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Can someone in Madagascar tell me what's happening to the lemurs?


Please excuse my total lack of knowledge. I'd love to learn more from someone who's involved. I heard that the natural habitat is being harmed, rain forests destroyed, etc.
When I graduate (finally), I want to travel. If I visit, will I still be able to see different types of lemurs? Do any of you have first-hand experience with this?

There are two dangers: the slash and burn type of agriculture, which destroys the natural habitat of the lemurs and the fact that the local population are prepared to eat them (with the exception of the sifaka, which they venerate). There is something very depressing about the many bonfires you see all over the country when you fly, and you wonder how much will be left in a few years. You will certainly be able to see lemurs first hand if you visit, especially in the south of the island and in Perinet. In fact, it is quite amazing when twilight falls and suddenly they are right there, around you, hoping that you will have some fruit for them. There are some wonderful tours and you will be able to steal out at night with a torch to see the tiny mouse lemur and see the sifaka leaping from tree to tree. What a howl it has! There are organisations which are working hard to educate the local population and save the lemur. You might like to see this link. http://www.savethelemur.org/
http://www.stlzoo.org/wildcareinstitute/...
I would wholeheartedly recommend this book. http://www.bradt-travelguides.com/detail...
Hilary Bradt used to conduct tours -- it must be fantastic to go with someone who knows so much. Otherwise, here is a link: http://www.ortour.com/
I have been to Madagascar three times and I did the wildlife tour with Guerba. It was very good, but disappointingly the local guide decided not to take us to Berenty, but to a cheaper substitute (no doubt pocketing the difference!), which rather spoiled things. I still have that feeling of unfinished business! http://www.wordtravels.com/Travelguide/C...

because OF MASSIVE DEFORESTATION GREAT DANGER AWAITS THE LEMURS
1.
The main problem facing all lemurs is habitat loss due to agricultural development and logging. To date, Madagascar has lost as much as 85% of its forests, the sole habitat of lemurs. Another problem is illegal hunting: lemurs are even poached on some reserves, where they're supposed to be protected.

2.
About 75% of Madagascar's species are endemic, meaning they live nowhere else in the world. The island is home to strange animals including lemurs (a group of primates), tenrecs (similar to spiny hedgehogs), brightly colored chameleons, the puma-like fossa, and a variety of other creatures. Sadly, due to habitat destruction and hunting, many of Madagascar's unique animals are today threatened with extinction.

Lemurs probably first arrived on the island of Madagascar about fifty million years ago, when the island was closer to Africa. Madagascar was an ideal home for these early lemurs because it lacked many of the large predators that hunted lemur-like animals in Africa. With fewer predators and less competition, lemurs quickly spread throughout the island and diversified into a rich array of species. The first humans arrived between 1500 and 2000 years ago and quickly hunted at least 14 of the larger species of lemurs to extinction. Currently, the forests of Madagascar are rapidly being cut down, and as a result 12 species of lemur are endangered and another 20 species are listed as being vulnerable to extinction by the World Conservation Monitoring Centre.

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