11 research outputs found
Programme Sahamalaza-Iles Radama de lâAEECL : Ă©tude et conservation des espĂšces menacĂ©es dâextinction de lĂ©muriens dans le nord-ouest de Madagascar AEECLâs Sahamalaza-Iles Radama Program: study and conservation of threatened species of lemurs in north-west of Madagascar.
LâAEECL, Association EuropĂ©enne pour lâEtude et la Conservation des LĂ©muriens, est un consortium de parcs zoologiques et dâuniversitĂ©s europĂ©ennes mettant en commun leurs connaissances et leurs efforts en faveur de projets de recherche et de protection des lĂ©muriens menacĂ©s dâextinction de Madagascar depuis plus de trente ans. Pour ce faire, lâAEECL mĂšne ou finance des Ă©tudes afin dâamĂ©liorer les connaissances scientifiques concernant les lĂ©muriens. Ces informations sont indispensables pour mettre en place les mesures concrĂštes adaptĂ©es pour protĂ©ger ces animaux. Ses travaux ont notamment aidĂ© Ă la reconnaissance de la pĂ©ninsule de Sahamalaza en tant que rĂ©serve de biosphĂšre de lâUNESCO, en 2001 et Ă la crĂ©ation du parc national Sahamalaza-Iles Radama, en 2007, principal site de recherches menĂ©es par lâassociation. De plus lâAEECL met un point dâhonneur Ă impliquer la population locale. Des associations communautaires locales ont Ă©tĂ© crĂ©Ă©es dans les villages de quatre communes. Elles ont le pouvoir de gĂ©rer les ressources naturelles de leur juridiction de façon durable.<br>The European Association for the Study and Conservation of Lemurs (Association EuropĂ©enne pour lâEtude et la Conservation des LĂ©muriens, AEECL) is a consortium of European zoological gardens and universities who have joined forces to carry out conservation and research projects for Madagascarâs highly endangered lemurs since more than 30 years. AEECL implements or finances various different research projects to improve the scientific knowledge of lemurs. Information is essential to be able to develop comprehensive conservation and management plans to protect these animals. The work of AEECL has led to the implementation of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in Sahamalaza in 2001 and to the creation of the Sahamalaza-Iles Radama National Park in 2007. In addition to the research, AEECL is carrying out a community-based natural resource management plan in Sahamalaza. The Association has helped create local community associations in the villages of the four communes in the periphery of the protected area. Responsibility for the sustainable management of the natural resources is gradually handed over to the local communities
Sleeping and Ranging Behavior of the Sambirano Mouse Lemur, Microcebus sambiranensis
Primates require secure sleeping sites for periods of rest, but despite their importance, the characteristics of desired sleeping sites are poorly known. Here we investigated the sleeping ecology of a radio-collared population of the Sambirano mouse lemur, Microcebus sambiranensis, during the nonreproductive season in the Anabohazo forest, northwestern Madagascar. We also investigated their ranging behavior and examined the spatial distribution of sleeping sites within the home ranges of the collared individuals. We took measurements of the sleeping treeâs physical characteristics and recorded the number of collared individuals using each sleeping site. We found that M. sambiranensis generally use foliage sleeping sites more frequently than tree holes and individuals slept more frequently in densely foliated trees than in sparsely foliated trees, often alone. We observed no significant differences in home range size or nightly travel distance between males and females; however, home ranges were smaller than those described for other mouse lemur species. Finally, we found that M. sambiranensis sleep peripherally and forage centrally within their home ranges, a behavior not previously described for mouse lemurs. Our results indicate profound differences in the social organization between M. sambiranensis and other mouse lemur species described in the literature, suggesting species-specificity in mouse lemur ecology. Understanding the sleeping ecology and ranging behavior of mouse lemurs is of great importance to their conservation, as these data facilitate the planning of long-term reforestation, habitat management, and population assessment.</p
Tropical field stations yield high conservation return on investment
Conservation funding is currently limited; cost-effective conservation solutions are essential. We suggest that the thousands of field stations worldwide can play key roles at the frontline of biodiversity conservation and have high intrinsic value. We assessed field stationsâ conservation return on investment and explored the impact of COVID-19. We surveyed leaders of field stations across tropical regions that host primate research; 157 field stations in 56 countries responded. Respondents reported improved habitat quality and reduced hunting rates at over 80% of field stations and lower operational costs per km2 than protected areas, yet half of those surveyed have less funding now than in 2019. Spatial analyses support field station presence as reducing deforestation. These âearth observatoriesâ provide a high return on investment; we advocate for increased support of field station programs and for governments to support their vital conservation efforts by investing accordingly