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Category: Forest Conservation

Madagascar Volunteer: Trade in Black Lemurs
BlogForest Conservation

Illegal Trade Poses a Major Threat to Lemurs in Madagascar

Madagascar Volunteer: Trade of Black LemursAs of 2011, the wildlife trade was responsible for the movement of tens of thousands of live primates and millions of dead primates (including lemurs) per year as reported by CITES. A linear increase in the export of primates was documented between 1996 and 2011, and is expected to have increased substantially within the past 5 years. These figures are not representative of the true number of specimens traded, due to under-reporting and the illegal wildlife trade.

Madagascar Volunteer: Trade of Black LemursThe illegal wildlife trade poses a major threat to the conservation of many primate species, and is considered a ‘leading threat’ similar to that of hunting and habitat destruction for particularly vulnerable species. Primate species such as lemurs are commonly traded for meat, use in traditional medicine, and as pets.

Madagascar Volunteer: Trade of Black LemursLemur meat is consumed irregularly by Malagasy locals and is a problem which needs to be tackled in more the urbanised areas of Madagascar. The illegal trade of lemurs as pets is a problem which has surfaced within the past year, and has major implications on the conservation of lemur species throughout Madagascar (Reuter et al., 2016). In Madagascar, almost one third of all lemur species are kept as illegal pets, with the most popular being ring-tailed, common brown, and crowned lemurs.

Madagascar Volunteer: Trade of Black LemursBetween 2010 and mid-2013 it is estimated that over 28,000 lemurs were removed from the wild and taken into captivity as pets. Of the 101 lemur species residing within Madagascar, 14 have fewer than 10,000 individuals remaining in the wild and an astonishing 90 species are classified as threatened by the IUCN, with fewer than 1,000 wild individuals.

Madagascar Volunteer: Trade of Black LemursFrom both a conservation and animal welfare perspective, the illegal trade of lemurs is catastrophic. The removal of such a vast number of individuals from the wild resultssmaller populations with lower survivability. Impaired functional ability (the ability to forage, defend themselves from predators and other troops of lemurs, and care for juveniles) of lemur troops, combined with a loss of genetic diversity and juvenile survival leads to the decline of wild populations.

Madagascar Volunteer: Trade of Black LemursPet lemurs experience a myriad of psychological and physical problems as a result of their capture. The inability to express natural behaviours such as socialisation and foraging, along with an inadequate diet and unnatural environment, commonly leads to stress and the development of harmful stereotypical behaviours. Health problems such as obesity and diabetes are common. Many cases have also been documented of lemurs being kept in inhumane conditions, such as in small cages and on tight leashes.

Madagascar Volunteer: Trade of Black LemursThe lead author of the first comprehensive study focusing on pet lemurs in Madagascar has called for “more outreach, regulation, and enforcement to curb” this previously unknown and extensive black market trade of lemurs (Reuter et al., 2016). This refers not only to locals in more urbanised parts of the country, but establishments within the tourism sector, such as resorts, which use lemurs as an attraction.

Madagascar Volunteer: Trade of Black LemursMRCI is committed to the conservation of lemurs in the wild. We are currently undertaking behavioural studies on two types of lemur troops: one which is considered truly wild, and one which has become habituated to humans via tourist presence and interaction. We aim to glean information on the impact of human interaction on wild lemur populations and use this to educate the local community on lemur conservation, as well as inform policy on a local and national scale.

Madagascar Volunteer: Trade of Black LemursThe lemur studies conducted by MRCI staff and volunteers aim to determine the differences in habituated and non-habituated troops in terms of behavioural, population, and spatial dynamics. Comparing population and spatial dynamics involves looking at average troop size, the ratio of adults to juveniles and males to females, spatial occurrence, and territorial range. Behavioural comparisons focus on feeding/foraging, communication, socialisation, human interaction, territorial behaviours, and activity levels of individual lemurs and troops as a whole. Within a single troop, behavioural differences related to gender and age are studied.

Madagascar Volunteer: Trade of Black LemursPreliminary findings of MRCI’s data indicate the habituated lemur troop interact with humans to a much greater extent, whereas wild troops attempt to avoid human interaction. It is common for wild lemurs to purposefully urinate and defecate on researchers during surveys. Wild lemurs appear to spend more time foraging. The habituated lemur group are regularly fed by tourists, indicating less of a pressure to forage for sustenance. More data collected over a longer period of time will be necessary in order to determine significant differences between the habituated and wild lemur troops.

Madagascar Volunteer: Trade of Black LemursIn the village of Ampangarino on Nosy Komba, the habituated lemur troop provides a valuable source of income for several of the local people. The Lemur Park, constructed on the border of the village and forest, acts as a tourist attraction that provides visitors with the opportunity to interact with the Ampangarino wild lemur troop. Local tour guides benefit directly from Lemur Park visitors, but the park itself is also valuable for development of the whole community. Local shops, restaurants, market stalls, and boat companies receive more business due to a higher influx of tourists, the profit of which is utilised to improve the quality of life for entire families. The whole community is invested in the maintenance and improvement of the Lemur Park with men, women, children and even MRCI volunteers helping with construction to ensure its continued presence.

Madagascar Volunteer: Trade of Black LemursThe Lemur Park not only plays an important role in local community development, but also conservation awareness and education. For many, seeing a charismatic animal in the flesh incites a desire to learn about and protect them. Social awareness is a key factor in the conservation of any species. For a geographically isolated species such as the black lemur, raising awareness through visiting tourists is extremely important. The altered attitudes of the tourists who visit the lemur park, and the sharing of this knowledge and attitude with others when they return home, is vital to drive real social change regarding lemur conservation.

Contact us today to find out how you can help lemurs by joining our forest conservation volunteer programs.

Madagascar Volunteer: Volunteers in Ankarana Forest Reserve
BlogForest ConservationTeaching

Volunteers Journey to an Exotic World

As part of both our Forest Conservation and Teaching English volunteer programs, volunteers enjoy a five day adventure tour through the Ankarana Forest Reserve.  Natalia shares her experience with us…

“My friend, you are late, the boat leaves”.

Madagascar Volunteer: Volunteers in Ankarana Forest ReserveOur party of four volunteers made its way through the busy port of Hell-Ville.  The port provides transport back to Ankify (the closest mainland port) and other islands in the area.  Needless to say there were many boats moored at the harbour.  Serjay, a local I had met the day before, had booked us a speedboat to Ankify and taxi-brusse to Ankarana.  We were led smoothly through customs and loaded onto a speedboat with a name that translates to “fast like the wind”.  Our driver seemed particularly excited about the name.  After a quick glance to check where the life jackets were located, we were off.  “Wind maker” seemed a more appropriate name.

Arriving in Ankify, a large sign over the entrance to the port confirmed that we had arrived at the correct destination and the port seemed to be exploding with people.  Our next objective was to find the taxi-brusse.  Asking around for Jimmy’s Transport, a larger, obviously respected man signalled for us to stand to one side.  Before long somebody else arrived and explained that he would take us through town to buy a banana and water for the trip before taking us to the taxi-brusse.

With luggage piled high and roped down to the roof, the four of us board climb aboard.  Being tall, I am ushered into the front seat.  This is a blessing as Joe and Hetty are cramped in the third row with six other people…and it’s only a three seat row.

The three hour journey to Ankarana was an exhilarating game of “dodge the pothole, Zebu and continuous stream of locals using the road”.  It’s busy but not with cars.

It was incredibly refreshing to be on this journey after leaving city life behind a month ago.  Traveling at a typical speed of about 60kmh never felt so good.

We arrived at the Ankarana Forest Reserve at 2:00 pm where we met our friendly local guide, Joaqim.  By then, the team were more than ready for lunch and eager to explore the park.  I could already tell this was going to be a good trip.  On the walk to our lodge we saw many exotic fruit trees.  Joe eagerly climbed every tree and to try all the fruit, as our guide patiently explained what was ripe and edible. Over the next few days we tasted a number of different fruit, Joe climbed several trees and we all came away with a new favourite fruit, possibly not to be found anywhere else in the world.

Madagascar Volunteer: Volunteers in Ankarana Forest ReserveAs the park is open only during daylight hours, we did a night walk along a path outside the park on the first night.  The wildlife in the forest is exotic and plentiful.  The whole team excitedly joined in identifying forest animals by recognizing the reflected eye colour when holding torch at head level.  A red reflection is that of a mouse lemur.  These are incredibly cute lemurs the size of kittens that timidly move from branch to branch eating insects, fruit, flowers and leaves.  They are rarely seen during the day, but we saw several of them that night, along with many geckos and chameleons.

Madagascar Volunteer: Volunteers in Ankarana Forest ReserveThe next morning saw everyone well-rested and still excited from the success of the night before.  We then headed off into the Forest Reserve, each taking six litres of water with us.  The park is quite flat but we travelled slowly to enjoy both the stories our guide shared with us and to spot the flora and fauna.

The Ankarana Forest reserve is situated on a small partially vegetated plateau of 150 million year old limestone which slopes gently to the east but ends abruptly at the west at the “Wall of Ankarana” (a sheer cliff that extends for 25 kilometres.  Erosion and seismic activity have created a rugged Madagascar Volunteer: Volunteers in Ankarana Forest Reservealien landscape where the forest is fenced off by large canyons of sharp Tsingys (karstic plateaus in which groundwater has undercut the elevated uplands and gouged caverns and fissures into the limestone). The word Tsingy roughly translates to “walk on your tip toes”.  I certainly would not like to travel far across these rocks without shoes.

While seeing such an abundance of wildlife as well as the striking Tsingy was amazing, the highlight of our day was to experience one of the Ankarana caves.  Earlier in the day we spotted a huge sinkhole on a dry riverbed into which two rivers disappeared.  Then we went to see a section of the underground riverbed.  A biologist friend once said to me, “Nature is great at sorting things. All the water is in the ocean all the trees are in the forest”.  Here, nature was no less organized – all the snail shells were neatly piled in a small sand bed in one corner.

Madagascar Volunteer: Volunteers in Ankarana Forest ReserveReturning to camp we were all tired from an exceptional day.  After a large meal of fish, fresh vegetables and flaming caramel banana desert, the team asked for a night photography lesson.  The stars were out and by the end of the lesson, all had captured at least one pleasing image of the Milky Way and a little more understanding of the amazing journeys a camera can take you on.

Madagascar Volunteer: Volunteers in Ankarana Forest ReserveOur final day in the park was another day to treasure.  We woke early to climb the highest hill in the area for a terrific view of the Tsingy wall and surrounding Baobabs and forest.  Our breakfast arrived a little late as the truck from Diego that delivers food was running late (another sign that you’re in Madagascar) as Diego is 2 hours’ drive away.

Madagascar Volunteer: Volunteers in Ankarana Forest ReserveOur second stop after having a picnic below lemurs flying through the air above our heads, was the bat cave.  This jaw-dropping cave has one of the largest cave entrances I have ever seen and is home to two species of bats.  We also witnessed a snake catching and eating a rat (good to know the pest control is working).

Madagascar Volunteer: Volunteers in Ankarana Forest ReserveAs our final hours in camp drew nearer, the team opted to do another night walk.  At 6 pm we returned and were greeted by close up encounters with crowned lemurs and leaf-tailed geckos.

The next morning, we awoke at 4 am to catch the taxi-brusse back to our base camp.  The staff at the lodge awoke early too to see us off.  Although we were saying goodbye to the forest, as we boarded we knew the adventure wasn’t over until we reached camp.  Within an hour I had my first exotic visitor!  The van stopped by the roadside and a live duck was passed through the window and purchased by my neighbour.  We travelled the rest of the way with the duck peacefully asleep in the second row.

To find out how you can join our volunteers on their adventures, contact us today or complete our online application form and join us in Madagascar!

Volunteers Overnight at Lokobe Forest Reserve
BlogForest Conservation

Volunteers Overnight at Lokobe Forest Reserve

Volunteers Overnight at Lokobe Forest ReserveAs part of our Forest Conservation volunteer program, volunteers regularly hike through our neighbouring forests and reserves.  Recently, a group enjoyed an overnight stay in the Lokobe Forest Reserve.  Natalia shares the experience with us:

Volunteers Overnight at Lokobe Forest ReserveThe boat arrived at our base camp at 6 am in the morning to take us to Nosy Be port.  After purchasing a few snacks at local stalls on the streets of Hell-Ville, we caught the local tuk-tuk, to take us to the gates of the Lokobe Forest Reserve.

Volunteers Overnight at Lokobe Forest ReserveLocated in the south-eastern part of Nosy Be, this ancient forest gained protected area status in 1927 while the reserve itself was only created in 1966.

Volunteers Overnight at Lokobe Forest ReserveWith a great diversity of fauna and flora, this park is a must-visit while in Nosy Be.  The park is mostly known for its endangered black lemurs and of which, sadly, there are only a few left to see.

Volunteers Overnight at Lokobe Forest ReserveAfter entering the gates, we went to pick up our tents from the office, where we also met our guide for the day.  One can visit Lokobe during the day and walk through the forest without a guide but for overnight trips a guide is necessary.  He guided us through the forest, pointing out and talking about native palms and trees, spotting chameleons and geckos.  Perhaps, the most exciting part of our afternoon walk was crossing paths with a Hognose snake and a Ground Boa.

Volunteers Overnight at Lokobe Forest ReserveEven though Madagascar has no venomous snakes, the Hognose has been classified as a venomous.  Their saliva is toxic to small prey such as frogs and toads and therefore meets the definition of venom although it is unlikely to cause serious injury to humans.  They can be a bit aggressive though and therefore only Gui (our terrestrial science manager) who knows how to handle these snakes, is allowed to pick one up.

Volunteers Overnight at Lokobe Forest ReserveThe hike to the campsite in Lokobe was about 3km long, taking us around the coast, through the forest and some open areas with great views of Nosy Be and Nosy Komba.  After arriving at camp, we helped each other setting up tents and headed out for a swim while our staff members prepared dinner with fresh salad and fruit on side.

Volunteers Overnight at Lokobe Forest ReserveAfter dinner, we grabbed our head torches, put our boots back on and went for a night walk, hoping to spot some of the elusive black lemurs. We spent an hour walking around the forest spotting all sorts of different nocturnal lizards, geckos and were even lucky enough to see a few pairs sparkling lemur eyes high up in the trees.

Volunteers Overnight at Lokobe Forest ReserveThe next morning, we woke up quite early, cleaned up, had a small breakfast and headed back to the entrance.  On our way out, we were able to spot few more species of lizards and numerous birds.

Arriving back at our base camp the same day, the other volunteers were waiting for us and welcomed us back with many questions about our trip. We were happy to share our stories and photos with them and we hope you enjoy them too.

Contact us today to find out more about our volunteer programs and how you can become one of our volunteers.

Volunteer Bird Walk - Madagascar Olive Bee-eater and Madagascar Crested Drongo
BlogForest Conservation

Forest Conservation Volunteer Projects: Bird Walk

Volunteer Bird Walk - Madagascar Crested Drongo

Madagascar Crested Drongo

Though it is small in size, Nosy Komba hosts a relatively large number of bird species.  Bird walks form an integral part of our forest conservation volunteer projects and a typical bird survey here takes place between 6:30 and 10:00 am, covering a range of habitats from coastal to plantation to forest. Some bird species (such as the Souimanga Sunbird and the Crested Drongo) are commonly seen all over the island.  Other species (such as the Chabert’s Vanga) are more elusive whilst some, the Madagascan Pygmy Kingfisher included, are rarely seen at all.

Volunteer Bird Walk - Madagascar Olive Bee-eater and Madagascar Crested Drongo

Madagascar Olive Bee-eater and Madagascar Crested Drongo

Our long term study of the bird populations on Nosy Komba has found some notable features of the bird species composition on the island.  The Madagascar (Olive) Bee-eater is found here only over the dry season as it migrates south to breed over the summer months.  To contrast, there is a notable decline in sightings of the Madagascan Red Fody (usually a highly conspicuous bird) once the breeding season ends.

Volunteer Bird Walk - Paradise Fly Catcher

Paradise Fly Catcher

Recently the first white morph male Malagasy Paradise Flycatcher was spotted on the island. The occurrence of the two colour morphs will now be monitored by our forest conservation volunteer team.

Volunteer Bird Walk - Souimanga Sunbird

Souimanga Sunbird

The early starts are well worth it when we catch a glimpse of some of the more spectacular birds on the island. A highlight of most bird walks involves a visit to one of the beach survey sites, where a Madagascan Kingfisher is regularly found perched on rocks.

To find out more about our exciting volunteer programs in Madagascar, contact us today!

Forest Conservation Volunteer Programs: Mantella Ebenaui
BlogForest Conservation

Volunteer Programs: Forest Walk

Our Forest Conservation Volunteer Programs involve constant data collection and monitoring of the wildlife in the forest surrounding us.  From lemurs, birds and, of course, reptiles as we have species living on the island that occur nowhere else in the world.

On our last walk through the forest we were very lucky to spot a few of the smaller reptiles and amphibians living on Nosy Komba.  To locate these species, one needs to find a very select spot of ground that’s not on a hill, not part of a path, nor too close to a river.

Some of the tiny species we came across recently:

Forest Conservation Volunteer Programs: Mantella EbenauiMantella Ebenaui

This species of frog is a member of the Mantellidea family. It is endemic to Madagascar and its natural habitats are lowlands of rainforest and dry forest.

Stumpffi Pygmaea

Forest Conservation Volunteer Programs: Stumpffi PygmaeaStumpffi pygmaea is a species of frog in the Microhylidea family.  As the family name suggests, these frogs are very tiny.  Stumpfii pygmea is 5th smallest frog in the world, making them incredibly difficult to spot.  Like Mantella ebanaui, Stumpffi is endemic to Madagascar and is only found on the islands of Nosy Be and Nosy Komba.

Brookesia Minima

Forest Conservation Volunteer Programs: Brookesia MinimaThe biggest achievement of the day was spotting Brookesia minima.  Also called called dwarf chameleons, these are the second smallest chameleons in the world.

This tiny chameleon is usually found foraging deep in leaf litter but climbs up a branch to sleep. Being so small, the dwarf chameleon is prey to many predators in forest.  Luckily, Mother Nature has equipped this little chameleon with a number of cunning ways to avoid being eaten. If it is touched or the branch on which it is perched is disturbed, the miniscule leaf chameleon will drop to the ground like a piece of dead wood until the danger has passed.

Being able to see all these creatures (big and small) right on your doorstep is a dream come true.  Be sure to check in again to read about our next forest adventure.

For more information on our Forest Conservation Volunteer Programs, contact us today or apply online.