flavifrons, have been or
are currently being carried out within the
Plate 11. The AEECL field station in the
framework of AEECL’s Programme Sahamalaza.
Ankarafa Forest on the Sahamalaza Peninsula.
Other species that have been subject to studies
(© Christoph Schwitzer)
and/or census work in Sahamalaza during the
last years were Mirza zaza and Lepilemur sahamalazaensis as well as birds.
Studying the blue-eyed black lemur...
These studies, as well as the follow-up work that will be carried out during the coming
years, aim at generating knowledge that contributes to the improvement of in situ and ex
situ conservation efforts for the blue-eyed black lemur and other lemur species in
Sahamalaza. AEECL’s Programme Sahamalaza is part of a larger initiative, the "Critically
endangered lemurs programme", jointly financed through Conservation International,
AEECL and other NGOs, and coordinated by the Malagasy NGO Fanamby. This initiative aims
at establishing scientific conservation programmes for the eight most endangered lemur
taxa, among them Eulemur macaco flavifrons. Madagascar’s lemurs are primarily
66
threatened by the destruction and
degradation of their natural habitats all over
the island. Forests are being cut to make
way for rice cultivation (plate 12) or grazing
cattle, or selectively logged, e.g. for
rosewood exploitation. The Malagasy
government is well aware of the critical
situation of the country’s ecosystems, and
the Malagasy President, Marc
Ravalomanana, has promised to triple the
size of Madagascar’s protected area network
until 2010. Although an increase in the
number and size of protected areas
constitutes a large step into the right
Plate 12. "Tavy", forest destroyed to make
direction, it does not in every case equal an
way for agriculture in Sahamalaza.
effective protection of an endangered
species. It is therefore necessary to
establish an individual management
programme and action plan for each of the most endangered lemur species, based in each
case on studies on the species’ ecology and behaviour and on the impacts of habitat
degradation on the latter.
...and saving it from extinction
There still remain large gaps in the knowledge we have about the blue-eyed black lemur.
Together, the zoos united in AEECL are aiming at filling some of these gaps, especially
concerning population and social dynamics,
Box 3. Visiting Sahamalaza - Iles Radama
habitat utilisation, nutritional ecology, and
veterinary issues, to be able to develop
The Sahamalaza Peninsula in northwestern
comprehensive conservation and
Madagascar is the best place to see the
management plans for this critically
Critically Endangered blue-eyed black lemur
endangered species. The research project
(Eulemur macaco flavifrons) and perhaps the
will moreover increase public awareness for
northern giant mouse lemur (Mirza zaza). It is
the forest ecosystem in the target area and
also the only place to see the newly described
will facilitate long-term conservation and
Sahamalaza sportive lemur (Lepilemur
research efforts for the target species and
sahamalazensis). The Ankarafa forest in
their habitat.
Sahamalaza can be reached by a one-hour
boat trip from the town of Analalava to the
Other than research and direct conservation
small village of Marovato and a subsequent
measures, AEECL and its American partners
two-hour hike inland. Boats as well as local
from the Wildlife Conservation Society
guides can be arranged in Analalava (contact
(WCS), with the involvement of
the AEECL office or the Hotel Talio). A local
representatives of local communities from
guides association is in the process of being
the Sahamalaza Peninsula and
formed. Analalava is no longer served by Air
representatives of several environmental
Madagascar, but it is possible to take a plane
institutions, have implemented a
to the regional capital Antsohihy and continue
community-based natural resource
by bush taxi or (in the rainy season) by ferry.
management programme (CBNRM) in
Use of an Antananarivo- or Antsiranana-based
December 2000. Two objectives of this
tour operator is recommended. The
programme were identified: to maintain and
Sahamalaza Peninsula can also be reached by
strengthen natural processes and the
pirogue from Maromandia, which is situated
condition of terrestrial and marine
between Antsohihy and Ambanja on the
ecosystems; and to improve natural
National Road 6. The best time to visit
resource use techniques in order to improve
Sahamalaza is between August and October,
the standard of living of the local human
as these are the coolest and driest months.
populations. An action plan (Natural
You need to bring a tent and camping
Resources Community-Management Plan)
equipment.
was proposed and is currently being
67
implemented. It has since been the reference framework for the AEECL/WCS consortium’s
interventions in the Sahamalaza region. Twenty-one Local Community Associations (LCA)
were set up in four communes as well as several social and professional associations
grouping young people, women, farmers, fishers, and craftspeople. An LCA is defined as a
village-level association to which the law grants the power to manage natural resources
within its territory. These associations will partly take over the management of the natural
resources in their communities and engage themselves to manage them in a sustainable
way. Thereafter, a local agreement ("dina") on the conservation of the environment was
developed and formalized for each of the LCAs that were set up. Moreover, in each village
("fokontany") a Village Forest Protection Committee was set up. The committees work in
liaison with the forest department’s representative in Analalava to check permits issued by
the representative for any logging and to look after the work.
AEECL and WCS help the local associations by providing assistance with bureaucratic
procedures as well as through offering courses in e.g. sustainable rice cultivation or the
production of handicraft for sale to tourists. As part of the CBNRM for Sahamalaza, in 2005
AEEL/WCS funded a training in irrigated rice farming that was carried out in partnership
with the NGO Voahary Salama, specialised in farmers training. From the training benefited
27 people from Sahamalaza. Yields were 13.55 t/ha and 17.14 t/ha, respectively, in pilot
rice fields A and B, against 3 t/ha in local rice fields where traditional techniques were used.
To increase awareness of the environment and the need for its conservation, AEECL also
participates in the organisation of local festivals such as the "Vitrines de la Sofia" in July
2005 (plate 13) or the "Festival of the blue-eyed black lemur", which took place for the first
time in September 2005.
Plate 13. The stand of AEECL at the "Vitrines de la Sofia" exhibition in Analalava.
68
Betampona Nature Reserve
Karen Freeman
Madagascar Fauna Group (MFG)
The MFG is an international Non-Governmental Organisation - established in 1988 to
contribute to the conservation of Madagascar’s endemic wildlife. Comprised primarily of zoo
members, the MFG’s in-situ programs are funded through the members’ annual dues. The
MFG’s core programme began under the direction of MFG/Duke Primate Centre technical
advisors Andrea Katz and Charlie Welch who came to Parc Ivoloina at the request of the
Malagasy government for international assistance in the reconstruction and management of
the Ivoloina Zoo. Since then the objectives of the MFG have broadened to include
conservation, environmental education, socio-economic development, forest restoration and
the promotion of sustainable agricultural and agro-forestry practices.
In 1998 the MFG became involved with Betampona Nature Reserve when, in partnership
with ANGAP (Association National pour la Gestion des Aires protégées) the first of three
releases of captive-reared black and white ruffed lemur (Varecia variegata variegata) took
place at Betampona*. The subsequent follow-up to the releases led to the development of
the partnerships and conservation activities that are in effect today.
Betampona Nature Reserve (Réserve Naturelle Intégrale de Betampona)
Betampona is situated approximately 40 km northwest of Toamasina in the eastern
Malagasy rainforest belt. Recognized today as one of Madagascar’s top biodiversity
hotspots, in 1927 the 2228 ha Betampona forest became the first area to receive the
designation "Réserve Naturelle Intégrale" or "strict nature reserve". At that time Betampona
was part of a much larger fragment of rainforest than it is today. Ranging between 250 and
600 m in altitude Betampona now stands alone – one of Madagascar’s last fragments of
lowland rainforest - probably saved from deforestation by its extreme slopes as much as by
its protected status.
For most of the year the climate at
Betampona is hot and humid with an annual
average humidity of between 81 and 91%.
There is no true dry season. Rain can be
expected for more than 300 days each year
with over 2000 mm falling each year. The
average annual temperature is 24°C with
annual lows of around 16°C between June
and August and annual highs of 32°C
possible between December and February.
Betampona’s designation means that access
is available only to ANGAP and to
researchers approved by the Malagasy
government. MFG is the main research
organisation working at Betampona and is
ANGAP’s official partner for the
management of the site.
Plate 14. Betampona Nature Reserve.
(© K. Freeman)
The forest, which occasionally still suffers from small-scale illegal wood extraction, remains
largely intact, except for past selective logging of precious woods and pressure from
encroaching invasive plant species. It is home to 11 species of lemur including the black and
white ruffed lemur, and the largest of the nocturnal lemurs, the aye-aye (Daubentonia
*
See ALERT
69
madagascariensis). At least 88 species of bird and 70 amphibian species also inhabit the
forest along with 67 species of reptile, including the critically endangered gecko Paroedura
masobe and the prehistoric looking leaf-tailed gecko genus (Uroplatus sp.) The reserve
shelters countless plant and invertebrate species – many of which are still undescribed.
Species new to science are being found every year.
Plate 15. Paroedura masobe: Threatened by its
value in the illegal pet trade market.
(© K. Freeman)
Plate 16. Liopholidophis sp.: Potential new
species for Betampona. (© K. Freeman)
Betampona has also been described as one of the most florally diverse and important
regions of Madagascar (pers. comm. Birkenshaw, Missouri Botanical Gardens) and, as intact
lowland rainforest, represents one of the most threatened habitats in the country.
Conservation activities
Today’s conservation objectives
The conservation of Betampona’s primary forest depends upon the consideration of two
areas; the reserve itself and the area immediately surrounding the reserve including the
Zone of Protection. The Zone of Protection is a 100 m wide belt of land surrounding the
reserve, intended as a buffer between villages and the reserve proper on which the
traditional "slash and burn" agricultural practice "tavy" is not legally permitted. It has
historically been cultivated by local villagers and continues to be so, so good relations with
the local population are vital.
Within the reserve the MFG is carrying out research to increase knowledge of the species
present and their distribution to try to establish an idea of the conservation status of each.
Conservation management measures can then be taken to protect the oftentimes critically
endangered species. Monitoring of the released lemurs continues and valuable data is being
collected on population and group dynamics in the black and white ruffed lemurs to help
ensure their long-term survival in the reserve.
The reserve itself needs to be protected from invasive plant species, buffeting from cyclones
and the illegal extraction of forest products. Seven subsistence-farming dependent villages
are located around the Betampona periphery. The importance of developing sustainable,
economically viable land practices for these rural communities is accentuated by the close
proximity of the primary forest edge. Rapidly expanding village populations and increasing
poverty are driving up the demand for land and intensifying the pressure on the forest.
Deforestation up to the reserve’s limit has left a sharp primary forest edge, which is
regularly buffeted by cyclones, creating gaps. Each time a gap appears invasive plant
species colonize it, suppressing native forest regeneration and driving the forest back. In
addition, small-scale poaching and illegal timber extraction continue in areas of the forest
despite MFG and ANGAP’s combined efforts.
70
The MFG conservation and research objectives are targeted at the reduction of these
problems through continuing research and education initiatives for the local populace. Today
a talented team of five MFG conservation agents work at the Betampona field-station,
Rendrirendry (S017559, E049121), directed by Dr Karen Freeman. Supplemented by
Malagasy and international researchers, the fauna research programme has diversified from
a largely lemur-based study into a broader programme incorporating birds, small mammals,
reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates. The flora programme has built upon the
foundations laid by Welch’s reforestation trial plots to include research into the management
of invasive species and the provision of economically desirable plants at cost price for local
villagers. The MFG also collects long-term phenological and meteorological data in the
reserve to help monitor long-term trends in population fluctuations.
The findings of all studies conducted by MFG staff and researchers are given to ANGAP so
that they can be used in the management and protection of the reserve. In collaboration
with ANGAP (who’s activities in Betampona are largely financed by MFG) the information
obtained from the work of the MFG agents and researchers will be used to plan and direct
the following initial conservation based initiatives:
1) The management of invasive species, specifically guava (Psidium cattleianum) and
longoza (Aframomum angustifolium).
2) The reforestation of the Betampona Zone of Protection using a combination of native
trees and non-invasive, economically beneficial exotic trees and shrubs.
3) The identification of the need for and implementation of single species conservation
projects at Betampona.
Other benefits from the MFG
The presence of the MFG agents at Betampona is a deterrent to poachers and illegal timber
extractors. The southern areas of the reserve, which due to the location of Rendrirendry,
are frequented far more often by the MFG conservation agents than the northern areas,
suffer a far lower level of illegal activity than the northern areas.
There is a small MFG-run plant nursery at Rendrirendry where plants suitable for agroforestry, forest restoration and sustainable agricultural practices are propagated. The young
plants and trees are given or sold very cheaply to villagers in the areas around Betampona.
The MFG and ANGAP agents run annual training programmes, reforestation days and
environmental awareness campaigns in the villages around Betampona to encourage
sustainable land-use and reduce pressure on the reserve.
Plate 17. Reforestation near
Betampona organised by MFG and
ANGAP.
(© K. Freeman)
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Getting to Betampona
Due to its "Réserve Naturelle Intégrale" protected status, Betampona is only open to
ANGAP, permitted researchers, MFG staff and funders. Research permits can be obtained
from the Ministry of the Environment, Water and Forests via ANGAP. Entry permits for
consultants can also be obtained at the discretion of ANGAP.
The first point of contact for gaining authorisation to visit Betampona should be ANGAP,
Toamasina. They should be contacted well in advance of the proposed visit (allowing three
months in the case of research permits) for the authorisation to be processed.
Once a permit has been obtained a taxi-brousse can be taken, or a four-wheel drive vehicle
organised to get to Anosibe, which is about 24 km northwest of Toamasina along the
Ivoloina River. At Anosibe the river must be crossed by boat before taking a taxi-brousse a
further 12 km to Fontsimavo. From Fontsimavo, a guide is needed for the 4 km hike up to
Betampona. Guides can be organised through the MFG. Seven hours should be allowed for
the journey to Rendrirendry from Toamasina.
Box 4. Black and white ruffed lemur releases
Betampona’s profile was raised internationally by a lemur restocking program, which featured the
releases of captive born black and white ruffed lemurs (Varecia variegata variegata) from MFGmember zoos in 1997, 1998 and 2001. The objectives of the releases were to improve the
genetic viability of the small existing black and white ruffed lemur population at Betampona and
to assess the feasibility of utilising captive-bred lemurs to reinforce wild populations. After
thorough veterinary screening, the animals were flown to Madagascar and taken to Betampona
where they were held in cages to acclimatise them to wild foods and the forest, before being
released. A team of seven Malagasy conservation agents, led by British scientist Dr. Adam Britt,
closely followed the progress of the released lemurs for five years; less intense but systematic
monitoring continues today. The primary goals of the restocking programme were realized – one
captive-born pair successfully reproduced in the wild and another two of the released individuals
produced offspring with wild-born mates. There were losses due to predation by fossa
(Cryptoprocta ferox) and some released lemurs proved to be unable to adapt to forest conditions.
The successes and disappointments of the lemur releases provided valuable information, which
can be used should future lemur introductions prove necessary. The releases also suggested that,
whenever possible, translocations of wild lemurs, already habituated to primary forest conditions,
may be preferable to reintroductions of captive-born animals.
Plate 17. Black and white ruffed lemur. (© K. Freeman)
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Ranomafana National Park
Pat Wright
Location
Ranomafana National Park (RNP) became the fourth national park in Madagascar on 31 May
1991. Impetus for the establishment of the park was the 1986 discovery of a new species of
lemur: the golden bamboo lemur (Hapalemur aureus) by Dr. Patricia C. Wright and
colleagues. The park boundaries were carefully delineated so that no villages are within the
park.
Ranomafana National Park is located in southeast Madagascar between 47°18’ – 47°37’ E
and 21°02’ – 21°25’ S, approximately 90 kilometers west of the Indian Ocean, 60 km
northeast of the provincial capital Fianarantsoa, and 400 km southeast of the capital city
Antananarivo. The park covers 43,500 ha, (166 square miles or 106,253 acres). The park
receives on average 3000 mm of rain a year with most of the rain falling from December to
March.
Description of habitat
The climate of Ranomafana National Park is subtropical with rainfall averaging 2,300 –
4,000 mm annually. Monthly rainfall is highest in the warm season, December to March
(400 mm), and lowest in the cool season from May to October (90 mm). Temperatures
average 18 – 20°C, with lowest and highest recorded temperatures in the area being 4°C
and 37°C, respectively. Most of the park area is mountainous (altitudinal gradient 400 –
1374 m) with steep terrain and contains lowland moist forest, cloud forest, and high plateau
forest. One third of the park has been selectively logged; the remaining 2/3 is undisturbed.
The forest is the primary watershed for southeastern Madagascar, and 29 rivers originate in
the park.
Protected status
Prior to 1991 Ranomafana was a classified forest managed by the Madagascar Department
of Water and Forests. In May, 1991 Ranomafana was declared a National Park managed by
Duke University and then ICTE/Stony Brook University. In 1997 management was turned
over to the Madagascar National Park Service, the parastatal ANGAP (Association pour la
Gestion des Aires Protégées). No collecting or hunting of plants or wildlife is allowed in the
park. Researchers must apply to a consortium of University of Antananarivo, Parc
Tsimbazaza Zoo, ANGAP and Department of Water and Forest (CAFF/CORR committee) for
research permits, and tourists pay entrance fees and must be accompanied by a tour guide.
Half of the funds collected for entrance fees are returned to the villagers for conservation
projects. Thirty park rangers and park staff patrol and manage the park.
Species found at the location
Ranomafana National Park has a high diversity of primates, a total of 13 species. The RNP
lemurs range from 32 gram to 6 kilogram, with five day-active, six night-active, and two
which are active six hours during the day and six hours during the night. Biodiversity is
extremely high: 13 lemurs, 118 birds, >70 amphibians and reptiles. Endangered species
include golden bamboo lemur (Hapalemur aureus), greater bamboo lemur (Prolemur
simus), black and white ruffed lemur (Varecia variegata), aquatic tenrec (Limnogale
mergulus), Madagascar serpent eagle (Eutriorchis astur), and the slender-billed flufftail
(Sarothrura watersi). RNP contains most species found in the threatened eastern forest
corridor of Madagascar.
Conservation and research activities at the location
Dr. Wright was the driving force behind the development of a research station in
Ranomafana National Park in 1986 and of the modern research and training Centre ValBio in
2003. Centre ValBio’s mission is to promote and research biodiversity and conservation of
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Madagascar’s rainforests, and to train a new generation of conservation biologists. The
research station provides meals, laboratory, and classroom space for researchers and
students. Over 150 international and Malagasy scientists come to the site to study rainforest
biology each year. The publication list of research conducted at RNP exceeds 325 articles
(see www.sunysb.edu/madagascar). Ecological research contributes to the management
decisions for the park.
Research built a strong conservation foundation at Ranomafana by beginning early to assist
the local people in understanding the value of their biodiversity. The project built seven
schools, and rebuilt seven more in the first five years. Following this came development of
conservation materials in Malagasy for the school teachers to incorporate into the
curriculum. Recent programs initiated are Young Naturalists groups for adolescents,
reforestation project in the schools, local language pamphlets on biodiversity. Health is also
a concern of these remote villages, and the a health team headed by a medical doctor
brings basic health and hygiene to 25 villages, linking the conservation of this watershed
with improvements in health. By providing over 150 jobs for local residents directly linked to
the park (park rangers, research assistants, tourist guides), as well as the increasing
number of jobs for the burgeoning tourist industry in shops, hotels and restaurants, the
Malagasies see a direct economic value to preserving wildlife. Small businesses like
production of top quality honey, reforesting and selling endemic trees, producing and
weaving native silk products, harvesting medicinal plant gardens make small but effective
ways that local people can value their biodiversity.
At an international level, research carried out at Centre ValBio provides the scientific
knowledge that has formed the basis of numerous print and broadcast media (BBC, National
Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, National Public Radio) and documentaries that have
increased international appreciation for the biodiversity value of the area.
Box 5. Greater bamboo lemur helps protect itself from extinction
In 1986, Hapalemur simus was feared to be extinct. Though it is the most abundant subfossil lemur in parts
of Madagascar, it had only been seen alive in two localities in the previous 100 years. So the discovery by
Dr. Patricia Wright and colleagues of a group of 11 Hapalemur simus in the Ranomafana forests and group
of six in a coffee plantation to the east was cause for excitement. After the establishment of Ranomafana
National Park in 1991, Dr. Wright and her student Chia Tan initiated long-term studies of the H. simus. From
1986 - 2006, 54 exploratory searches for lemurs were mounted, and these located only eight groups of H.
simus. In 2003, taxonomists separated H. simus into a separate genus (Prolemur simus). By this date, only
eight groups of Prolemur simus were known, and the only habituated group was in Ranomafana National
Park.
In December 2004, a Centre ValBio lemur technician reported that the adult males of the Ranomafana group
had disappeared! Maybe they were eaten by a fossa? The breeding season is April-May and the birth season
is in November. No males were seen in that group all during 2005. No infants were born into the group in
November of that year.
In April 2005, the IUCN Global Mammal Assessment Committee declared that Prolemur simus was the most
endangered lemur in Madagascar, and one of the top five endangered primates in the world. As the 2006
breeding season was approaching, discussions included whether males should be translocated to
Ranomafana from another group in the wild or from captivity.
But then the lemurs took action! On April 12, the entire Ranomafana Prolemur simus group, with the
females leading, began to move. They travelled out of their territory, north out of RNP across the tourist
foot bridge, across the main highway in southeastern Madagascar, back into the northern parcel of
Ranomafana National Park, and out again into the peripheral zone near the village, Ambatolahy Dimy. There
they met the only other known Prolemur simus group in the Ranomafana region, which also had no males.
After a month of travel over 10 km, the group returned to their original territory, maleless. Then in June, a
young male joined the group, we don’t know from where. We are hoping for infants in November! The
immediate conservation need is to find a breeding male for the peripheral zone group and keep it protected.
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Conservation targeted at endangered species
Prolemur simus (greater bamboo lemur) is one of the most critically endangered primates in
the world. The Centre ValBio is currently working with local villagers to establish a
community based conservation programme in an area where a group of P. simus resides
near a village. The project includes monitoring of the P. simus population by trained
villagers, cultivation and reforestation of the bamboo species favored by P. simus and also
used for housing construction by the villagers, and education.
Reforestation: Centre ValBio scientists are working closely with villagers to develop and
implement methods of reforesting deforested areas outside the park using native species.
Currently we have several tree nurseries where native species are grown to the sapling
stage. Villages have donated land where the saplings are planted, and participate in the
planting. Several tree species are doing well, and the villagers are seeing regrowth of
deforested areas near their villages. Local schools are involved in this project, raising the
tree seedlings and planting the saplings near their schools.
Box 6. Lemur kindergardens: Varecia variegata
Varecia variegata (the black-and-white ruffed lemur) is a critically endangered
primate that can be found only in the eastern rainforests of Madagascar. Ruffed
lemurs have lavish black-and-white coats and a white ruff surrounding their faces
and ears. Their fluffy appearance and playful personality makes this species one
of the most entertaining to observe in the wild. Interestingly, it is the only diurnal
lemur that gives birth to litters, often between two to five young. Unlike most
primate offspring, Varecia infants lack clinging abilities during their first few
months after birth so the mothers are faced with a unique challenge: how to get
enough food while supervising a litter of vulnerable and relatively uncoordinated
infants. Their solution is to ‘park’ their babies in nests, called ‘kindergartens,’
constructed from lianas and branches high in the trees. Multiple mothers have
been seen using the same nest at once, hiding all of their offspring together in a
single location. A lone adult is then left to babysitting all of the infants until their
mothers’ return. Little information is known about this intriguing behaviour. Who
is responsible for babysitting? Siblings? Aunts? Males interested in befriending
mothers? The father? And what are their responsibilities while participating in this
unique behaviour? Stony Brook University graduate student, Andrea Baden’s
research in Ranomafana National Park will be the first to observe V. variegata
nesting behaviours in the wild to answer these very questions. Baden and
colleagues are also participating in both genetic and biomedical surveys to assess
the health of the black-and-white ruffed lemurs in Ranomafana National Park.
These surveys will be used to help improve conservation management plans for
this species in the wild, as well as to better understand how to care for these
animals in captivity.
Local communities and customs
The people around Ranomafana National Park are from both the Betsileo and Tanala ethnic
groups. The Betsileo are traditionally paddy rice farmers from the high plateau area of
Fianaranatsoa. The Tanala (people of the forest) depend on slash and burn agriculture.
Cultural traditions emphasize a strong respect for ancestors and elders. Communities
Villages (150-200 residents) are organised around descendent groups headed by an
"mpanjaka" (king or queen) and traditional knowledge of medicines and the spirit world is
guarded by the "ombiasa" (medicine man or woman). Villagers have limited access to
medical care, and most rely on traditional herbal remedies. Running water and electricity
are available in the town of Ranomafana (7 km from the park entrance), but most villages
do not have access to either. Village children generally receive only 3-6 years of education,
with children in Ranomafana having access to more schooling (through high school) than
children in remote villages.
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The park is surrounded by a semi-managed 3 km wide buffer zone. Approximately 27,000
people live in the buffer zone. Fifty percent of all tourism revenue within the park is
redistributed to villages in the Buffer Zone.
The dominant source of deforestation in southeast Madagascar is agriculture. Indeed in the
Ranomafana area, more than 85% of the people in the buffer zone rely on subsistence
agriculture as their principal economic activity. Rice is the staple crop, with minor crops
including bananas, cassava, coffee, corn, beans, pineapple, sugar cane, and tobacco.
Farmers chose between two methods of rice production: slash-and-burn upland rice (tavy)
and wetland paddy rice. The principal anthropogenic threats to the forests surrounding RNP
arise from the clearing of hillsides for the slash and burn tavy. Additional threats, come
from the conversion of wetlands to paddy fields, and the harvesting of non-timber forest
products (NTFP) in buffer zone forests, including firewood, crayfish collection, fruits, palms,
roots and other products for subsistence use.
How to visit the site
People interested in visiting Ranomafana National Park can fly Air France, Air Madagascar or
Air Mauritius into Ivato International Airport near the capital city of Madagascar,
Antananarivo. From Antananarivo to the park is either an 8 hour scenic drive south on a
main paved road or a one hour flight to the regional capital, Fianaranatsoa. Flights from
Antananarivo to Fianarantsoa only occur once or twice a week. From Fianarantsoa to RNP is
a 1.5 hour drive. Arrangements for travel to RNP can be made by contacting MICET
(Madagascar Institut pour la Conservation des Ecosystems Tropicaux,
[email protected]).
Excellent clean and well managed hotels with good restaurants include Centrest Hotel,
Setam Lodge and Domaine Nature. Tent sites are available at the entrance to the park. The
best months to visit are April, May and June, as well as the spring September- December
when wildlife is breeding and raising offspring.
76
Baly Bay
Joanna Durbin, Richard Lewis, Hafany Tiandray, Robert Bourou, Herizo Andrianandrasana
and Angelo Ramy
The area around Baly Bay in northwestern Madagascar is a gently undulating landscape at
0-84 m altitude with fragmented western dry deciduous forest, bamboo scrub, palm
savanna, lakes and raphia stands along valleys, and mangroves, beaches and mudflats
around the coast. Dry forests, probably the original climax vegetation of the area are
reduced to a few fragments, many of which are degraded by wood-cutting and cyclone
damage. These forests are interspersed with bamboo scrub dominated by Perrierbambos
madagscariensis, a species endemic to this area. After repeated burning, forests and
bamboo scrub have been converted to savanna dominated by palms such as Bismarkia
nobilis and Hyphaene shatan and grasses such as Heteropogon contortus. Aristida
rufescens, a grass of poor grazing quality, is becoming more widespread in more degraded
areas. There are two marked seasons, with most of the average 1160 mm annual rainfall in
the hotter season from November to April.
Plate 18. Baly Bay aerial.
(© Herizo Andrianandras)
Plate 19. Baly Bay women and children.
(© Hasina Randriamanampisoa)
Considered one of the most threatened tortoises in the world, the ploughshare tortoise
Geochelone yniphora locally known as "angonoka" is restricted to an area of 66,000 ha
around Baly Bay, living in around 16,000 ha of bamboo thicket and associated dry forests.
There are believed to be less than 2,000 individuals existing in the wild, found in five
isolated populations. The diversity of habitats harbours a diversity of Madagascar’s endemic
and endangered wildlife. The all-white Decken’s sifaka Propithecus deckeni, western
bamboo lemur Hapalemur griseus occidentalis, Angel’s chameleon Furcifer angeli inhabit the
forests. Nesting Madagascar fish eagles Halieaeetus vociferoides, Madagascar white ibis
Threskiornis bernieri, Madagascar plover Charadrius thoracicus, flamingos, nesting yellowbilled storks Mycteria ibis occur in coastal areas. Some of the few remaining good
populations of side-necked turtles (or rere) Erymnochelys madagascariensis are found in
rivers and lakes. Beaches provide nesting sites for green, hawksbill, olive ridley and
loggerhead marine turtles and there are feeding areas for dugongs in the bay.
The main threat to the remaining dry forests, the bamboo scrub and the species found
within them is fire, often spreading from fires set to renew pasture in savanna or to chase
errant cattle out of the impenetrable bamboo thicket. Forests are also degraded by wood
cutting and cyclones. Historically the ploughshare tortoise was threatened by trade for
maritime consumption and it is still threatened by illegal collection and international trade to
supply unscrupulous private collectors despite its protected status nationally and on
Appendix 1 of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Such
77
collection can be the final blow to such long-lived slow-growing species in depleted and
fragmented populations. Dugongs, sea turtles and the fresh-water rere turtle are threatened
by hunting for local consumption.
Box 7. Ploughshare tortoise reintroduction project
Richard Lewis
In order to reduce the risk of extinction of the ploughshare tortoise, a reintroduction
project is underway to create a new wild population from captive-bred juveniles.
Survivorship in the wild suggests that at least 50 animals should be released and they
should be at least 200 mm long (too big to be eaten by wild pigs), which is about 8
years old for captive-bred juveniles. All the captive animals have always been kept in
relative isolation. They undergo regular health checking and extensive testing has shown
that blood and intestinal parasites, bacteriology, blood parameters appear to be similar
between wild and captive populations and that captive animals they are not carrying any
dangerous pathogens such as mycoplasma and herpes virus that could endanger either
themselves or wild animals.
A trial release of five animals in 1998 proved that captive-bred young can adapt to the
wild. It was feared that the animals would home back to their place of birth (Ampijoroa
is 100 km from the wild populations), but all five established home ranges around the
area where they were released. These released animals have continued to grow faster
than their wild counterparts. This is partly due to the fact that the area where they were
released is one of the best habitats for tortoises. The area (Beaboaly) is 700 ha of prime
tortoise habitat but tortoises disappeared decades ago when it was burnt in the 1970’s
destroying the habitat and the tortoises. Since then the habitat has regrown but
tortoises are unable to recolonise the area as it is isolated from the other populations.
Using the captive stock a sixth wild population is being established. The release
programme began in December 2005 when 20 captive-bred tortoises were transferred to
pre-release enclosures from which they were released in January 2006. It is planned to
continue similar releases of up to 100 individuals over the next five years.
Plate 20. Ploughshare tortoise. (© Alice Smith)
Local people have been closely involved in ploughshare tortoise conservation since the early
1990s when Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust organised a series of festivals and
workshops to learn about local interests and build good relations with local communities.
This led to strong local participation in the delimitation and designation of Baly Bay National
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Park (57,418 ha), created in 1998 to protect the tortoise and its habitat. All the villages
around the park, in 11 groups, take part in an annual participatory ecological monitoring
competition organised by Durrell with the National Park managers (ANGAP) and the local
Water and Forests service. One of the innovative management techniques initiated as a
result of local consultation about conservation as been the application of traditional fire
control techniques to protect tortoise sites and forests against fires. Local communities have
installed fire-breaks (a total length of about 50km) around the tortoise sites since 1995.
Strips are burned in the late wet season when fires can be easily controlled and these
burned areas act as barriers to uncontrolled fires later in the dry season. Durrell has been
monitoring areas burned since 2000. There was a decrease in the area affected by fires in
Baly Bay National Park between 2000 (730 ha) and 2002 (47 ha). However, in 2003, fire
affected 1,500 ha.
For most of 2002, Madagascar had no acting government due to contested presidential
elections. Two parallel governments meant that there was no national government and
animal traffickers were able to increase their activities in Madagascar. There was little
control on the country’s borders and CITES permits were available for whoever was willing
to pay. Working with the new government authorities since late 2002, Durrell, the local and
regional authorities and the local communities have been working together to stamp out
this traffic. An agreement was signed in late 2005 between Durrell, ANGAP, the General
Direction of Waters and Forests, the Region of Boeny and the Commune of Soalala to define
roles and responsibilities to protect the tortoise from illegal collection and trade. There have
been recent notable successes catching criminals and bringing them to trial so there is hope
that this threat is diminishing.
Situated at Ampijoroa Forestry Station in northwestern Madagascar, the captive-breeding
programme for the ploughshare tortoise run by Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust since
1986 had successfully raised 250 captive-bred juveniles by December 2005. The captive
population represents a sixth population for the species. It has an important role as a safety
net in case of wild extinction, to raise awareness of the plight of the species and as a source
for the creation of new populations.
79
Alaotra wetlands
Joanna Durbin, Herizo Andrianandrasana, Lala Jean Rakotoniaina, Jonah Randriamahefasoa,
Richard Lewis and Jonah Ratsimbazafy
The Alaotra wetlands in central eastern Madagascar are the largest wetlands in the country.
Lac Alaotra is 20,000 ha, has an average depth of 2-4 m and is situated at 750 m asl.
Surrounding the lake are 23,000 ha of marshes dominated by papyrus Cyperus
madagascariensis and rushes Phragmites communis and then 120,000 ha of rice-fields
within a watershed encompassing 722,500 ha and reaching 1,300 m at the highest point.
At least three species are endemic to the Alaotra wetlands, all of which are Critically
Endangered: Alaotran gentle lemur Hapalemur griseus alaotrensis, Alaotra little grebe
Tachybaptus rufolavatus and Madagascar pochard Aythya innotata. A small carnivore was
also recently discovered in the marshes, which is likely to be a new species Salanoia sp. The
two endemic bird species may already be extinct, probably because of exotic fish
introduction and excessive drowning in fishing nets. Local people claim that the carnivorous
introduced fish Channa striata has been a significant predator of young of diving species
such as the endemic grebe, which had limited flight capacity. Of the 50 water bird species
recorded at the lake, 8 are Madagascar endemics. Six fish species are Madagascar
endemics.
Alaotra is an example of a shallow wetland that is a highly productive ecosystem, very
valuable for people and biodiversity, but also vulnerable to degradation, particularly linked
to sedimentation. This process is easily affected by human activities, such as agriculture
causing increased erosion and siltation, and introduction of aquatic plants and fish causing
dramatic changes in the trophic structure of the ecosystem.
The endemic fauna at Alaotra is threatened due to major environmental changes including:
• habitat degradation,
• over-hunting,
• over-fishing,
• competition and predation by introduced fish species,
• siltation from erosion,
• pollution by human waste, fertilizers and pesticides and
• invasion of introduced aquatic plants.
The human population living in the Alaotra watershed has increased five-fold from 109,000
in 1960 to approximately 550,000 people today, the majority of whom depend on rice
cultivation and fishing for their livelihood. The original Sihanaka people have been joined by
migrants from all over Madagascar. The Alaotra is the most important rice production area
in the country and has one of the most important inland fisheries.
Once forested, most hills around the lake are now denuded, causing development of
accentuated erosion gullies which deposit infertile laterite and sands on lower land resulting
in loss of rice fields, silting of irrigation canals and acidification of the lake.
Only 81,500 ha are now under cultivation giving an annual rice production of around
250,000 tonnes. Since the 1950s, the water lilies (Nymphea spp.) that covered large parts
of the lake have almost disappeared. Over 70% of the waterways and lakes within the
marshes have been invaded by Azolla sp., Salvinia molesta and Eichhornia crassipes which
have reduced access to fishing grounds and significantly altered habitats. Most of the
original marshes, home to the lemurs have been transformed into rice fields, while
remaining marshes have been burned frequently either in an attempt to create further rice
fields, to create pasture for cattle, or to create open areas for fishing as a result of choking
of traditional fishing areas by invasive plants.
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Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust began research in 1986 on local endemics at Alaotra and
began a public awareness campaign from 1997 involving festivals in over 70 villages and
environmental education in over 100 schools. This catalysed grass-roots interest in marsh
conservation, as villagers recognized that they provide a refuge and breeding ground for
fish and birds, are the source of materials for houses, woven baskets and mats and of dried
rhizomes for cooking fuel, and they form a barrier protecting the lake from siltation and
pollution. Building on this local interest in marsh conservation, a series of meetings and
workshops at village, commune (group of villages) and regional levels stimulated local
conservation and management initiatives from 2001.
Fig. 4 Monitoring results map. (© Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust)
Nine communities have so far received three-year renewable resource-management
transfers from the State (the legal owner of the lake and marshes) giving them
management control over 35% of all the marshes and the entire marsh area will soon be
legally managed by surrounding communities. Sustainable use and marsh protection have
been developed through the creation of by-laws ("dina") and federations of community
associations. Regional fishing laws have been adopted since 1998 that control fishing
practices with the aim of maintaining fish stocks and have become progressively more
effective with enforcement of a two-month closed fishing period from 2001. All fishermen
are members of associations since 2003. Communities took the initiative to start replanting
marshes during the first marsh festivals in 1997. In subsequent years, 26 villages have
replanted 22.5 ha with the aim of recreating a green belt of marshes around the lake.
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The entire Alaotra watershed was designated as a Ramsar site in 2003, formalising the new
regional and national commitment to conserving its biodiversity and maintaining the
ecosystem functions through sustainable use. A regional organisation representing all
stakeholders ‘Alaotra Rano Soa’ has been created to coordinate wetland management.
Following the declaration by the President of the Republic of Madagascar that protected
areas would be tripled to cover 6 million hectares or 10% of the country at the World Parks
Congress in Durban in September 2003, Alaotra has been identified as a priority for creation
of a new protected area in which sustainable use for fishing and harvest of marsh products
will be promoted while also protecting habitats and endangered species. Over the past two
years we have facilitated a participatory process to gain support for creation of the
protected area and to agree on the limits and type of management. This process has led to
strong support for the creation of the protected area and good integration of conservation
priorities into regional development planning.
Box 8. The Alaotran gentle lemur (Hapalemur griseus alaotrensis)
Jonah Ratsimbazafy
The Alaotran gentle lemur Hapalemur griseus alaotrensis is found only in the marshes of Lac
Alaotra, the largest lake in Madagascar located in the centraleastern highlands. The species is
‘Critically Endangered’ according to IUCN Red List criteria due to its extremely reduced
geographical range (only occurring in the remaining 23,000 ha of Alaotra marshes) and the
rapid decline in population. The main causes of its decline have been transformation of its
marsh habitat to rice fields, widespread and repeated burning of remaining areas of marsh and
hunting for local consumption.
Hapalemur g. alaotrensis is the only primate taxon in the world that lives exclusively in a
wetland habitat. It is a small folivorous primate that lives in family groups of 2 to 12 individuals
occupying territories of 1 to 5 ha.
To evaluate the conservation status of this species, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust team has
conducted annual censuses of the lemur population in four sites since 2001 during the rainy
season. Durrell also assesses the habitat where the species occurs and threats that affect the
survival of the species. Study methods involved direct lemur observations from canoes along
transects, characterisation and mapping of different marsh habitats and interviews with local
people to determine the history of burning and other threats to the species.
Earlier studies indicated that the population plunged by 60% from around 7,500 individuals in
1994 to around 3,000 individuals in 2001. By comparing the results of the census of H. g.
alaotrensis within the five-year period from 2001, our findings indicate that encounter rates of
H. g. alaotrensis have increased overall. Both the number of the observed individuals and
groups increased during the surveys. We conclude that the H. g. alaotrensis population was at
least stable during the last few years.
Results also indicate that the lemurs are only present in marshes that have not been burned for
more than three years, which have the same structure, floristic diversity and size of stems as
undisturbed habitat. The suitable habitat for the species was about 54% of the total area of the
marshes or 10,100 ha in 2003, 13,750 ha in 2004. The results of participative ecological
monitoring held in 2004 and 2005 indicated that big fires were recorded in Andilana sud and
Anororo in 2003, then in Andilana and in Ambodivoara in 2004. Those fires had a big impact on
the size of the suitable habitat in 2005 when only 5,089.8 ha was good habitat (suitable) for the
Hapalemur g. alaotrensis in total in the four key sites (about the third of the total size of the
marhes).
The campaign to conserve the biodiversity and productivity of the Alaotra wetlands has
consistently gained momentum and increasingly widespread support from grass-roots
beginnings when fishing people living around the lake vigorously expressed their wish to
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turn the tide of ecological degradation during the first marsh festivals in 1997. Popular
support has been strengthened by the capacity of the wetland ecosystem to respond
relatively quickly to management, such as reduction in marsh burning, introduction of a
closed fishing season and enforcement of minimum mesh sizes for fishing nets. Ecological
monitoring data show that the fish have increased in size. The average catch rate varied
between 0.2 and 0.4 kg/person/hour with a significant increase from 2002 to 2003 (paired
t-test p≤0.05), although longer-term data will be important to show if this is a real trend.
Encounter rates for Alaotran gentle lemurs have increased consistently from 2001
suggesting that the population has stabilised. We hope that the foundations have been laid
to maintain Alaotra’s unique biodiversity while also sustaining human populations, although
many challenges remain, such as controlling the impact of invasive species.
Box 9. Participatory ecological monitoring at Lac Alaotra
Herizo Andrianandrasana
Since 2001, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust has organised annual participatory
ecological monitoring, both to evaluate the effectiveness of these management
initiatives and to reinforce local commitment to management by demonstrating the
impacts. Participatory methods were used to facilitate data collection and also to
develop broader local knowledge of the wetland biodiversity and resources and the
level of threats. It was hoped that this would foster greater local ownership of wetland
monitoring and management to help ensure future sustainability. The goal is to detect
natural and/or human-induced changes in the state of the biodiversity and natural
resources as an aid to evaluating and improving management. Data were collected in
16 villages covering 90% of marshes around the lake by teams including Durrell staff,
local communities and Government technicians on key species, such as the locally
endemic lemur and water birds, on useful natural resources and on the major threats
to the Alaotra wetland.
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Menabe
Joanna Durbin, Anselme Toto Volahy, William Francisco Rakotombololona, Herizo
Andrianandrasana, Jonah Ratsimbazafy
The Central Menabe region, between the Tsiribihina river to the north and the Morondava
river to the south, is an area of exceptional biodiversity importance. At least four species
are endemic to the zone (a frog Aglyptodactylus laticeps, flat tailed tortoise Pyxis
planicauda, giant jumping rat Hypogeomys antimena and Berthe’s mouse lemur Microcebus
berthae). Their entire global distribution is limited to a small area of dry deciduous forest.
This forest also constitutes a major part of the distribution of at least 14 other species,
including narrow striped mongoose Mungotictis decemlineata decemlineata, white breasted
mesite Mesitornis variegata, Coquerel’s dwarf lemur Mirza coquereli, 3 frogs, 2 chameleons,
3 lizards, 2 snakes and an insectivore. The biodiversity interest of the region is enhanced by
the associated wetlands, such as the Mandroatra river flowing through the forest in which
the side necked turtle (or rere) Erymnochelys madagascariensis is found and Bedo coastal
lake and marshes which provides a refuge for endemic waterbirds such as Madagascar teal
Anas bernieri, Humblodt’s herons Ardea humblodti and many other species such as
flamingos, pelicans and ducks.
Plate 21. Deforested field in Menabe.
(© Joanna Durbin)
Plate 22. Removing pirogue.
(© Joanna Durbin)
The main forest block covers about 100,000 ha and is one of the few remaining western
Malagasy dry deciduous forests of this size. This forest type is the most threatened and
fragmented in Madagascar with an estimated 3% remaining. Menabe forests are no
exception and deforestion, mostly for slash and burn cultivation of maize was 32% per year
from 1963-1993 and rates have subsequently increased. Other pressures include
unsustainable levels of commercial logging and subsistence hunting.
The Menabe forests and fauna have been the subject of numerous studies by biologists and
foresters for decades. Kirindy concession in the southern part of the main forest block was
created in 1978 with support from Intercooperation Suisse to the Centre de Formation
Professionelle Forestière for research and training on sustainable logging. Intensive studies
were made on growth rates, regeneration, reforestation techniques, > etc. Over 13 years
research led to a conclusion that logging in this particularly slow growing forest could not be
both sustainable and commercially viable. The biologists demonstrated the impact of even
the relatively low levels of logging in Kirindy on the more sensitive animal species, such as
the giant jumping rat. Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust has conducted studies on
distribution, population, threats and conservation status of endangered species in Menabe
including the rat, the tortoise and the mongoose since the late 1980s. From 2003, Durrell
teamed with Deutsches Primatenzentrum, which had conducted research primarily on the
lemurs at Kirindy since the late 1980s, to undertake a more comprehensive biodiversity
84
assessment of the Menabe forests. Results showed that the full complement of Menabe
species are only found in the two least-disturbed areas within the main forest block (Kirindy
and Ambadira) which also tend to represent the areas of highest abundance for the species
studied. The populations of many species are already fragmented (for example the giant
jumping rat only occurs in 33,000 ha in two distinct populations) making it a major priority
to protect these remaining populations from disturbance and to protect and eventually
restore the corridor between the two areas.
Box 10. Participatory ecological monitoring linked to incentives
Joanna Durbin
In order for community-based conservation to be effective and for resource use to be
kept within sustainable limits, it is clearly important not only for the users to agree on
rules but also to ensure that they will be respected. Some level of monitoring and
enforcement is necessary. The Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust Madagascar
programme has developed participatory ecological monitoring with village groups to
assist them and us with verifying whether management activities are effectively
maintaining resources and biodiversity. The results of the monitoring have also been
linked to incentives aimed at encouraging and rewarding biodiversity conservation. The
Menabe participatory ecological monitoring competition is similar to sponsoring a
community to create a reserve to conserve endangered species and biodiversity.
The ultimate aim is to contribute to a more equitable distribution of costs and benefits
of biodiversity conservation by channelling some of the ‘willingness to pay for the
existence value of biodiversity’ of the more developed world back to those in
biodiversity-rich but less developed countries. Benefits from conserving biodiversity
are often perceived at the international or national level, but it is the local people,
often the rural poor struggling to assure their livelihoods, that sustain the highest
opportunity costs. There may be some existing local benefits from conservation, such
as ecological services like watershed protection, or employment or revenue sharing
from eco-tourism. However, not all sites and not all members of society can benefit
from these, and sites with exceptional levels of local endemism like Menabe may
succumb to logging and deforestation pressures because of insufficient local incentives
for conservation. It is perfectly understandable that a villager sees a lemur as just
another kind of protein to supplement their diet unless we can reinforce the perception
that having lemurs near your village provides a competitive advantage, bringing in
tourists, or conservation NGOs with development friends, or a direct benefit.
A Population Habitat Viability Analysis for the Giant Jumping Rat in 2001 with the support of
the Conservation Breeding Specialist group led to creation of a regional platform for
conservation of the biodiversity of Menabe. This provided a forum for exchange between all
regional stakeholders and led to agreement to create a new protected area and to ban
logging from the Central Menabe forests. In 2003, this platform became the Environment,
Forest and Biodiversity Commission of the Regional Development Committee which ensures
integration of conservation into the rural development agenda. New partners joined the
conservation efforts, such as Fanamby, a Malagasy NGO, and Conservation International,
particularly with a goal of creating a new protected area as part of President
Ravalomanana’s commitment made at the World Parks Congress in 2003 to triple protected
areas to cover 10% of the country or 6 million ha. The new protected area will cover
125,000 ha including the main dry forest block, mangroves and wetlands. A strict
conservation area will cover 30,000 ha including the forest areas of Ambadira, Kirindy and
the corridor between them which have been shown to be of greatest importance for
biodiversity conservation. The protection order was signed in early 2006.
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The main forest block includes areas used traditionally by local communities, some of which
have been or will be legally transferred to community management through contracts with
the State. Durrell has been working with these communities to encourage them to
contribute to conservation by allocating areas next to the Priority Conservation Zone for
strict protection. In 2004, an ecological monitoring competition was launched in three of the
villages. Their conservation areas, which effectively extend the Priority Conservation Zone
by 4,893 ha, were surveyed at the end of 2004 to check whether the locally endemic or
often hunted species were present and to evaluate any forest disturbance in the areas they
had agreed to conserve. Prizes for the competition depended on the results of the
monitoring and were used on projects of their choice such as bicycles to improve
surveillance, corrugated iron for a community building and a generator for the winning
village. This scheme provides positive incentives for biodiversity conservation based on
results. The participatory monitoring competition was extended to five villages in 2005, and
will be extended to all ten key villages surrounding the central Menabe forest in 2006
Aerial photos and observations made on an overflight in 2005 confirmed that there has
been no new deforestation since 2003, which is a remarkable achievement given that
several hundred hectares of primary forest were lost annually in preceding years. The
villagers that were involved in slash-and-burn cultivation of maize are turning to more
sustainable alternatives since there has been greater communication about the creation of
the protected area and the start of the monitoring programme.
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Masoala: A unique partnership for conservation
Alex Rübel, Matthew Hatchwell and James MacKinnon
First of all, Madagascar is one of the world’s top three biodiversity hotspots. Due to its long
independent evolutionary history, its flora and fauna developed separately from the large
continents of Africa and Asia. Thanks to its varied topography, geology and climate, rich and
diverse flora and fauna have developed with high levels of endemism and representatives of
primitive taxa found nowhere else on earth. This richness in biodiversity culminates in the
rainforest zones. The Masoala peninsula contains the largest remaining block of rainforest in
Madagascar.
Over the past twelve years, a unique alliance has evolved for rainforest conservation in
Madagascar that combines the diverse talents of Zoo Zürich, the Wildlife Conservation
Society, the national parks service (ANGAP) and a range of other national and international
partners. Beside managing the park, many research and community projects all around the
peninsula are stabilizing the conservation work.
Masoala National Park in northeastern Madagascar with a size of 2,300 km2 is the largest
and probably the richest protected area in a country that is classed, in its entirety, as a
hotspot of biological diversity and therefore a global priority for wildlife conservation. At the
time being it is screened for a world heritage site which we hope will be approved during the
EAZA campaign. The park is situated on a peninsula to the east of Antongil Bay, whose
forested slopes are thought to contain half or more of all the plant and animal species
known to exist in Madagascar. It contains coral reefs – the underwater equivalent of
rainforests in terms of their species diversity – and rainforests running uninterrupted from
the coast all the way up to more than 1300 m above sea level. Masoala is the only home in
the world of the beautiful red-ruffed lemur and harbors such rare birds as the serpent eagle
and red owl. Discoveries new to science among its plants, insects, reptiles and amphibians
are commonplace. Humpback whales and hammerhead sharks breed in nearby Antongil
Bay, sea turtles lay their eggs on its sandy beaches, and it is one of the few remaining
places on the east coast of Madagascar where the endangered dugong survives. For
centuries, local people have known the peninsula as Masoala – the Eye of the Forest – a
perfect name for this sparkling jewel of life on earth.
Box 11. Illegal logging of hardwood
Over 25 species of ebony (Diospyros) occur on the peninsula, several of which have
commercial value, and indeed the northeast of Madagascar seems to be a centre of
diversity for this family. Masoala also harbors high densities of species from the genus
Dalbergia, including several pallisandre species and the renowned Malagasy rosewood.
Protecting a genetic reservoir of these important commercial species is an important role
for Masoala National Park. Even though the park was carefully designed to leave enough
forest outside it to continue harvesting this valuable resource, uncontrolled timber
exploitation has left few large trees outside park boundaries. Trying to stop illegal felling
in the park is a constant struggle for park managers.
Why Masoala should have so many species of commercial value is a mystery. One
possible explanation is that high-density woods, which give these species their value, are
better able to withstand the impact of cyclones than other species. Thus, the frequent
damage wrought by the cyclones actually gives them an ecological advantage in the
forests. The possibility has not been researched, but there is some support for the idea
since hardwoods seem to be more common on the exposed east coast of the peninsula
than on the sheltered western slopes.
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The geography of the peninsula increases its biological value. Its centre is mountainous and
densely forested and its long coastline varied in structure with many different habitats such
as coral reefs and extensive littoral forests. To the west, the peninsula forms Antongil Bay,
a relatively quiet bay that provides the setting for the famous Nosy Mangabe Special
Reserve, created in 1966 as an island refuge for aye-ayes introduced from the Malagasy
mainland. The peninsula is still relatively remote and not easy to reach either by land or
sea. In the past, its human population was very low, which helps to explain the relatively
untouched state of its forests. But the need for conservation measures at Masoala is just as
great as the value of its biodiversity: the latest estimate is a population of about 85,000
people living in an area of 450,000 hectares, which translates into a human population
density of 20 people per square kilometer – still low by many standards, but high enough to
explain the accelerating degradation of Masoala’s forests.
Box 12. Nosy Mangabe
The Nosy Mangabe Special Reserve, managed together with Masoala National Park is the
smallest protected area in the ANGAP network, an uninhabited island of 520 hectares in
the northern part of Antongil Bay across from the town of Maroantsetra. It is 30 min
boat ride from Maroantsetra and a favorite for all tourists visiting Masoala. Black and
white ruffed lemurs, Uroplatus and Brookesia can be seen on a visit, and if you are really
lucky and stay overnight, it is one of the best places to see the famous aye-aye.
One lemur species, the red-ruffed lemur, is unique to the Masoala peninsula. It is amongst
the most beautiful of the lemurs and the haunting calls of the competing family groups can
be heard every morning throughout the rainforest. During the day, another species, the
white-fronted brown lemurs, can be encountered in large groups. Seven nocturnal lemur
species occur at Masoala, including the strange aye-aye. Some of the easiest nocturnal
lemurs to find are the mouse lemurs, as their eyes reflect back in the torchlight during a
nighttime stroll.
Masoala also has a rich carnivore fauna, with records of 9 species, including the puma-like
fossa, and one of the least known carnivore species, the brown mongoose.
Bats are well-represented at Masoala, with both insectivorous and fruit-eating species. One,
the sucker-footed bat, represents an endemic family for Madagascar.
The tenrecs are probably the most ancient of Madagascar’s mammals. These insectivores
retain primitive characteristics that more advanced mammals have lost.
Of the 22 raptors recorded from Madagascar, 19 have been found on the peninsula and
researchers from The Peregrine Fund have confirmed nesting records for many of them.
Masoala is thought to be the main stronghold of the Malagasy Serpent eagle, which was
only rediscovered during the 1980s after being thought extinct for several decades. The
serpent eagle is a large bird for the rainforests, measuring up to 65 cm from beak to tail. As
its name suggests, this raptor feeds mostly on snakes and lizards, but it will occasionally
take small lemurs. Another powerfully-built and rare raptor, Henst’s goshawk, commonly
takes lemurs. The red owl, a close relation of the European Barn owl, is another of
Masoala’s biological jewels. Discovered only in 1993, this rare species remains little-known
and appears to be restricted to the forests of the east and northeast of the island. In total,
94 of Madagascar’s 203 resident bird species have been recorded at Masoala. Apart from
the birds of prey, other highlights include the ground-dwelling and elusive red-breasted
coua and ground-rollers, the pygmy kingfisher, which captures insects rather than fish, and
the helmet vanga.
Madagascar’s reptiles and amphibians are amongst the most beautiful of the island’s
biological treasures. Most of them are endemic. Masoala is home to the largest and amongst
the smallest of the chameleons. The largest chameleon, Calumma parsonii, is frequently
88
seen at Masoala, and is reputed to take not just the usual insects but occasionally birds with
its sticky, darting tongue. By contrast the tiny Brookesia peyrerii, which is little longer than
a fingernail, is almost invisible to the untrained eye in the leaf litter where it lives.
The most spectacular snakes are the large boas and the thin Langaha whose arrow-shaped
heads have given rise to the Malagasy legend that they spear their prey by dropping on
them from trees. Masoala is also one of the best places to find the extraordinary Uroplatus
leaf-tailed geckos. In contrast to the cryptically camouflaged Uroplatus, the Phelsuma
geckos are colored with bright greens, reds and blues.
Some frogs specialize in living in the tree canopy, others in the pools of water that
accumulate in tree hollows, while others are cryptically colored and almost impossible to tell
apart from the leaves that litter the forest floor. Some of the best-known species of the
region are the tomato frog, so called for its beautiful bright red coloration and the those of
the genus Mantella.
Masoala’s three marine parks were amongst the first to be created in Madagascar. They
protect a variety of habitats, including coral reefs, seagrass beds and mangroves. Although
species diversity in these reefs, mangroves and seagrass beds is extremely high, they have
low endemism by comparison to Madagascar’s terrestrial environment since ocean currents
disperse eggs and the young of most marine species over enormous distances. Nevertheless
the protection of marine habitats is essential not only for their biodiversity value, but also
for the ecological services that they provide. All these ecosystems are important as areas
for fish and invertebrate reproduction, as well as for nutrient recycling and protecting the
coast from erosion.
On the east coast of Masoala, an outer fringing coral reef gives protection to a shallow
lagoon within which smaller blocks of corals are found, and where seagrass beds and
mangroves can develop in the less turbid water.
The fish of coral reefs come in a dazzling array of colors, forms and life-styles. Amongst
them are the parrotfish, the predatory groupers and moray eels and other carnivores such
as snappers. Corals, worms, snails, limpets, clams, mussels, starfish, urchins and sea
cucumbers to name but a few.
Box 13. Masoala’s carnivorous plant: Nepenthes masoalensis
One of Masoala’s best-known plants is an endemic pitcher plant that is restricted to a
handful of sites on the east coast of the peninsula. The Nepenthes pitcher plants are
best known from Southeast Asia and particularly Borneo. Madagascar has two species of
these fascinating carnivorous plants, which are found on nitrate-poor soils, particularly in
areas that are waterlogged. To make up for the lack of useable nitrate in their
environment, the plants have evolved a system whereby they capture insect prey and
digest them to obtain the essential nutrients that they are unable to absorb from the
soil. Insects that are lured into the pitcher, which is a specialized leaf, drown in a liquid
rich in enzymes that are able to break down the insect’s body.
The best-known visitors to the bay d’Antongil are the humpback whales. The bay is a
globally important breeding site for humpback whales. From July to September each year
hundreds of these huge mammals migrate from the nutrient-rich Antarctic to the warmer
waters around northern Madagascar. Here they spend the winter months giving birth and
mating, particularly in Antongil Bay. A long-term research project, run since 1997 by the
American Museum of Natural History and the Wildlife Conservation Society, has identified
over 1200 individual whales in the bay. Several females are known to have returned to give
birth over the years. Although it is difficult to estimate the total size of the population, it is
clear that several hundred whales visit the bay each year.
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Half or more of the country’s species, or some two percent of the world’s living organisms,
are found in the forests around the Antongil Bay including the Masoala peninsula. Masoala is
also the last place in the country where tropical rainforest still extends down to the sea.
Thus the national park protects two of Madagascar’s rarest habitats – its lowland and
coastal forests – as well as extending into the mangroves and coral reefs of the marine
environment.
In addition to rainfall brought in by winds off the Indian Ocean, Madagascar is often hit by
cyclones. These cyclones have a devastating impact on people living along the coast and
can also have a huge effect on the environment. The forests of the east are probably welladapted to the natural effects of cyclones and are able to recover after a few years.
However, in the current situation with the additional human pressures, the effects of a
cyclone can be devastating. Large amounts of dead wood increase the risk of fire during the
short dry season between October and January, and in the aftermath of cyclones people
turn to the forests to hunt and for new land to replace areas that have been ravaged by
flooding.
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Andringitra - A granite massif as a relict of GONDWANA
with unique sub alpine forest/grassland ecotones
Peter Schachenmann
Context
The Andringitra Massif’s residual granite relief represents a visible testimony of
Madagascar’s geological past. During the Jurassic period until approximately 160 million
years ago, Madagascar was part of the enormous super-continent GONDWANA. Since the
slow southeastward drift away from mainland Africa towards its present position 120 million
years ago and the break-off of India 80 million years ago, it evolved in isolation.
Man has inhabited Madagascar only since about 2000 years ago. The Andringitra Mountains
were never permanently occupied but rather gained mystical and spiritual values and served
as a refuge from feudal warfare for early settlers of the southern Madagascar highlands.
According to village legend, the first people to venture into sub alpine elevations were cattle
herders in search of healthy and productive pastures and more security from early cattle
rustling. Since about 150 years ago, the sub alpine to alpine pastures of Andringitra
upwards of about 1900 m have been included as integral parts of an intricate lowlandupland rotational grazing cycle. Stonewalls for cattle paddocks, rock shelters and burial sites
are today vivid testimonies of this traditional form of transhumance. Thus, this ecosystem is
not entirely natural, but represents a "sustainably disturbed" anthropogenic landscape.
Today, with natural population increase and additional pressures from in-migration,
economic development, globalisation influences and liberalisation processes in rapid
evolution, this form of traditional land use is in danger of getting into conflict with modern
stakeholder interests such as conservation and tourism. As a consequence, the unique
natural assets of the Andringitra Mountains are today co-managed by the national park
service ANGAP and the local population.
Plate 23. "The balloon". Andringitra is said to
have the most spectacular granite erosion
formations in the world.
(© Peter Schachenmann)
Plate 24. A typical representative of the local
"Betsileo" draped in a "Lambalandy", a traditional
wild silk shawl, woven from cocoons of endemic
silk worms Borecera madagascariensis or
"Landibe". (© Peter Schachenmann)
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Physiographical situation and climate
The Andringitra mountain range is located in south/central Madagascar. Its geographic
position is approximately 100 km west from the Indian Ocean and a 120 km north of the
Tropic of Capricorn (22°07’-22°21’S lat. and 46°02’-47°02’ E long.). Being NW-SE aligned
and having an elevational range between ~500 - 2600 m with numerous granite domes and
peaks (Pic Boby 2658 m, Pic Bory 2630 m), it represents an orographic barrier between the
humid and cooler oceanic flank in the east and a dry and hotter continental flank in the
west. Seasonal climatic changes between summer and winter and temperature and
humidity variations between day and night are brutal and the most extreme in Madagascar.
The dry season during June to October coincides largely with the austral winter, where
minimum temperatures at night may drop up to minus 16°C at summittal zones above 2500
m. Snow may fall occasionally and stay for a day or two down to around 2000 m. During
November and December, before the monsoon season starts it gets very hot with prevailing
winds from the west. Daily thunderstorms strike the summital zones. Lightning frequently
starts fires and precipitation remains very variable in space, duration and amount (from
floods to droughts). During the monsoon season between December and April, the
prevailing humid climate is from the oceanic east. Precipitation is variable but there is a
steep gradient from the
east- to the west slope of
Box 14. A mountain poem by Gaston Bachelard
the mountain range (2000->1000 mm), with only
"…and so they started talking of the blue sky,
about half the amount of
of murmuring seas, sweat airs and mountain highs,
rain in the lee behind the
as travellers, mingling from time to time
granite arena. Throughout
contempt and laughter for their native clime
the year, except during
September and October, the
…My pleasure still is to flow the stream, to walk
upper limit tree line on the
along the banks in the right direction, in the direction
eastern slope is exposed to
of the flowing water, the water that leads life towards
daily cloud formation
the next village…."
producing in parts the
typical aspects of a cloud forest.
Flora and fauna
Predominant factors shaping the vegetation are doubtless elevation and desiccation
processes during the dry season. Daily temperature differences may be very marked,
especially in some humid depressions. The "inselberg" character of the massif, combined
with altitudinal zonation has led to high local endemicity. Among the monocotyledons, of the
40% native to Madagascar, 7.7% are endemic to the Andringitra Mountains. Among the
dicotyledonous, the corresponding proportions are 24% and 3.4%. Additionally, topographic
variability, geomorphology, aspect, slope and exposure produce a high diversity of
microclimates with their corresponding microhabitats with ericoid bush, sub alpine
woodlands (Agauria,….) rich in lichen, dry and humid grasslands with a high diversity of
Ericaceae, Asteraceae, Poaceae, peaty depressions and rocky outcrops rich in xerophyts.
The sub alpine prairies are unique for geophytic Orchidaceae, of which over 30 species have
been recorded so far.
Biodiversity assessments along altitudinal transects also confirmed an extraordinary
corresponding faunal diversity. Among the reptiles, 80% are native to Madagascar of which
12% endemic to Andringitra. For amphibians, 11.4% of 52% native to Madagascar are
endemic to Andringitra. 15 species of primates and insectivores were recorded, all endemic
to Madagascar. And uniquely amongst the primates, a race of ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur
catta) has adapted from their typical lowland forest habitats further to the southwest to this
high mountain environment, colonizing a very special ecological niche of rock "desert" with
succulent vegetation forms, moving up and down on the western flank according to season,
temperature and availability of preferred food plants.
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Box 15. The "pristine" environment a myth?
We learnt and scientifically proved that, contrary to conventional conservation wisdom,
traditional land uses can be compatible with or may even be necessary for landscapeand biological diversity and functionality. After this discovery, the notion of a "pristine
environment" appears a myth. The landscape keeps a memory of human "footprints"
and conversely the cultural history of people is directly or indirectly entwined with the
natural history of the land with its specific geo-morphology, climate, flora and fauna.
Land users are automatically also land managers, therefore principally relationship
managers, who continuously need to interpret physical, ecological, economic, social and
political contexts and processes and adapt to, or manage interactions between nature
and people over space and time in order to survive and thrive. Conservation objectives
can therefore better be considered by inclusion rather then exclusion of people and by
favouring a synergistic co-evolution of the transformation processes. Creative interaction
and co-evolution grows and strengthens among equal partners having mutual respect for
each others views, perceptions, logic,....
Historical context of land use
Remoteness, rugged terrain and rough climate never permitted permanent settlement and
land use of the Andringitra Mountains. According to village legend, herders used fire as a
tool to control ericoid bush, as well as expanding pastures into laurophyll mountain forests
of Agauria. This period can be described as the colonization phase.
During botanical expeditions by the botanist Humbert in the early 1920’s, the outstanding
biodiversity value of the Andringitra mountain range was recognized and approx. 31’000 ha
of the massif set aside as a Strict Nature Reserve in 1927 (Strict Nature Reserve 5) and
legally ratified in 1966. After 1927 and up to political independence from the French colonial
power in 1960, the reserve was patrolled and protected from unsustainable human impacts
by forestry agents from the then powerful Water and Forest Service. Protection focused
however more on forests then on montane grasslands, where cattle grazing continued to be
tolerated on a moderate scale. During this period, natural fires from lightning and strategic
anthropogenic fires set by pastoralists were controlled by human intervention within the
reserve boundary as far as possible. This period may be considered the conservation phase.
After independence and until the early 1990’s the Forestry Service lost influence, means
and motivation to patrol the reserve and manage land use effectively. This resulted in a
period of conflict, where the "owner" (the Water and Forest Service of the Government) had
no means to control and the "user" (the local population) had no rights to continue to
valorize the mountain pastures on a traditional basis, leading to haphazard and illicit use of
mountain resources. We may call this period the open access phase.
The Andringitra National Park today
Effective in 1993, within the framework of the 1st Malagasy Environmental Action Plan, an
Integrated Conservation and Development Project (ICDP) was mandated to develop a
scientific base, tools and a legal framework for establishing and managing a new Andringitra
National Park, finally decreed in 1998 as the 14th National Park in Madagascar. Under IUCN
Cat. II protection status, the mandate for a park manager is one for conservation of unique
natural resources and for visitor enjoyment in the form of sustainable ecotourism. As
traditional resource access was somewhat curtailed (no grazing and fire), rapid ericoid bush
encroachment led to more standing woody biomass with less herbaceous vegetation, outshading geophytic orchids, while concurrently increasing the fire risk from highly
inflammable fuel loads (Ericaceae). Also, people/park conflicts flared up, leading to several
protest fires within the park, damaging in particular the fragile montane forest ecosystem
on the eastern ecotonal limit.
93
Strict protection being counterproductive in this context, we finally recognized, that
traditional moderate land use and management of the sub alpine forest/grassland ecotones
are necessary for shaping and maintaining (through grazing and fire) a mosaic of forest
patches, ericoid bush and open grassland, combining unique biodiversity, important pasture
values and aesthetic beauty for tourism.
For future sustainable multiple land use, using a holistic perspective for integrating and
safeguarding these conservation-, pastoralist- and tourist objectives, a systemic approach
and an integrative-, participative- and trans-disciplinary research and management
methodology was developed. A negotiated tri-partite agreement between the park manager
(ANGAP), the local population and the Water and Forest Service regulates current multiple
stakeholder access and use. The current period may therefore be called, the co-evolutionary
management phase.
How to visit the site
The Andringitra National Park and its immediate surroundings are well known today and
have easy visitor access by road, off the Antananarivo -Tulear trunk road (RN7), either from
Ambalavao town through the official northern gate of Namoly, where one finds the park
headquarters, a magnificent interpretation centre, a well run ecolodge "TRANOGASY " and
several campsites or, through the western access of the SAHANAMBO valley and
TSARANORO, where two lodges (CAMP CATTA and TSARA CAMP) offer comfortable starting
points for several days of mountain trekking. For VIP visitors or emergency evacuation the
Andringitra massif may be accessible by small plane.
Box 16. The Andringitra ICDP: "Learning by doing" and adaptive management
system
"Learning by doing" is an open ended and flexible process combining investigation,
analysis, intuition, interpretation and "informed" trial and error and adaptation, copying
nature in as much as the system permits to better tailor the approach to the context, the
continuous elimination of failures and the rapid strengthening of successful options. For
example, the scientists learnt from long standing observation, experiences, intuition,
legends and taboos of local people and vice versa, interested villagers learnt to be
excellent para-scientists, integrating their "soft" traditional knowledge in a database from
"hard" sciences, at the same time learning to comprehend and even apply Cartesian logic
and methodology of modern sciences; or in other case, adapted modern state legislation
permitted integration of traditional "law" (Dina) for conflict resolution or third, different
land-uses like e.g. pastoralism and tourism can be compatible with conservation needs.
These components, segregated in the past, developed more and more synergy, creating
a base for mutual understanding and reciprocal benefits from a matrix of multiple
objectives and land-use systems.
94
Bibliography
We include here many books about the amazing and diverse natural history of the island of
Madagascar, but we also include some books about the history and people of the island. We
hope you are intrigued to find out more about this jewel in the Indian Ocean.
1
Attenborough, D. (1961) Zoo Quest to Madagascar. Lutterworth Press.
2
Bittner, A., editor. (1992) Madagaskar: Mensch und Natur im Konflikt. Birkhauser
Verlag, Basel, Boston, Berlin.
3
Bloch, M. (1993) Placing the Dead: Tombs, Ancestral Villages, and Kinship
Organisation in Madagascar. Waveland Pr. Inc.
4
Bradt,H. (2002) Madagascar: the Bradt Travel Guide. Seventh edition. London.
5
Brown, M. (1995) A History of Madagascar. Damien Tunnicliffe. UK.
6
Brown, M. L. (2003) Reclaiming Lost Ancestors and Acknowledging Slave Descent:
Insights from Madagascar. Forthcoming in Comparative Studies in Society and
History.
7
Dahl, Ø. (1999) Meanings in Madagascar: Cases of Intercultural Communication.
Bergin & Hervey, Westport Connecticut and London.
8
Dransfield, J., and Beentje, H. (1995) The Palms of Madagascar. Kew: Royal
Botanical Gardens and International Palm Society.
9
Du Puy, D., et al. (1999) The Orchids of Madagascar. Kew: Royal Botanical Gardens.
10 Durrell, G. (1994) Aye-Aye and I: Rescue Expedition in Madagascar.
11 Fitzpatrick, M., et al. (2001) Madagascar: tradewinds, taboos and traditions. Fourth
edition. Lonely Planet.
12 Garbutt, N. (1999) Mammals of Madagascar. Pica Press (New field edition to be
published in 200)
13 Glaw, F., and Vences, M. (1992) A Field Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of
Madagascar. Vences & Glaw. Cologne.
14 Goodman, S. M. and Benstead, J. P. (2004) The Natural History of Madagascar.
University of Chicago Press
15 Goodman, S. M. and Patterson, B. D. (1997) Natural Change and Human Impact in
Madagascar. Smithsonian Institution Press
16 Grandidier, A. (1875) Histoire physique, naturelle et politique de Madagascar.
Imprimerie Nationale. Paris.
17 Grandidier, A. (1903) Collection des Ouvrages Anciens Concernant Madagascar.
Paris.
18 Harpet, C. (2000) Le Lémurien: du sacré et de la malédiction. L’Harmattan. Paris.
95
19 Henkel, F-W., et al. (2000) Amphibians and Reptiles of Madagascar, the Mascarenes,
the Seychelles, and the Comoro Islands. Krieger Publishing Co. Florida.
20 Heying, H. E. (2002) Antipode: Seasons with the Extraordinary Wildlife and Culture
of Madagascar. St. Martin’s Press. New York.
21 Howarth, J. (1990) Lemurs of the Lost World: Exploring the Forests and Crocodile
Caves of Madagascar.
22 Jolly, A. (2004) Lords and Lemurs: Mad Scientists, Kings with Spears and the
survival of biodiversity in Madagascar. Houghton Mifflin.
23 Kull, C. A. (2004) Isle of Fire: The Political Ecology of Landscaping Burning in
Madagascar.
24 Laidler, K. (2005) Female Caligula: Ranavalana, the Mad Queen of Madagascar. John
Wiley and Sons.
25 Langrand O. & Bretagnole V. (1990) Guide to the Birds of Madagascar. Yale
University Press. New Haven and London.
26 Langrand O. & Bretagnolle V. (1995) Guide des Oiseaux de Madagascar. Delacheux
et Niestlé S.A., Lausanne.
27 Lasky, K. and Knight, C. G. (1998) Shadows in the Dawn: The Lemurs of
Madagascar. Gulliver Green.
28 Mack, J. (1986) Madagascar: Island of the Ancestors. British Museum, London.
29 McElroy, C. J. (2001) Over the Lip of the World: Among the Storytellers of
Madagascar. University of Washington Press.
30 Mittermeier R.A., Konstant W.R., Hawkins, F., and Louis, E. E. (2006) Lemurs of
Madagascar. Conservation International, Washington D.C.
31 Mittermeier, R.A.; Myers, N.; Gil, P.R. and Goetsch Mittermeier, R. (1999) Hotspots
– Earth’s Biologically Richest and Most Endangered Terrestrial Ecoregions. Cemex
S.A.. Mexico.
32 Morris, P, and Hawkins, F. (1998) Birds of Madagascar: a Photographic Guide. Yale
University Press. New Haven and London.
33 Murphy, D. (1990) Muddling through in Madagascar.
34 Nicoll, M. E., and Langrand, O. (1989) Madagascar: Revue de la Conservation et des
Aires Protégées. WWF International.
35 Pearson, M. P. and Godden, K. (2002) In Search of the Red Slave: Shipwreck and
Captivity in Madagascar. Sutton Publishing.
36 Preston-Mafham, K. (1991) Madagascar: A Natural History. Facts on File.
37 Quammen, D. (1996) The Song of the Dodo: Island Biogeography in an Age of
Extinctions. Hutchinson. London.
38 Rogozinski, J. (2000) Honour Among Thieves: Captain Kidd, Henery Every and the
Pirate Republic of Libertalia. Stackpole Books.
96
39 Rübel, A. MacKinnon,J., Hatchwell, M. and Ketterer, P. (2003) Masoala – the Eye of
the Forest. A new Strategy for Rainforest Conservation in Madagascar (available in
English, French, German). Th. Gut-Verlag. Stäfa.
40 Ruud, J. (2002) Gods and Ancestors: Society and Religion Among the Forest Tribes
in Madagascar. Portland.
41 Shafer, C.L. (1990) Nature Reserves: Island Theory and Conservation Practice.
Smithsonian Institution Press. Washington and London.
42 Soulé, M.E. (1980) Conservation Biology: an Evolutionary – Ecological Perspective.
Sinauer Associates, Sunderland. Massachusetts.
43 Tattersall, Ian. (1982) The Primates of Madagascar. Columbia University Press. New
York.
44 Tyson, P. (2000) The Eighth Continent: Life, Death and Discovery in the Lost World
of Madagascar. William Morrow. New York.
97
98
Section 5 – Beneficiary projects
Contents
Selected first round projects
Waiting list second round projects
100
101
102
133
99
A total of 46 projects applied to the EAZA Madagascar campaign for funding. In total these
projects requested €901,187 in funding. We were delighted to receive such a high number
of good quality applications, but of course this made the selection process even more
difficult. The applications received were subdivided into different categories; Education
focused, Community focused, Habitat focused, Research focused and multi-focused
projects. Projects would be selected from all categories to ensure an interesting and
representative example of the conservation activities taking place on the island.
All projects were selected using a standard project scoring sheet (see below);
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Project Support Applications to EAZA Madagascar Campaign
Title:
Applicant:
Total Cost of Project:
Amount requested (%):
Please answer the following questions using a 5 point score;
1= Poor, 5 = Excellent
Question?
Score out of 5
Is the proposal clear and well documented?
Is the project leader (institution) suitably experienced or qualified?
Is the proposal credible and of good quality?
Will the project assist, maintain or improve biodiversity in Madagascar?
Is the budget balanced and credible?
Are you confident that the funds will be used properly?
Does the project show evidence of 50% matching support?
Does the project build and/or consolidate good relationships with local
communities?
Has the project good potential for a link-partnership with a zoo if it does
not already have one?
Has the project good potential to receive longitudinal funding from the
zoo community after the end of the campaign year?
Has the project endorsement from influential NGO's, local communities or
Malagasy government agencies?
What is your personal feeling about the project?
TOTAL SCORE FOR PROJECT (out of 60)
Additional YES/NO questions;
Is the request for more than €20,000?
Is there already a zoo link?
Is it an ongoing project?
Additional comments on this project (use a further page if required):
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------A total of 21 project screeners, from Madagascar, Europe and America, received between 1
and 6 projects each to score. The scores were then analysed to see which came out best. In
addition there was ongoing discussion as to how best use the monies raised and whether
the applicants were able to receive monies elsewhere. While no screening process is
infallible we feel that the projects chosen are all of an excellent standard and give good
representation of the ongoing conservation initiatives in the island. A total of €361,645 has
been allocated in the first and second rounds.
100
A total number of 20 projects has been selected for funding initially: 16 projects are in the
first round of selected projects a further four projects have been selected for funding after
the initial 16.
The projects are presented in the table below and on the following pages. More information
(full versions of the summaries presented here) and images are available on the CD-ROM
that is enclosed in this Info Pack.
Organisation
Requested
funding (€)
Project name
First round projects
Madagascar Wildlife
Conservation
CEL
Madagascar Fauna
Group (MFG)
University of Hamburg
Project Alaotra
9,470
BACC+3 Diploma in Environmental Conservation and
Management at the Libanona Ecology Centre (CEL)
Ivoloina Conservation Training Programme
Impacts of habitat characteristics and human forest
utlization on Geochelone radiata in southern Madagascar
Biodiversity inventory and conservation priorities of the
Zoologische
limestone formation of the Montagne des Francais region in
Staatssammlung
northern Madagascar
München
IADE
Appui à la restauration de la forêt naturelle de Ialatsara
Durrell Wildlife
Conservation of endangered lemur species and biodiversity
Conservation Trust
of Manombo lowland rainforest, southeast Madagascar
AEECL
Community based natural resources management in
Sahamalaza
ANJA
Anja, a Voluntary Protected Area (VPA) developed and
managed by the Village association ANJA MIRAY (AMI)
Durrell Wildlife
Participatory ecological monitoring competitions as direct
Conservation Trust
incentives for threatened species conservation in
Madagascar
Initiation of an Environmental Education and Community
Association pour le
Training Centre for Sustainable Livelihoods and Biodiversity
Sauvegarde de
Conservation in Ankilibe, Madagascar
l'Environnement (ASE)
Vogelpark Walsrode,
Project "VORONOSY" - conservation project for the
Allwetter Muenster, Zoo biodiversity of Bombetoka Bay (Mahajanga / NW
Landau, Zoo Duisburg
Madagascar) and its Mangrove islands
Centre ValBio
Increasing support for biodiversity conservation around
Ranomafana National Park
Wildlife Conservation
Radiated tortoise conservation and forest management
Society
through community empowerment in southern Madagascar
Missouri Botanical
Promoting ecotourism and environmental education at two
Gardens
priority areas for plant conservation, Madagascar
Antongil Conservation
Antongil Conservation
20,000
17,880
18,885
14,600
20,000
19,944
20,000
18,000
19,908
19,800
20,000
20,000
20,000
11,290
20,000
Second round projects
Gondwana
Conservation and
Research
Durrell Wildlife
Conservation Trust
MFG
Wildlife Conservation
Society
A pilot study for the conservation of Dyscophus antongili
and D. guineti, two tomato frogs from eastern Madagascar
16,350
Developing capacity for community co-management of the
new Lac Aloatra protected area, central eastern Madagascar
Betampona Forest Protection Programme
Freshwater Fish Conservation and Community Based Natural
Resource Management in Nosy Be.
19,908
Total funding committed
15,610
20,000
€361,645
101
Project number: 1
Project applicant: Madagascar Wildlife Conservation
Project Name: Project Alaotra
Funds provisionally allocated: €9,470
The region of Alaotra
Lake Alaotra is the largest lake of Madagascar and is surrounded by a vast wetland area
consisting of marshes and rice fields. Due to the high productivity of these wetlands, the
Alaotra Basin is known as the "Grenier de Madagascar", producing one third of the island's
starch. Moreover, Lake Alaotra provides the highest amount of fresh water fish of the island.
Today, more than 600,000 people live in this region.
These wetlands are also known for their complex ecosystem: The reed and papyrus beds
are home to a rich animal community including 72 species of birds and the Alaotra Gentle
Lemur (Hapalemur griseus alaotrensis), the "Bandro", a species of lemurs endemic to the
region.
Destruction of the marshes
The marshes surrounding the lake have several substantial functions in the complex local
ecosystem and are of fundamental importance for the fauna inhabiting them and for the
human population of the Basin.
The vegetation serves as a refuge and safe breeding ground for fishes. It also acts as a
natural filter reducing pollution of the lake by breaking down chemicals used in rice
production. Furthermore, the marshes store humidity during dry season benefiting the
adjacent rice fields and in turn prevent flooding during periods of high rainfall.
In the last 50 years, the marshes have suffered from an extensive destruction due to the
increasing use of these natural resources by humans. For example, large areas have been
burnt down and transformed into new rice fields. Additionally, the papyrus and reed beds
provide the traditional material for the construction of the typical Sihanaka houses, as well
as for the weaving products.
Finally the deforestation of the surrounding hills for the gain of agricultural and pasture land
has led the red soil to be washed away. As there is always less papyrus and reed beds to
act as filter, the sediments are carried directly into the lake covering its ground with a layer
of mud.
Endangered Bandro
The increasing human activity around the lake has resulted in a severe loss and
fragmentation of natural habitat. Together with further factors, such as hunting and fishing,
this is threatening the survival of many local animal species.
Consequently, the endemic Alaotra little grebe (Tachybaptus rufolavatus) and Madagascar
pochard (Aythya innotata) might already have gone extinct and the Alaotra gentle lemur is
struggling for survival. While in 1990 11,000 individuals were counted, today only 2,500 –
3,500 remain, mostly in isolated subpopulations. If the population continues to decline at
this pace, the Bandro will be extinct in less than 40 years.
Goals
From the 600,000 people living in the region almost 50% are children. Roughly 13,000 of
the 100,000 six to twelve year olds are attending schools. MWC will implement
environmental education in the curriculum of the public primary schools (EPP) to improve
the children's knowledge and awareness on the complexity of their environment. In the long
term this will raise public sensitivity and appreciation for the importance of an intact lake
and preserved marshes. This is a prerequisite for the survival of future generations of
102
animals and the wellbeing of the people.
The basis of this education programme is a comic developed and produced by MWC. Its
main characters are a Bandro, a kingfisher and a duck representing wildlife and a group of
two boys and two girls representing the villagers. The book consists of eight episodes
covering different conservational issues specific to the local ecosystem. These episodes are
written in Malagasy and drawn by a Malagasy artist.
Each episode addresses a specific conservation issue and will be the starting point for a
class discussion or an activity. It should also function as a promoter for more scientific
themes such as the biology of lemurs or endemism. For deeper understanding of the
subject, the teachers will receive supplementary material for creating the lessons
accompanying each episode.
Schedule
A test phase with 8 selected classes has started in 2006. After an evaluation of the impact
of the comic book and improvements based on the feedback from the teachers, MWC will
start to gradually provide these comic books to all schools in the Alaotra region, starting in
2007. Every year a number of teachers from the regions EEP's will be trained, informed in
detail and supplied with supportive educational material by MWC in collaboration with the
Ivoloina Zoo. In 2007 and 2008, 50 classes, will be provided with comic paperbacks. MWC
aims to have the environmental education implemented in most EEP's of the Alaotra region
by 2016.
103
Project number: 2
Project applicant: Centre Ecologique de Libanona
Project Name: BACC+3 Diploma in Environmental Conservation and Management at the
Libanona Ecology Centre
Environmental, economic and cultural contexts
The southern region of Madagascar is home to an incredible diversity of unique habitats.
Coastal and marine habitat, littoral forests, and montane humid forests in the east of the
region give way to traditional and dry spiny forests in the west. Within Madagascar, which is
itself recognized as a biodiversity hotspot, the south and southeast are especially accepted
to be among the highest priorities of environmental conservation. This importance is
demonstrated by the designation of the spiny forest ecoregion as one of World Wildlife
Fund's Global 200 Ecoregions and of the Anosy Region in the southeast as one of
Madagascar's three "critical Ecosystem" by CI, USAID, and the World Bank.
Fort Dauphin serves as the centre for environmental conservation and management efforts
in southern Madagascar. Within a short distance from Fort Dauphin there exists a plethora
of natural ecosystems unparalleled anywhere on earth. Within a 50 km radius of Fort
Dauphin a diverse array of 9 pristine natural ecosystems exist, with an 80-90% rate of
endemism. This region, however, is facing various threats, including mining exploitation (for
Ilmenite), human activities like slash and burn, as well as deforestation for fuel and
construction materials, and marine erosion. To meet these varied environmental challenges,
the government, private, and voluntary sectors must have at their disposal both adequate
management and technical staff trained to conduct the variety of conservation and
development interventions required. The graduates of the LEC programme will help meet
this vital need.
Localization and brief historic
Libanona Ecology Centre (LEC) was created in 1996 by a group of ecologists and
conservation practitioners based in Fort Dauphin. LEC is based on the Libanona peninsula in
Fort Dauphin. This site and the infrastructures were developed throughout the 20th century
by the American Lutheran Mission in Madagascar, and the site is the property of the
Malagasy Lutheran Church (FLM), though it is managed by LEC. The LEC was originally
created with an objective to train diverse regional professionals and students for roles in
rural development, natural resources management, and conservation programs in southern
Madagascar. At first, LEC aimed, among other objectives, to develop training programs for
regional high school graduates and university students designed to support the actions of
rural development and conservation programs operating in the south. This purpose would
be accomplished through the development of communication and training programs for the
myriad of native social groups in the south. In October 2004 the Libanona Ecology Centre
launched a two year training programme to develop and instruct the human resource needs
of the region. This programme is designed to train the future personnel needs for the
regional governmental, public, and private institutions working in the domains of
conservation and development in Southern Madagascar.
This programme provides the students of Fort Dauphin the opportunity to compete in a
market of a globalizing economy. The goal of the LEC is to prepare well trained technicians
to balance conservation and development in a globalizing world. Graduates will be able to
contribute to the conservation of natural resources and the implementation of social and
economic initiatives. At the end of the course of study, students will be graduated as
Superior Technician of the Environment (DTS). All high school graduates with a
baccalaureate degree are eligible to follow the training at LEC.
New change
According to the positive feedback from local conservation and development organizations,
104
students and parents, and to stay in accordance with the Malagasy Ministry of Education's
decision to adopt the internationally used "License, Masters, Doctorate" (LMD) university
system, LEC plan to change the training curriculum by upgrading from a two year
technicians programme to a three year License programme (BACC+3, the equivalent of
Bachelors of Science) taking effect during the next academic school year. This new
programme is preparing for not only students who are coming from the Fort Dauphin region
but any youths wanting to contribute to the conservation program.
Project aim and objectives
The Libanona Ecology Centre BACC+3 will meet the human resource needs of Southern
Madagascar with highly trained management and technical for the institutions working in
the domain of conservation and development.
In order to make a significant contribution to the overall goal, the LEC is seeking support to
strengthen its training capacity through the following four objectives:
1) Strengthen the only technical training centre for the region which will produce
operational technicians to work in conservation and development institutions in
southern Madagascar by developing the classroom, information technology, and
resource facilities of the school.
2) Develop the programme from a two-year technicians degree to a three-year
professional degree, qualifying 20 graduates a year to assume conservational
management positions.
3) Ensure that the content of the training provided meet the specific needs identified by
institutions working in the region through active participation in the programme
design, curriculum development, and training of the students by local organizations.
4) Maintain flexibility to ensure that as human resource needs evolve, the training
courses required can be developed and implemented through established systems to
monitor the qualifications of the graduates within the workforce.
105
Project number: 3
Project applicant: Madagascar Fauna Group
Project Name: Ivoloina Conservation Training Programme
Summary
Madagascar is one of the most biologically important countries of the world in terms of its
stunning biodiversity and level of species endemism. It is, however, also one of the world's
poorest countries and faces an ever increasing threat of ecological disaster as the growing
population tries to support itself. With a growing population depending almost exclusively on
subsistence farming, the greatest threat to Malagasy biodiversity is the near-ubiquitous use
of slash and burn agriculture (tavy). Already more than 90% of Madagascar's forest has
been destroyed and the destruction continues yearly. Only by addressing the core problems
facing the Malagasy people (food insecurity and the use of unsustainable farming
techniques) and thereby reducing the rate of forest destruction can there be any hope of
preserving the unique flora and fauna of Madagascar.
Madagascar Fauna Group (MFG) have worked for 17 years with local Malagasy government
and environmental groups to help conserve critically endangered species through captive
breeding programs, research, environmental and alternative agriculture education, and
capacity building. The local authorities have requested help from the international
community, and specifically MFG, to provide more sustainable alternatives to tavy and for
training to be provided in those alternative techniques. As a result the MFG's Environmental
Education Centre (CEE) and the Agricultural Model Station based at Parc Ivoloina have
evolved over recent years to meet these needs through provision of training in
environmental education and sustainable agricultural methods. The training targets a
diverse audience ranging from school children to local government leaders.
Over the past few years demand for the MFG training sessions has exceeded the capacity of
the modest infrastructure already in place at Ivoloina and a project has been started to
construct a purpose-built training centre to meet the ever-growing local needs. The first
phase of construction is already completed composing of a meeting room able to hold 100
people, a teaching laboratory and a small computer room. The second phase is now
underway to provide a dormitory, which will accommodate 24 people allowing groups from
further afield to come for training and to lodge at Ivoloina at minimal cost. The majority of
the funding for this venture has already been secured but there is an outstanding amount
left to raise to complete the construction and equip the dormitory with basic furniture to
make it fully functional. Additionally funds are required to cover the basic costs of running
the Ivoloina Conservation Training Centre (ICTC) for the year of 2007 and to facilitate an
increase in number of people trained.
If funding is secured the project will target a diverse audience of key members of the local
communities ranging from farmers and school teachers to local mayors and school district
chiefs. The main goal of this project is to build local capacity for natural resource
management in Toamasina through training of farmers and village leaders in sustainable
agriculture approaches and methods. The topics of training will cover mainly practical
subjects taught in the field promoting sustainable techniques such as composting, soil
stabilisation and more intensive cultivation methods. As well as the practical agricultural
subjects there will be training sessions for local school teachers and school district chiefs to
improve environmental education in local primary schools in order to promote
understanding of the need to conserve Madagascar's precious biodiversity
The specific project aims are to:
• Ensure the completion of building and furnishing of a dormitory that is already under
construction, which will provide accommodation for visiting groups at the ICTC and
facilitate longer training sessions and groups coming from further afield.
106
•
•
•
•
•
Ensure a year's effective functioning of the ICTC (payment of maintenance,
administration and personnel costs).
Provide 300 local villagers with training in sustainable agricultural techniques with
the aim of reducing the practise of tavy in the areas immediately surrounding Parc
Ivoloina and the Betampona Natural Reserve.
Provide follow-up support visits for villagers showing interest in adopting the
promoted techniques, offering technical assistance on the ground.
Provide a second phase of training for all of the 17 mayors of the province of
Toamasina reinforcing the importance of promoting sustainable agriculture at the
commune level and increasing practical and technical knowledge of a range of
improved agricultural techniques.
Provide a third phase of training for the 16 local school chiefs (Chef ZAPs) of
Toamasina province reinforcing the importance of promoting environmental
education in primary schools and increasing technical knowledge in a range of
environmental subjects.
107
Project number: 4
Project applicant: University of Hamburg
Project Name: Impacts of habitat characteristics and human forest utilization on
Geochelone radiata in southern Madagascar
Summary
The spiny forest of Madagascar is one of the least studied but most threatened ecosystems
of the world (Fenn, 2003; Mittermeier et al., 2004). Due to the harshness of the
environment only basic inventories and short pilot studies have been carried out, but no in
depth ecosystem analyses are available for this ecosystem and for most animal species
living there. This is unfortunate as southern Madagascar harbours many endemic species
with restricted ranges and special adaptations to the arid environment. One of these species
is the Radiated tortoise (Geochelone radiata), which is likely to suffer from habitat
destruction, overexploitation of the habitat through livestock and hunting for food and for
the pet trade. Even though G. radiata is probably the best-known tortoise species of
Madagascar, very little is known about its status and habitat requirements (Pedrono and
Smith, 2003; Leuteritz et al., 2005). In view of these deficits the aims of the project are:
1) Description of the relations between the occurrence of the tortoise Geochelone
radiata and abiotic and biotic habitat characteristics in the spiny and dry forests of
southern Madagascar;
2) Description of population characteristics in different vegetation formations across its
range;
3) Assessing human impacts (grazing, fire, hunting / pet trade) on populations of
Geochelone radiata.
The study will be carried out along a gradient of habitats ranging from very dry habitats in
and around the National Park of Tsimanampetsotsa to the NP of Andohahela (with a variety
of dry to more mesic habitats). The NP of Andohahela is situated at the eastern limits of the
distributional range of Geochelone radiata. Andohahela represents the only continuous
transition in Madagascar where spiny vegetation gradually changes into evergreen humid
forest. Parts of both protected areas and especially the areas around the parks are subject
to varying intensities of cattle grazing, collection of wood and other human impacts (ANGAP
et al. 1999a, b; ANGAP 2003). Thus, the two parks comprise the full range of possible
habitats for G. radiata and several different human impacts. This set-up should allow
identifying habitat requirements and the effects of different environments on G. radiata.
Within the framework of the "Durban Vision" formulated by Madagascar's President Marc
Ravalomanana in 2003, both parks will be extended. In order to arrive at a comprehensive
and cost-effective protection of the ecosystems and their communities, it is important to
understand the relationships between human impacts, vegetation characteristics and the
requirements of the animals living in the areas.
Population characteristics of G. radiata will be assessed in pairs of monitoring plots along
the gradient: one plot of each pair will be located at a protected site, the other plot of the
pair will be located in the same vegetation formation at a site under human impact.
Population dynamics will be assessed by repeated surveys in permanent monitoring plots.
Similar data will be collected on the Spider tortoise (Pyxis arachnoides) where they are
sympatric with Geochelone radiata.
The project has been developed within the framework of the regional conservation priorities
formulated by the National Park Management (ANGAP). It will be carried out by a team
coming from national universities, staff from ANGAP and expatriates. The data should result
in a GIS based document to provide an estimate of population size of the Radiated Tortoise
in different parts of its range. The results should be integrated directly into management
plans for the parks and their future extension.
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References
ANGAP 2003. Parc National d'Andohahela: Plan de Gestion de la Conservation. ANGAP, DFS,
and EEDR. (1999a). Etude pour l'élaboration d'un plan d'aménagement et de gestion
au niveau de la Réserve Naturelle Intégrale de Tsimanampetsotsa: Diagnostic
physio-bio-écologique. Pages 176. ANGAP, DFS, EEDR, Antananarivo.
—. (1999b). Etude pour l'élaboration d'un plan d'aménagement et de gestion au niveau de
la Réserve Naturelle Intégrale de Tsimanampetsotsa: Diagnostic socio-économique
et culturel. Pages 49 + Annex. ANGAP, DFS, EEDR, Antananarivo.
Fenn, M. D. (2003). The spiny forest ecoregion. Pages 1525-1530 in S. M. Goodman and J.
Bensted, eds. The Natural History of Madagascar. The University of Chicago Press,
Chicago.
Leuteritz, T. E. J., T. Lamb, and J. C. Limberaza. 2005. Distribution, status, and
conservation of radiated tortoises (Geochelone radiata) in Madagascar. Biological
Conservation 124:451-461.
Mittermeier, R., P. Gil, M. Hoffmann, J. Pilgrim, T. Brooks, C. Goetsch Mittermeier, J.
Lamoreux, and G. da Fonseca. (2004). Hotspots revisited. CEMEX, Mexico City.
Pedrono, M. and L. L. Smith (2003): Testudinae, Land Tortoises. Pages 951-956 in S. M.
Goodman and J. P. Benstead (eds.). The Natural History of Madagascar. The
University of Chicago Press.
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Project number: 5
Project applicant: Zoologische Staatssammlung München
Project Name: Biodiversity inventory and conservation priorities of the limestone
formation of the Montagne des Francais region in northern Madagascar
Summary
By far most of Madagascar's species diversity is concentrated in the areas with remaining
primary vegetation which cover less than 10% of the island's surface. Some of these areas
harbour a remarkable number of potential local endemics and are therefore of crucial
importance for the survival of many species. Unfortunately, several of these areas are still
unprotected, poorly studied and under heavy pressure by local people. This is also true for
Madagascar's northernmost limestone formation which includes the Montagne des Francais
and several smaller, isolated areas of the same geological formation (e. g. Windsor Castle
and the island Nosy Hara). The Montagne des Francais massif is still largely covered by
deciduous dry forest and its altitudinal range is from sea level to ca. 400 m. Due to the
beautiful landscape and the proximity to the city of Diego Suarez (Antsiranana) the region
might have a high potential for ecotourism, but is also threatened by illegal deforestation.
Our ongoing studies revealed almost 50 species of reptiles and amphibians at Montagne des
Francais, including many threatened species which are listed on the CITES appendices: one
species of Madagascar poison frogs (Mantella), two species of Madagascar boas (Sanzinia
and Acrantophis), six species of chameleons (Furcifer and Brookesia), at least one species
of leaf-tailed geckos (Uroplatus) and two species of day geckos (Phelsuma). Furthermore we
discovered many new species of reptiles, including geckos, snakes, at least one skink, and
one dwarf chameleon. All these new species are hitherto exclusively known from Montagne
des Francais, suggesting that they might be local endemics and considered as seriously
threatened once a Global Reptile Assessment will have been accomplished.
Recent surveys by another team in the year 2005 revealed further rare, threatened and
even undescribed reptile species at Montagne des Francais, confirming the enormous
importance of the region for the survival of Madagascar's herpetofauna. Furthermore, we
recorded many other remarkable animal species in this massif, among them a still
unidentified rodent (Eliurus), giant stick insects (Achrioptera), theraphosid spiders,
scorpions, land crabs, and at least two species of lemurs (Eulemur coronatus and Lepilemur
septentrionalis).
Among the plants local endemics are known as well, including euphorbias and at least one
orchid species. Other species are regional endemics which occur at Montagne des Francais
and in associated limestone formations or have very small ranges in northern Madagascar.
These species include several succulents (Pachypodium, Aloe and Euphorbia) and even one
species of Baobab trees (Adansonia). The obvious species richness and the high level of
local endemicity are still poorly known and have been rarely documented, and for these
reasons the region is still not yet included in Madagascar's net work of protected areas
(although it has the status as "classified forest"). The legal protection of the area(s) is
therefore crucial for the long-term survival of many locally or regionally endemic species.
The aim of the proposed project is to provide the scientific data which are necessary to
justify the legal protection of these areas (either as Reserve Special or National Park) by
publishing species inventories of selected groups of animals and plants in Montagne des
Francais and associated unprotected limestone formations of the north. Furthermore,
conservation priorities for the surveyed areas and their (presumed) threatened local or
regional endemics will be proposed. For this reason, conservation-related aspects
(population density, habitat characteristics) of selected local endemics (e. g. the new dwarf
chameleon and the critically endangered frog Mantella viridis) will be studied in detail to
evaluate their conservation status more reliably.
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The field studies will be carried out in cooperation with the Département de Biologie
Animale, Université d'Antananarivo, for a period of about six weeks in the rainy season
between January and March 2008 by international scientists, Madagascan biology students,
and local guides. Surveys will include vertebrates (freshwater fishes, amphibians, reptiles,
selected mammals), selected groups of insects (e. g. Mantodea, Phasmatodea, selected
Coleoptera and Lepidoptera), invertebrates (e. g. crabs, scorpions, myriapods), and plants
(e. g. succulents). The final selection of the 4-5 study areas and taxonomic groups will be
done after a short pre-study in the field.
The results of the surveys including the recommendations of conservation priorities will be
documented by scientific publications which can be considered as short term success of the
project. The long term success of the project would be that Montagne des Francais and
(pending on the survey results) additional areas in the region would receive the legal status
as nature reserves (e. g. Reserve Speciale or Parc National). This long term success might
largely depend on the political situation in Madagascar, especially on the Madagascan
government. However, since Madagascar's current president, Marc Ravalomanana, has
declared his intention to greatly enlarge the current network of nature reserves, we consider
the chances of a long term success of the project as very high.
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Project number: 6
Project applicant: Ialatsara Developpment Ecotourism (IADE)
Project Name: Appui à la restauration de la forêt naturelle de Ialatsara
Summary
Fragmentation of forest is more and more common in Madagascar. It is the result of
deforestation in order to gain agricultural land. The fragmented forest patches still have
parts of the once original fauna, but this richness depends is affected by hunting pressure
from the nearby villages. This situation is frequent in Madagascar, but there is hope for the
preservation of endangered species.
The Ialatsara forest station compromises 2500 ha with three different parts: 500 ha
Eucalyptus, 1000 ha pine-forest and 1000 ha natural forest. The Ialatsara forest station is
situated 6 km north of Ambohimahasoa, in the Region of Haute Matsiatra, Province of
Fianarantsoa. The Ialatsara forest station is part of the regional corridor Befotaka –
Fandriana.
Figure 1
The Ialatsara Forest
The natural forest of Ialatsara is a high altitude rain forest (1000 – 1500 m above sea
level), of which about the half is intact/pristine. The natural forest is divided in 10 plots due
to repeated uncontrolled forest fires.
There are many different animal species, and as yet six lemur species (Propithecus
edwardsi, Eulemur rubiventer, Hapalemur griseus, Lepilemur sp., Cheirogle sp., and
Microcebus rufus) have been observed. These lemur populations have been isolated for
approximately 25 years. The main objective of this project is to maintain and grow the
extant population of Propithecus in the forest of Ialatsara by improving genetic exchange
and increasing the availability of food resources. The Propithecus has been selected as a
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target specie from the six extant lemur species in Ialatsara, because it is the least
adaptable with respect to changes in the availability of food resources and ecological niche.
It is also a very attractive species and therefore serves as the flagship species for Ialatsara
and promotes tourism in this area. The present population of Propithecus consists of 44
individuals in eight groups. The improved protection of Propithecus will protect the whole
forest site including other fauna and flora. The territory of a group of Propithecus varies
between 50 and 80 ha, not depending of the size of the group. For the season of 2006
eleven births of Propithecus have been registered. Despite genetic constraints, which are
under study, the population is growing. The age of reproduction is five years.
The project will put in place two main activities:
• Restoration of the degraded parts of the natural forest by the plantation of tree species
used by the Propithecus as food sources. This will result in the restoration of 250 ha.
• Replace pine forest by local / indigenous tree species with emphasis on species used by
the Propithecus. This will result in the plantation of 25 ha forest.
Beside these results, the project produces information about the methods of two national
priorities of Madagascar:
• Forest restoration.
• Management of fragmented lemur populations.
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Project number: 7
Project applicant: Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust
Project Name: Conservation of endangered lemur species and biodiversity of Manombo
lowland rainforest, southeast Madagascar
Summary
Manombo forest is one of the last remaining lowland rainforests on the eastern coast
Madagascar, ranging in elevation between 0 and 137 m, and covering 15,730 hectares in
total and composed of the Manombo Special Reserve and the Manombo Classified Forest.
Established in 1962, Manombo Special Reserve is comprises two parcels: 2,800 ha of
lowland rainforest and 2,280 ha of remnant littoral forests. The Manombo Classified Forest
is 10,650 ha in size, 5,235 ha which are contiguous with the rainforest parcel of the
reserve. It is planned to integrate the entire Manombo forest into a single protected area.
Manombo forest is home to eight sympatric species of prosimian primates. The primate
community consists of black-and-white ruffed lemur (Varecia variegata editorium), whitecollared brown lemur (Eulemur albocollaris), lesser bamboo lemur (Hapalemur griseus),
aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis), sportive lemur (Lepilemur sp.), eastern woolly
lemur (Avahi laniger), mouse lemur (Microcebus rufus) and greater dwarf lemur
(Cheirogaleus major). Manombo also has the most diverse species assemblage of snails of
any lowland rainforest, including one of the largest land snails in the world. Recent studies
revealed that 90% of the flora in Manombo is endemic to Madagascar of which 13 species
are only known from Manombo. The recent discovery of a new endemic freshwater fish in
the reserve in the genus Pantanodon (Poeciliidae) indicates the importance of the Manombo
wetlands. The only other species in this genus was found near Mahambo, approximately 620
km north of Manombo.
Lowland rainforest under 400 m has incurred the greatest percentage loss and highest
ongoing rate of loss of all eastern humid forest altudinal bands, resulting from greater
pressures for conversion to agriculture of this relatively more accessible and productive
land. This forest type presents high levels of endemism and diversity but is reduced to a few
fragments along the eastern coastal range, which serves to greater emphasise the high
importance and serious threat to the Manombo forest.
Significant threats to Manombo's unique biodiversity are related to its relatively small size
and human activities in and around the park. The combined effects of anthropogenic threats
and natural disasters such as cyclones increase the pressures on the endemic and rare
species of the Manombo forest. Both Eulemur albocollaris and Varecia variegata are
Critically Endangered and Daubentonia madagascariensis is Endangered according to the
IUCN 2006 Red List. E. albocollaris is among the 25 most endangered primates in the world.
Eulemur albocollaris is restricted to a few fragments of lowland rainforest of southeastern
Madagascar of which Manombo is the only protected area. Varecia, although widespread
throughout eastern Madagascar, has a patchy distribution and populations are disappearing
as their habitats become increasingly fragmented. All the larger bodied lemurs are targeted
by hunting for human consumption, largely for subsistence. Manombo forest and the
threatened species found there are threatened by illegal logging, slash and burn agriculture
and cattle pasture. The small lemur populations are also threatened because of the impacts
of cyclones. For example, cyclone "Gretelle" in 1997 caused severe damage to these forest
fragments causing many large trees to fall and hence changing habitat structure, reducing
food availability and causing direct mortality.
Manombo Special Reserve is administered by the National Park Authority (ANGAP), while
the Classified Forest is administered by the Direction of Waters and Forests (DGEF). Both
these organisations are struggling with low levels of resources, both human (only one Water
and Forests agent for the entire District of Farafangana) and financial. Jonah Ratsimbazafy,
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the Scientific Coordinator of Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust Madagascar programme has
conducted research on the Varecia population at Manombo since 1997. Research has
covered studies on the behavioural ecology of this species with emphasis on the feeding
strategies of this southernmost population of black-and-white ruffed lemurs, recovery of the
lemur populations and their habitat following the 1997 cyclone and the impact of invasive
plant species. While conducting research, the team has sought to develop a trusting
relationship with local communities and with the authorities to encourage and assist them
with conservation of the protected area. For example, we have supported the creation of 5
villager associations for the conservation of the endangered biodiversity of Manombo. We
have also trained five local people to help monitor and study the lemurs and their habitats.
Outreach activities have included environmental festivals in 5 villages and environmental
education in local schools. These conservation activities were reinforced and integrated into
the Durrell Wildlife Madagascar Programme since Jonah joined our team in 2002. We are
seeking funding to further develop activities to support the effective conservation of
Manombo forest, through collaboration with local villages, with ANGAP, with Water and
Forests and with the local commune.
This project will develop activities to support the effective conservation of Manombo forest.
This will include completing inventories, censuses of primate populations, mapping habitats,
working with local stakeholders and authorities, developing local capacity, developing
participatory monitoring and building capacity to encourage local community participation.
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Project number: 8
Project applicant: Association Européenne pour l'Etude et la Conservation des Lémuriens
(AEECL)
Project Name: Community based natural resources management: Reinforcement of
infrastructure in Sahamalaza to improve the living conditions of the local communities to
enable them to sustainably manage their natural reserves
Summary
The most prominent threat to the Critically Endangered blue-eyed black lemur (Eulemur
macaco flavifrons), endemic to the Sahamalaza area in northwestern Madagascar, is habitat
destruction due to slash-and-burn agriculture, the result of which is a severe fragmentation
of the taxon's population. Therefore two major conservation issues are to be addressed
immediately: it must be ensured that further fragmentation of the remaining lemur habitat
in Sahamalaza will not take place, and the negative effects of the isolation of small
subpopulations must be minimised. To halt the ongoing habitat destruction in the region,
the Association Européenne pour l'Etude et la Conservation des Lémuriens (AEECL) and its
American partner organisation WCS, with the involvement of representatives of local
communities from the Sahamalaza Peninsula and representatives of several environmental
institutions, have implemented a community-based natural resource management
programme in December 2000. Two objectives of this programme were identified: to
maintain and strengthen natural processes and the condition of terrestrial and marine
ecosystems; and to improve natural resource use techniques in order to improve the
standard of living of the local human populations. An action plan (Natural Resources
Community-Management Plan) was proposed and is currently being implemented. It has
since been the reference framework for the AEECL/WCS consortium's interventions in the
Sahamalaza region. Twenty-one Local Community Associations (LCA) were set up in four
communes as well as several social and professional associations grouping young people,
women, farmers, fishers, and craftspeople. An LCA is defined as a village-level association
to which the law grants the power to manage natural resources within its territory.
Thereafter, a local agreement (dina) on the conservation of the environment was developed
and formalized for each of the LCA that was set up. Moreover, in each village (fokontany) a
Village Forest Protection Committee was set up. The committees work in liaison with the
forest department's representative in Analalava to check permits issued by the
representative for any logging and to look after the work.
As part of the CBNRM for Sahamalaza, in 2005 AEEL/WCS funded a training in irrigated rice
farming that was carried out in partnership with the NGO Voahary Salama, specialised in
farmers training. From the training benefited 27 people from Sahamalaza. Yields were 13.55
t/ha and 17.14 t/ha, respectively, in pilot rice fields A and B, against 3 t/ha in local rice
fields where traditional techniques were used.
The support to the local communities in the Sahamalaza area now needs to be intensified in
order to enable the local people to effectively manage their natural resources in a
sustainable way. For this, two main objectives are foreseen for the three-year period of
April 2006 - April 2009: 1.) Training of local communities in environment-compatible
income-generating activities (IGA), such as rice farming during the rainy season, bee
keeping, popularising rice farming, tree nursery, guiding tourists; 2.) Reinforcement of
community infrastructure focusing on education and health, such as employing of teaching
staff and paramedical staff, building or rehabilitation of schools and clinics, the setting up of
a community-managed pharmacy and the supply of school materials and stationeries.
Moreover, feasibility studies on wells and irrigation dams will be carried out. The
communities have already identified the sites for the wells and the dams.
With regard to the training of local communities in income-generating activities, during the
project period 2006-2009, different courses will be offered according to the demand of the
different communes. Priorities for 2006 are sustainable rice farming during the rainy season
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as well as bee keeping. Regarding the community infrastructure, the staff of AEECL/WCS,
together with the local authorities and the representatives of the four communes of
Sahamalaza, has identified a list of priorities for 2006-2009, including 12 school buildings
with 15 teachers altogether (to be paid during two years), 11 communal pharmacies, as
well as a number of agricultural materials to be administered by the communes and rented
to local farmers.
The project will be evaluated by the Sahamalaza field coordinators, Guy Hermas
Randriatahina (AEECL) and Naly Ramasinoro (WCS), who will provide EAZA with biannual
progress reports. Success can directly be measured, e.g. through counting the number of
children with access to primary education, or the increase in rice harvest from fields tilled
with new methods. In the long term, the measures undertaken in this project will contribute
to a more effective management of the natural resources in Sahamalaza by the local
communities, which will have a direct effect on biodiversity conservation in this area of
Madagascar.
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Project number: 9
Project applicant: ANJA
Project Name: Anja, a Voluntary Protected Area (VPA) developed and managed by the
village association ANJA MIRAY (AMI)
Summary
The flagship species of this project is the ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta). Anja is one of the
most northern known sites for this species. The community-protected area of a few hundred
hectares is managed since 1999 by the association "Anja Miray" (AMI). The site is only a
few hundred meters from the great trunk road RN7, where most tourist groups travel by
road between the capital Antananarivo through Madagascar's beautifully landscaped
highlands with rice terraces and agricultural fields towards the dry savannahs in the
southwest. This assembly of significant natural and cultural assets allows the visitor an easy
glimpse into Madagascar's biodiversity and passed times of nobles, kings and wars.
However, what it still lacks is audio-visual interpretation. Diversified site interpretation for
enhanced visitor enjoyment and local economic development will be the two main
measurable outputs. This EAZA project could become a model for Madagascar's
decentralized conservation efforts, where -in the true sense of the subsidiarity principlestakeholders, the most directly concerned local communities, finally become shareholders
with rights, duties and responsibilities.
The ANJA Protected Area is a very successful example of a community initiative under the
law of GELOSE or Community based natural resources management. The site is now widely
known for its "rock climbing" colonies of makis (Lemur catta), easy to enjoy from
spectacular vantage points sunbathing early morning on giant rock boulders or jumping
from branch to branch in the forest islands. The forest represents a relict of dry highland
forest, more or less naturally protected by this special geomorphologic formation. In the
many eco-niches, within a few hundred meters of a leisurely walk, the visitor can marvel at
and muse about groups of catta lemurs, a variety of big and small chameleons, lizards,
geckos, frogs, snakes including the boa, tenrecs, birds, butterflies, many geophytes and
epiphytic orchids, succulent plants such as Pachypodium densiflorum, Aloe spp., Calanchoe,
spp. In the caves are relicts of ancient habitations and burial sites to be discovered. In
short, one could say, the site is so small but exceptional, that it could compare well with a
zoo without fences! "Small is beautiful." Today no tourist group on its way to the south fails
to stop there for a few hours. The casual visitor is heartily welcome by French- and some
English- speaking village guides and taken on short natural or cultural circuits; e.g. the
maki circuit, the succulent plants and orchid circuit, the medicinal plant circuit, the cultural
circuit through caves and ancient burial sites for nobles, or simply a hike to the top of the
giant rock domes, called the "sisters" with a spectacular view on the Andringitra massif,
ancient reminder of prehistoric Gondwana.
The Community Association Anja Miray (AMI)
Anja Miray stands for "community in solidarity" which started in 1999 with 50 members.
Today there are over 120 members of which 20 are women. Started on self-help bases,
Anja Miray is motivated by private visitor contributions, technical assistance by local NGO's
such as the World Mountain People Association and regional and international conservation
development projects. With such help a visitor reception and information centre, circuits, a
campsite, the attached information leaflet, T-shirts, etc. have been developed. There are
plans for a fishery project and other diversifications and improvements.
The association, although continuously developing and improving its ecotourism enterprise,
is still lacking information-, education- and visitor information to be shared with "hungry"
tourists. This is an often-made observation and remark by tourists.
This EAZA project proposal aims at filling this gap by responding to an expressed need and
at the same time contributing to development aspirations by villagers by diversifying the
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local economy, based traditionally on paddy rice farming and subsistence agriculture.
Goals, objectives and output
The goal is to compile the wealth of natural and cultural information in text, photo and film
and make it available for visitor enjoyment through printed and electronic audio-visual
media. Specifically the project aims at producing an updated version of leaflet for visitor
distribution, a printed booklet and a video on DVD to be made available for better
awareness creation and publicity of this special self-help based village initiative, to be
offered for sale to visitors on site. If attached to a zoo or other sponsoring organisation, a
website could also be developed. If the project is successful, the signaling and multiplier
effect for comparable community initiatives and sites could be important, becoming a great
model for Madagascar. Conversely, the successful project could also become a very nice
window for in situ conservation efforts by a European zoo.
Budget
The costs for the production of printed material (postcards, flyers, calendars, posters,
booklets) and a documentary film of about 30 minutes, reproduced on CD/DVD, are
estimated to be in the region of 18,000 Euro.
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Project number: 10
Project Name: Participatory ecological monitoring competitions as direct incentives for
threatened species conservation in Madagascar
Summary
Madagascar is renowned as one of the top biodiversity countries with a remarkable level of
species endemism. There is growing realization within Madagascar of the advantages to the
country of conserving this biological heritage both as a means of attracting international
support and funding and also for the growing tourism industry. In addition, most
biodiversity resides in forests and wetlands that also provide important ecosystem services,
in particular water for downstream agriculture and habitations. Madagascar is one of the
poorest countries in the world with a per capita income of €190 and its rapidly growing
population is 70% rural, relying heavily on natural resources to maintain their livelihoods.
For example, forests provide food, construction wood, cooking fuel and medicinal plants.
Despite the direct and indirect value of forests to many sectors of society at different levels,
there has been rapid deforestation at a rate of 40% since the 1950s and 9% from 1990 to
2000. Forests were cleared for agro-industry during colonial times but the greatest current
pressure is from slash-and-burn cultivation for small holders. The deforested plots tend to
lose fertility in a few years and farmers move on to clear new land. Many wetlands have
been transformed into rice fields. In addition, unsustainable logging, pollution of wetlands
and hunting are further contributing to put many species at risk of extinction.
Benefits from conserving biodiversity are often perceived at the international or national
level, but it is the local people, often the rural poor struggling to assure their livelihoods,
that usually sustain the highest opportunity costs. There may be some existing local
benefits from conservation, such as ecological services like watershed protection, or
employment or revenue sharing from eco-tourism. However, not all sites and not all
members of society can benefit from these, and sites with exceptional levels of local
endemism may succumb to logging and deforestation pressures because of insufficient local
incentives for conservation. It is perfectly understandable that a villager sees a lemur as
just another source of protein to supplement their diet unless we can reinforce the
perceived value of having lemurs or other threatened species near the village.
Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust Madagascar Programme has pioneered an innovative
approach to provide direct incentives to local communities for conservation of endangered
species through participatory ecological monitoring competitions. These schemes have been
implemented in Alaotra from 2001 and in Menabe from 2004. They have proved extremely
popular at the local level and are showing very promising results as an effective means to
encourage strong participation and interest of local communities leading to enhanced
conservation of endangered species and their habitats.
Participatory ecological monitoring competitions have been initiated by Durrell Wildlife
Conservation Trust at three sites in Madagascar: Menabe, Alaotra and Baly Bay. Expansion
to Nosivolo and Manombo is planned. All five sites are of key importance for conservation of
threatened species (see Appendix for details). EAZA funding will be used for participatory
monitoring competitions at one or more of these sites depending on specific needs once
funding is confirmed in 2007. The following activities are undertaken at each site:
• Develop conservation targets with local communities, specifying the conservation
area and monitoring criteria (presence of endangered species, cleared or burned
areas, cut stumps, percentage of villagers member of community management
association etc);
• Train ecological monitoring teams from villages;
• Undertake monitoring along transects;
• Publicise results and prize amounts in participating villages and regionally;
• Distribute prizes in the form of materials for development project chosen by
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villagers.
This project aims to contribute to a more equitable distribution of costs and benefits of
biodiversity conservation by channelling some of the "willingness to pay for the existence
value of biodiversity" of the more developed world "the biodiversity consumers" back the
local communities in biodiversity-rich but less developed countries "the biodiversity
producers". Through this scheme, the EAZA institutions will be able to connect their visiting
public directly to the local communities living next to and conserving endangered species.
They will effectively be sponsoring local people to protect village reserves.
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Project number: 11
Project applicant: Association pour le Sauvegarde de l'Environnement (ASE)
Project Name: Inititiation of an environmental education and community training centre
for sustainable livelihoods and biodiversity conservation in Ankilibe, Madagascar
Summary
The southwestern region of Madagascar in the periphery of the Tulear urban area has a
wide diversity of habitats and is one of the richest areas of floral diversity in the world.
These habitats include succulent spiny forest areas on the calcareous plateau, spiny forest
on white coastal sands, humid zones (lakes and ponds) that are supplied with fresh water
from an underground river that seeps out of the plateau, mangroves, and the main section
of the fourth largest coastal reef system in the world. These habitats are home to several
locally endemic plant and animal species that are found nowhere else in Madagascar. All of
these ecosystems are interconnected and, as such, the degradation of one leads to the
degradation of the others. Deforestation of terrestrial areas provokes sedimentation in the
mangroves and on the reefs. Over harvesting of reef and mangroves resources forces
families to seek alternative livelihoods form forest transformation.
A local non-for-profit NGO named the ASE (Association pour le Sauvegarde de
l'Environnement) has plans to develop a community-training and environmental education
centre just south of the Provincial Capital of Tulear near to the rural village of Ankilibe.
These plans have been developed jointly with with the Tulear Association of Scouts (Tily Eto
Madagascar), the Antsoaky Arboretum, and technical staff working with Parcs Nationaux
Madagascar (ANGAP) and WWF. The centre will serve as the first environmental education
facility in the region serving both urban and rural school groups from in and around Tulear,
the local population, and visiting tour groups. More importantly, the centre will serve as a
training facility that seeks to introduce more sustainable livelihoods in the local Vezo/
Tanalanga fishing communities in the southern Tulear whom have drastically over-harvested
and severely degraded the marine resources and terrestrial habitats upon which their
present livelihoods depend.
Given the present tendencies of land and marine degradation, many people are starting to
migrate out of the region to other more fertile areas where the same cycle of resource
degradation begins again. In the light of the concerns for sustainable natural resources
management and sound environmental management that maintains the unique biodiversity
in southwestern Madagascar, this programme aims to pilot the development of alternative
activities that benefit both local livelihoods and biodiversity conservation in the adjacent
natural terrestrial habitats as well as to restore essential ecological functions for the marine
and coastal fisheries. The overall objective of the programme is that "present land and
marine degradation tendencies are reversed and coastal habitats and ecosystems are
restored through sustainable natural resource management and livelihoods of local
communities in the southern Tulear coastal area".
Support from EAZA will be used to fund three of the six coherent and integrated
components of the programs. They are:
•
•
•
A regional training centre is established for educational programs on environmental
management, alternative energy technologies, cultural history, alternative livelihoods
development, and ecotourism opportunities (a centre that is open to local
communities, school groups, and regional NGOs);
Mangrove restoration techniques that contribute to the restoration of seafood stocks
are developed and are being actively implemented in the communities of Ankilibe and
Sarodrano;
A programme for terrestrial habitat restoration and fuel wood plantations is initiated
in the communities of Ankilibe and Saordrano.
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Programme funding from other sources will be used for the following three components:
•
•
•
Techniques are developed for alternative pirogue construction and more efficient
fishing techniques;
Community marine conservation areas are established (no-go zones) to improve fish
stocks as well as to diminish the pressure on the marine habitats and provide
opportunities for marine ecotourism development; and
The tremendous ecotourism potential of the region is developed for the benefit of the
local communities of Ankilibe and Sarodrano.
The principal strategy, and challenge, for the success of the project will be to engage
regional actors and programs in making investments in this training program. Given the
proximity to Tulear, the justification of the project, and the existence of a Steering
Committee and on-the-ground personnel, this strategy can work. In addition, formal
collaborative agreements will be established with the Antsokay Arboretum and PNM-ANGAP
in the development of this programme in order to further ensure ongoing development and
sustainability.
The project is scheduled to run for three years from July 2007 through to June 2010.
Support from EAZA has been earmarked for the first year (July 2007 – June 2008) to
develop the training centre and initial programs on mangrove and terrestrial natural habitat
restoration and fuelwood planting.
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Project number: 12
Project applicant: Vogelpark Walsrode, Allwetter Münster, Zoo Landau, Zoo Duisburg
Project Name: Project "VORONOSY" – conservation project for the biodiversity of
Bombetoka Bay (Mahajanga / northwest Madagascar) and its mangrove islands with special
emphasis on the water-bird fauna and the blue-eyed ibis (Threskiornis bernieri)
Summary
The 148,200 ha Bombetoka Bay, close to the mouth of the Betsiboka River, is situated in
northwest Madagascar, 20 km south of the provincial capital of Mahajanga. About twenty
mangrove islands are located within the bay. Bombetoka Bay is one of Madagascar's most
important and species-rich water bird sites without any conservation measures yet in place.
The situation of the endemic blue-eyed ibis (Threskiornis bernieri) is increasingly critical.
The species' distribution is restricted to a few yet intact mangrove areas along the Malagasy
western coast. A constantly decreasing number of only approximately 1,000 pairs may be
left. The total extinction during the next decade cannot be excluded, unless effective
conservation measures are taken. In addition to habitat destruction by the felling of
mangrove stands, the collection of chicks for consumption (the meat is highly appreciated
and there are few alternatives apart from fishing) by the local human population is a serious
threat. The blue-eyed ibis is an important flagship species, because the efforts to protect it
from extinction will offer the chance to simultaneously protect the mangrove habitat and its
great variety of inhabitants. The islands in Bombetoka Bay harbour the probably largest still
existing population of blue-eyed ibis and were thus chosen for this programme.
In March 2005 VORONOSY, an association for the protection of water birds in Bombetoka
Bay, was co-founded by a small group of scientists and keepers of the Parc Botanique et
Zoologique de Tsimbazaza (PBZT). The goal of VORONOSY is the establishment of a
conservation area for T. bernieri and other endangered water birds in Bombetoka Bay. The
association is steered by its honorary president, Mario Perschke, who oversees the joint
Malagasy-German breeding programmes at PBZT. An official collaboration contract was
signed between all involved parties, including Malagasy government officials, in September
2005.
The conservation project for Bombetoka Bay consists of different modules, including:
1) the sensitisation of the local communities
2) humanitarian aid activities linked to the local communities' efforts to protect their natural
resources
3) delimitation and supervision of the protected area
4) the establishment of ecotourism at the site.
Five villages, the inhabitants of which are currently posing a considerable threat to the
water bird sites through the collecting and consumption of chicks, are included in the
conservation project. These five villages will be the main targets for sensitisation activities
and humanitarian aid projects.
For the first stage it is planned to distribute and put up posters in the villages situated in the
project area, informing about the conservation area's position, the threats to the blue-eyed
ibis and the benefits for the local people of conserving the mangrove forests. The schools
will receive special attention. Posters with nature and species conservation topics will be
designed and displayed, especially concerning the mangrove habitat and its inhabitants. In
addition, the teachers have declared their willingness to include these topics into their
curriculum. All teachers are already members of VORONOSY.
Regional associations of fishermen have been formed in the five villages concerned. These
associations have declared themselves responsible for "guarding" the mangrove islands
under protection; in turn they will receive practical help to increase their catch. One boat
motor that can be used on a rotating basis by members of the local association will be
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donated to each village to enable the fishermen to easier reach the fishing grounds. The
local associations will be responsible for the maintenance. During the birds' breeding season
the donated boat motors will not only be helpful for fishing but should in the first place be
used for regular control cruises of the mangrove islands. The members of the respective
local association will practise these control cruises alternately and will afterwards submit
detailed reports. To ensure professional continuance a permanent guarding-group of 8
wardens will be established. For each village one person will be appointed to organise,
document and control the conservation actions.
After the reserve's official certification and taking over of administration of the islands by
the association, the erection of a large publicity board at the Route Nationale 4 is planned.
For passing tourists this board shall refer to the sightseeing value of Bombetoka Bay's water
bird fauna. The establishment of a tourist office is planned. One room to accommodate
visitors to the site has already been constructed and is serving visitors since March 2006. A
defined entrance fee will be asked for from every visitor, the money will be transferred to
the fund of the respective local association. Boat cruises for tourists can be offered
alternately by the members of the local associations who have to transfer a defined
percentage of their income from these cruises to the association. These and other revenues
will be managed jointly by the association and the commune. The financial profits will be
beneficial to the community projects and to the purchase of fuel for the supervision of the
conservation area.
It is emphasised that with this approach the local human population and the endangered
bird fauna of Bombetoka Bay will equally benefit from the conservation project at hand.
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Project number: 13
Project applicant: Centre Valbio
Project Name: Increasing support for biodiversity conservation around Ranomafana
National Park
Summary
This project is based in the peripheral zone surrounding Ranomafana National Park in the
eastern rainforest of Madagascar. The National Park's peripheral zone suffers from attrition
through slash and burn agriculture, and forests become degraded and/or impoverished
through extraction of resources such as bamboo, pandanus, wood, etc. This project aims to
build on previous experience in environmental education around Ranomafana to expand
successful conservation strategies, to develop audio-visual tools and products adapted to
meet the needs of a largely illiterate adolescent and young adult population, and to develop
the capacity of existing facilities to meet the environmental education challenges posed by a
poor and poorly educated rural population with limited access to information. Although
much can be done through environmental education in schools, not all children go to school.
For example currently only 55% children attend seven years of schooling, with only 15%
completing secondary school. This means that there are a large number of children and
adolescents who are lost from the education system. There is thus a need to find ways of
reaching young people who have left the school system. Young people with little education,
low chances of employment and time on their hands, tend to be a risk for both the social
and physical environments, as well as being at risk themselves. In Ranomafana, despite
being a tourist location because of the National Park, and a place which has seen many
kinds of intervention over the years, the practise of using catapults is common and endemic
birds are often targeted. It is not unusual to see both small birds such as sunbirds, as well
as large ones such as raptors, being shot at with catapults. The main users of catapults are
young and adolescent boys and young adults. Thus, we aim to develop a bird conservation
campaign to reduce this behaviour and increase the awareness of the importance of birds.
We propose to carry out the following activities: To develop six Conservation Clubs in rural
villages both west (Betsileo culture) and east (Tanala culture) of the National Park. These
Conservation Clubs will target both school attendants and those who have left school (or
who never went) to develop training in environmentally sound activities to convert
youngsters into advocates for the environment. We propose to organise an informationexchange and training workshop for Conservation Club (total 15) Leaders to develop their
capacity to manage and develop the clubs. We are also planning a bird conservation
campaign, to reduce the pressure on local endemic birds from boys with catapults. This
campaign will involve working with Conservation Clubs and schools as well as elaborating a
range of educational materials including a large panel for situation in the middle of
Ranomafana village for more general outreach. Centre ValBio already works with nine
schools in the peripheral zone and we propose to expand this to include a further six
schools. These will receive rainforest classes, and various forms of support for teachers and
pupils. Each school will also develop a tree nursery to be able to take part in the
reforestation programme and to learn about ways to grow endemic trees and fruit trees. We
seek funds to employ an additional conservation education assistant and reforestation agent
to work with the six new schools. In order to maximise the number of local people who can
benefit from environmental education, a new set of tools is needed as existing ones
(information sheets, booklets) are mostly aimed at literate audiences. Thus we are seeking
support for production of audio-visual materials and a generator to be able to take films and
presentations to rural areas without electricity. In addition to Centre ValBio, there are two
other environmental education sites in Ranomafana village – easily accessible for the local
population. We propose that the Museum and Kainja Maitso are developed by producing
new panels and regular temporary exhibits and by hiring an animateur to interpret and
explain the education initiatives and to train the existing staff. This should convert these
sites into learning centres with a high proportion of repeat visits as people return to see
new displays and gather new information. Through these approaches this project aims to
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target previously neglected groups (illiterate and poorly-educated adolescents and young
adults), and reduce negative impacts on the national park and its peripheral zone by
converting them and other local people from environmental destructors to environmental
advocates.
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Project number: 14
Project applicant: Wildlife Conservation Society
Project Name: Radiated tortoise conservation and forest management through community
empowerment in southern Madagascar
Summary
The radiated tortoise, Geochelone radiata, is one of southern Madagascar's most enduring –
and once ubiquitous – symbols. A flagship species for conservation, this animal plays an
important role in the unique spiny forest ecosystem where it originally existed in extremely
high densities.
The local people, from the Antandroy and Mahafaly tribes have historically protected the
species through "fady" (taboo) against the killing or harming the animal. In spite of this, the
tortoises have been extirpated from the northern and eastern edges of its historical range (a
range contraction of 25% between 1975 and 2000). Until recently the animal was
considered at low risk further into its range in the "deep south" of Madagascar. However,
recent studies confirm that the species has suffered recent major losses in important areas
once believed to be its strongholds.
In August 2005, an international meeting of the Population and Habitat Viability Assessment
(PHVA) group produced an alarming prediction that without immediate and significant
intervention, a viable population of radiated tortoises will likely be extirpated from the wild
within one tortoise generation, that is, 45 years. By far, the major threat to Radiated
tortoises is unsustainable hunting for human consumption in local and national markets. The
large and increasing scale of this entirely illegal activity is a relatively new phenomenon.
With support from EAZA, Wildlife Conservation Society will broadens its conservation
programme in southern Madagascar throughout the current range of the tortoise. The
project will focus on working with local communities who are committed to protect their
forests and the tortoises, to offer alternative livelihood activities and to support them in
their conservation efforts. The project will also work with local and national authorities to
build awareness about conservation and the protection of tortoises and their habitat.
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Project number: 15
Project applicant: Missouri Botanical Gardens
Project Name: Promoting ecotourism and environmental education at two priority areas for
plant conservation, Madagascar
Summary
Madagascar is famous throughout the World for its fauna – most particularly its lemurs.
However, less well known, is that Madagascar's flora is also exceptionally diverse and
original including at least 14,000 species of higher plants of which around 95% are found
nowhere else. Sadly this botanical wealth is extremely endangered and many plant species
are now on the brink of extinction, indeed, some are feared to be already extinct. For more
than a decade the Missouri Botanical Garden has been building a database on the Malagasy
flora and during the last 3 years we have used this to identify Madagascar's priority areas
for plant conservation. Of course, it is not enough merely to identify these areas therefore
recently we began coordinating the conservation of a number of sites that are extremely
threatened and likely to be lost in the near future without our invention. At each site we aim
to achieve the sustainable management of natural resources by local stakeholders so as to
provide resources for the adjacent human population while retaining the full range of
biological diversity. In particular, we are acting to facilitate a range of management
activities by a committee composed of local stakeholders. The activities are related to five
main work objectives: improving decision making; efficient administration and project
management; poverty reduction; developing a conservation mentality among the local
community; and the sustainable management of natural resources.
At two of our conservation sites the activities include developing ecotourism to provide
funds for site management and for poverty reduction. These sites are Analalava Forest and
Ankafobe Forest. Analalava Forest is a 200 ha fragment of degraded low elevation humid
forest close to Foulpointe on Madagascar's east coast. Despite its poor condition, it is of high
conservation importance because it is the only forest remaining in the area and supports a
rich biodiversity that includes several plant species found nowhere else (e.g. Chaetocarpus
rabaraba), five lemur species (including the threatened White-fronted Lemur, Eulemur
albifrons), the sucker-footed bat (Myzopoda aurita) and apparently new species of reptiles
and amphibians. Ankafobe Forest is a complex of several small and degraded forest
fragments located in valleys on the Tampoketsa (high plateau savanna) of Ankazobe in
Central Madagascar. It important for supporting much of the remaining population of one of
Madagascar's most threatened trees - Schizolaena tampoketsana. Both these sites have
suffered enormously in recent years because of fire and the selective exploitation of timber
and were considered likely to be totally destroyed without immediate action.
Although both Analalava Forest and Ankafobe Forest are degraded we feel that with careful
interpretation they can provide much of interest for tourists. Moreover these sites, unlike
many more pristine habitats in Madagascar, are close to tourist centres and have easy
access. Thus, we feel ecotourism is a viable income-generating activity. Therefore, at each
site we will work with their management committee to develop a modest tourism
infrastructure (including interpretation centre, trails, signs, and trained guides) and to
attract visitors by means of signs and posters and by hosting open days for tourism
agencies. Careful consideration will be given to minimizing all possible negative impacts of
tourism on ecosystems and local communities. The interpretation centres at both sites will
be simple, easy and cheap to maintain, attractive, and constructed from local materials
using local labour. Successful ecotourism at these sites will help enormously in convincing
local stakeholders that these forests are more valuable as forests than as timber or
converted to arable land or pasture.
Although our primary objective with this project is income-generation, an important
secondary objective is to exploit the tourism facilities to provide environmental education
for local people - in particular, school children. Thus, in addition to the signs aimed at
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enhancing the visit of tourists we will also include a second series of interpretive materials
designed to inform this second group of people. The interpretation centres will also double
as a meeting room and library for the local community and will accommodate a nature club
for local children.
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Project number: 16
Project applicant: Antongil Conservation
Project Name: Antongil Conservation
Summary
Madagascar is a priority for fauna and flora conservation. Antongil bay, in the northeast of
the island, hosts one of the last big areas of plain tropical forest of Madagascar. Habitat of
an endemic fauna, as Madagascar serpent eagle and red ruffed lemur, this forest is one of
the richest in palms and orchids in the world. It does not avoid to the ecological problems of
the country, and its future is seriously in danger due to an unsustainable utilisation of its
resources. Slash-and-burn cultivation is without any doubts the utilisation the more
devastating. Degraded soils put in cultivation lose quickly their fertility, driving farmers to
burn other lands. Cutting of precious wood and domestic use wood as well as hunting and
fishing pressures on wild fauna are added to this problematic technique.
In this context, in 1999 Augustin Sarovy, an ecotouristic guide of Maroantetra region and
passionate by nature, decided to create an NGO dedicated to Antongil forest conservation,
"Antongil Conservation". This NGO works on an area located along Antainambalana River, to
the main Antongil bay town, Maroantsetra. Because forest is a vital resource for villagers,
and its destruction would make their situation more difficult, it is fundamental for the NGO
that the situation would be solved in collaboration with concerned populations.
So as to increase local population awareness of the importance to conserve their
environment, Antongil Conservation first of all set out to inform villagers. Thus, the NGO
realises environmental education workshops with villagers, presents radio programs
explaining biodiversity role and links between biodiversity and human people. An
environmental music group has been created, today known across the whole region. Lastly,
Antongil Conservation initiated a big annual festival, "The lemur festival", on the theme of
links between humans and nature.
Moreover, understanding quickly that long term villagers' survival depends on natural
resources, Antongil Conservation decided to search out with villagers alternatives to
unsustainable use of the forest, alternatives which are bringing local development and
improvement of well-being. Among them: improvement of water management and
reduction of slash-and-burn cultivation by setting micro-dams and irrigation channels, food
bank, handicrafts valorisation… In the same objective, Antongil Conservation also takes part
of research programs on specific biodiversity of the region, so as to better define necessary
conservation actions.
Today, Antongil Conservation works in more than 17 villages. It is recognized by the
government, and considered as a real actor of environment protection.
In the continuity of the work realised for five years, in 2007 Antongil Conservation would
like to develop two angles:
• reduction of forest fires due to slash and burn cultivation by direct help to villagers;
• the conservation of 1600 ha forest.
Reduction of forest fires due to slash and burn cultivation
Putting in place an irrigation system for paddy field ensures yield increase, and by this way
reduces the needs of new lands to be cultivated. This is the reason why Antongil
Conservation would like to pursue its programme of water management by building new
micro-dams in Andasibe and Sahatsara villages. Theses micro-dams will irrigate respectively
8000 and 3500 ha of paddy fields. Because it is essential to support actions directly linked
to welfare of populations, the ONG also propose to sink two wells in Ambodivoangy village,
on top of the micro-dams. They will meet a need of drinkable water, and improve sanitary
conditions of villagers.
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Conservation of Farankaraina forest
In addition, the Malagasy government entrusted Antongil Conservation with the
conservation of a 1600 ha forest, located at 10 km to the east of Maroantsetra. This forest
is suffering several pressures from villagers, that is why it is necessary to undertake quickly
a protection and valorisation programme by:
• Direct measures of protection: guards, marking the boundaries of the area…
• Set up of sustainable alternatives to resources exploitation with villagers living near
Farankaraina forest: seedbeds, handicraft development…
• Putting in place a centre for flora and fauna studies. It will be a rehabilitation site for
captive lemurs and reintroduction of red ruffed lemurs, endemic species of this
region, formerly living on this site and today probably disappeared. This centre will
be able to receive searchers which do not belong to the NGO.
• Creation of an ecotouristic centre. Funds collected by this activity will finance actions
of protection of the site, as well sustainable development projects in the 2 villages
near Farankaraina forest.
Actions not directly linked to conservation are nevertheless very important because by
improving living conditions, theses actions strengthen links between Antongil Conservation
and villagers, for a better reception of awareness message given by the NGO, and a bigger
collaboration between the different actors.
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Project number: 17
Project applicant: Gondwana Conservation and Research
Project Name: A pilot study for the conservation of Dyscophus antongili and D. guineti,
two tomato frogs from eastern Madagascar
Summary
The amphibians of Madagascar show an incredible diversity, being represented by at least
250 species (and many others still waiting to be discovered and described), distributed
among six major – almost exclusively endemic - lineages. So far, the highest percentage of
the species live in rainforest environments, and are therefore vulnerable to the ongoing
deforestation process and collecting for the pet trade. Current strategies of conservation
aim to identify priority areas and research and to include these areas into nature reserves.
Anyhow, only a few species have so far beneficiated of conservation actions specifically
dedicated. This has been highlighted during the workshop "A Conservation Strategy for the
Amphibians of Madagascar", Antananarivo 18-21 September 2006. During this meeting it
became evident that the Malagasy frogs have the potentiality of being a true icons for the
wildlife conservation, second only to lemurs!
The present project focuses on two species that have the potentiality to become real icons
for the amphibian conservation of Madagascar, being widely known and represented in
panels and books, and often kept in captivity in zoos and private collections. The tomato
frogs, Dyscophus antongilii and D. guineti, are large frogs, up to more than 100 mm, and
with a bright red colour.
Dyscophus antongilii is the only Malagasy amphibian included in CITES-Appendix I, and its
trade is now totally arrested. It is currently known from the Maroantsetra and Ambatovaky
area, NE Madagascar. In Maroantsetra (the most known presence locality) D. antongilii is a
rather common species. Different from many other frogs of Madagascar the Dyscophus
species do not include stream species, since they breed in stagnant water. In most cases,
the breeding sites are represented by rice fields and ditches, and many populations are
even present within the town.
Surprising enough, despite being of the commercial interest and the high conservation
priority of D. antongilii, there are only a few conservation-related publications and no field
research has been carried out so far. Virtually nothing is known about the distribution of this
species around this coast town and whether it occurs within the boundaries of the Masoala
National Park (next to Maroantsetra), despite the fact that the tomato frog is often used as
an attractive species on brochures and information sheets. Dyscophus antongilii was also
known from several villages south of Maroantsetra and at other sites on the eastern coast,
witnessed by museum specimens.
Survey work carried out in last years by our team indicate that some of the D. antongilii
populations around Maroantsetra are likely declining for still unknown causes. This
phenomenon needs therefore to be investigated especially taken in considerations the
worrying population lowering and extinctions that interest the amphibians worldwide, and
that are mostly caused by the occurrence of an emerging pathology, the chytridiomicosis.
Furthermore, the inclusion of D. antongilii within the CITES I has interrupted its commercial
collecting. Consequently, the chromatically similar D. guineti was collected at increasing
rates, especially to “replace” the true tomato frog D. antongilii in the trade. This had the
effect of threatening some of the populations of D. guineti, that likely should be included in
CITES II to warrant a control of its commercial exploitation.
The project aims therefore to gather data of distribution, abundance, and threat on the
Masoala Peninsula for D. antongilii, and verifying the presence and trade level of D. guineti
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at some sites on the east coast. The project has also the explicit objective of focusing for
the first time conservation actions on two well-known frog species of Madagascar, and using
them as icons for boosting the amphibian conservation. It will by then be possible to draw
an efficient conservation strategy for the two Dyscophus species, easily recognised by
tourists. At the same time the study work will allow to reach the important goal of
identifying an area within Maroantsetra, where to propose a protected breeding site of D.
antongilii. The data collected during the survey will also be used to screen the presence of
pathogens in the studied populations, especially of the chytrid fungus, and eventually
propose recovering actions.
The field-work will be mainly conducted by local people, belonging to the Antongil
Conservation, a small but highly efficient NGO based in Maroantsetra, that will deal with the
survey on the Masoala peninsula, and with personnel from the two major zoological parks in
Madagascar; Parc Botanique et Zoologique de Tsimbazaza (Antanananarivo) and Ivoloina
Zoological Park (Tamatave).
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Project number: 18
Project Name: Developing capacity for community co-management of the new Lac Alaotra
protected area, central eastern Madagascar
Summary
The Alaotran gentle lemur Hapalemur griseus alaotrensis is found only in the marshes of Lac
Alaotra, the largest lake (20,000 ha) in Madagascar located in the central eastern highlands.
It is the only primate taxon in the world that lives exclusively in a wetland habitat. The
species is classified as "Critically Endangered" in the 2006 IUCN Red List due to its
extremely reduced geographical range (only occurring in the remaining 23,000 ha of Alaotra
marshes) and the rapid decline in population. The main causes of its decline have been
transformation of its marsh habitat to rice fields, widespread and repeated burning of
remaining areas of marsh and hunting for local consumption.
Lake Alaotra is the largest lake in Madagascar. It is also an area of great importance for
water birds with a particularly high diversity including species from both western and
eastern Madagascar and with significant populations of Malagasy endemics such as Meller's
duck (Anas melleri). A small carnivore was recently discovered in the marshes, which is
likely to be a new species Salanoia sp. Lac Alaotra is not only a centre of great biological
importance but is also the main area of rice production in the country and an important
supplier of fish to the capital city and other urban centres. Around 500,000 people live
around its shores placing increasing pressure on natural resources and the wetland
ecosystem. Thus, the biodiversity of the lake is threatened to vanish if actions are not
taken.
Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust - Madagascar Programme has worked with partners,
particularly the regional Water and Forests service and the Fisheries service in addition to
the key villages around the lake, to raise awareness of the lemur, the biodiversity of Alaotra
and the ecological and economic importance of their wetland home since 1996. The entire
watershed of the Alaotra basin, 722,500 ha, was declared a Ramsar Site in 2003 which
ensures Government commitment to maintain biodiversity and ecosystem functions of the
wetland. Following the declaration by the President of the Republic of Madagascar that
protected areas would be tripled to cover 6 million hectares or 10% of the country at the
World Parks Congress in Durban in September 2003, Alaotra has been identified as a
priority for creation of a new protected area in which sustainable use for fishing and harvest
of marsh products will be promoted while also protecting habitats and endangered species.
Over the past two years we have facilitated a participatory process to gain support for
creation of the protected area and to agree on the limits and type of management. This
process has taken longer that we expected, but has led to strong support for the creation of
the protected area and good integration of conservation priorities into regional development
planning.
It has been agreed that the new protected area will be managed collaboratively between
community groups and government authorities. A co-management structure is being
created called "Alaotra Rano Soa". The marshes are currently in the process of being divided
among community associations who manage areas of marsh in their village ancestral
territory according to a management contract with the State. All fishermen on the lake now
belong to a village-level fishers association. These associations are grouped into a
federation to agree on and monitor sustainable fishing regulations. There are currently 16
fishing associations and 9 fish traders associations grouped in 2 federations (E and W). 28
marsh management associations are grouped and supervised by 3 inter-commune
federations. The co-management structure will enable these community users to participate
in orientation and management of the protected area through their local associations and
federations. In order to ensure effective management it will be important to assist
community organisations to develop their capacity to enable them to be effective, fair,
135
equitable and transparent.
This project aims to build capacity of community organisations and assist with their
participation in a co-management structure for the protected area. This will be achieved
through:
•
•
•
Training of local communities, organisations and associations in:
o Good governance
o Ecological monitoring
Enabling adaptive management of the protected area:
o Meetings and workshops to present and discuss the results of the
monitoring
o Assisting partners in communicating about the protected area
o Raising awareness through local outreach tools (posters, radio etc)
Assisting with the development of management plans and reports.
The monitoring and evaluation of the programme will always include local communities and
the results will be made known to them. The results of the ecological monitoring should
show significant changes such as more gentle lemurs found during the census, more and
better fish catches, fewer marsh fires etc.
Through marsh and fishing associations, local communities will be involved in and benefit
from the project. The creation of the protected area will maintain the biodiversity and
productivity of the wetland ecosystem on which they depend for their primary sources of
income.
136
Project number: 19
Project applicant: Madagascar Fauna Group
Project Name: Betampona forest protection programme
Summary
Madagascar is one of the world's most renowned zones of biological diversity with
astonishing levels of species endemism, but population growth and slash-and-burn
agriculture (tavy) have led to severe deforestation and forest degradation (leaving less than
10% of the original forests). Only by addressing the needs of the growing population and
thereby reducing the rate of forest destruction can there be any hope of preserving the
unique flora and fauna of Madagascar. Madagascar Fauna Group (MFG) have worked for 17
years with local Malagasy government and environmental groups to help conserve critically
endangered species by attempting to address the core issues affecting them.
MFG has worked since 1988 in association with ANGAP (the National Protected Areas
Association for Madagascar) to protect the Betampona Natural Reserve. Despite its small
size (2227 ha) Betampona is home to at least 89 species of bird, 80 amphibian species, 71
species of reptiles and has also been recognised as one of the most biodiverse of
Madagascar's ecosystems for its plant species (Chris Birkenshaw, Missouri Botanical
Gardens, pers. comm.). The value of the reserve is immeasurable in terms of a last refuge
for many species and one of the last areas of pristine lowland rainforest in Madagascar.
Several of these flora and fauna species are new to science and as yet undescribed, others
are known only from Betampona and many are critically endangered. Invertebrates have
only just begun to be studied and already many new species are being discovered. It is
unquestionable that there are still many more treasures to be found in Betampona.
Sadly, as the rich diversity of Betampona is still being discovered and documented, the
reserve faces growing pressures each year as the surrounding human population struggles
to make ends meet in an ever-degrading landscape. Tavy and deforestation for timber and
firewood have caused the relatively large tracts of forest surrounding Betampona to
disappear over the past 20 years and the villagers are left with few alternatives other than
illegally cutting wood within the reserve limits. The reserve is reaching a critical stage where
it could very quickly disappear if it is not properly protected. The reserve itself is nominally
surrounded by a "Zone of Protection" that is supposed to buffer the reserve against the
encroaching tavy. In effect the Zone of Protection is not respected and the land is burnt and
cultivated up to the very limit of the reserve and, in some cases, beyond. Tavy and illegal
wood cutting is eating away at the reserve and, if left unchecked, will eventually destroy
this last vestige of beautiful lowland forest in the region.
The proposed project aims to address this worrying situation by encouraging reforestation
of the Zone of Protection and communal areas within the village to provide a sustainable
supply of construction timber and firewood as well as providing greater food security for the
villagers or means for becoming more financially independent through sale of crops.
Subsidised plants will be provided to villagers at minimal cost to encourage adoption of the
scheme and training will also be provided by the MFG Education and Agro forestry teams to
encourage the adoption of more sustainable farming techniques: simple methods such as
soil stabilisation and composting can significantly increase the lifetime of a cultivated area of
land thereby reducing the new areas of pristine forest needing to be cleared each year.
The proposed activities will not only reduce the need for villagers to illegally cut timber
within the reserve and provide them with an alternative income but will also provide a
physical buffer against cyclone damage to the forest edge. Sustainable methods of income
generation such as beekeeping will also be encouraged and small grants (micro-credit) will
be available to villagers to start up such initiatives. Villages will be assessed on an annual
basis following the "Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust" model of competitive reward to
137
encourage ongoing participation and "prize money" will be awarded to fund communal
projects such as school improvements or installation of irrigation systems.
The specific project aims are to:
•
•
•
•
•
Increase surface area of forested land in the Betampona Reserve Zone of Protection:
area of reforestation will be measured directly by GPS mapping before and after the
completion of this project;
Increase surface area of forested land in the villages and immediate surroundings of
the Betampona Reserve;
Increase the financial security of villagers participating in the programme;
Increase awareness of the need to sustainably manage resources such as timber and
firewood and provide advice and training to allow villagers to meet that need;
Improve and increase the MFG's relationship with ANGAP and all seven villages
bordering the Betampona Reserve to help valorise the reserve in the eyes of locals
and ensure that the villages are directly benefiting from its presence.
138
Project number: 20
Project applicant: Wildlife Conservation Society
Project Name: Freshwater fish conservation through habitat protection and community
based natural resource management in Nosy Be
Summary
Nosy Be, an island off the northwest coast of Madagascar, is one of the most developed
tourism locations in Madagascar and it is known for its beaches, coral reefs, ylang-ylang and
sugar cane plantations. Less well known is that the remaining natural habitats of this island
are of the highest conservation value. The forests of Lokobe Reserve are some of the last
remaining low altitude rainforests in Madagascar and the crater lakes of Mont Passot
support a significant number of native freshwater fish, one species which critically
endangered and three others that are threatened on the mainland of Madagascar.
Freshwater fish are the most critically endangered group of vertebrates in Madagascar and
with the absence of exotic species Nosy be offers a significant opportunity to preserve intact
freshwater communities. To date, very little of Madagascar's wetlands have been conserved
and, along with their resident fauna and flora, they are one of the habitats under greatest
threat. In this project EAZA will support the development of a conservation programme of
the Mont Passot lakes in collaboration with local people living around the lakes and on the
slopes of the ancient volcano.
With support from the EAZA funds WCS proposes to work with local communities, the
Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests and the local private sector to ensure that the
best possible management plan is designed and implemented for the Nosy Be lakes. In
addition, the project will work with the local tourism operators to promote the area as an
ecotourism site and ensure that benefits of the potentially significant international tourism
to this area are captured to support local community development and to support
conservation of freshwater fish and their habitats.
139

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