The most threatened mammal group on Earth, Madagascar’s five endemic lemur families (lemurs are found nowhere else), represent more than 20% of the world’s primate species and 30% of family-level diversity. This combination of diversity and uniqueness is unmatched by any other country—remarkable considering that Madagascar is only 1.3 to 2.9% the size of the Neotropics, Africa, or Asia, the other three landmasses where nonhuman primates occur. But lemurs face extinction risks driven by human disturbance of forest habitats. We discuss these challenges and reasons for hope in light of site-specific, local actions proposed in an emergency conservation action plan

Chikhi, Lounes

Colquhoun, Ian C.

Dolch, Ranier

Donati, Giuseppe

Irwin, Mitchell

Johnson, Steig

LaFleur, Marni

Louis, Edward E.

Mittermeier, Russell

Nash, Stephen

Patel, Erik

Peacock, Heather

Randrianambinina, Blanchard

Rasolofoharivelo, Tove

Ratsimbazafy, Jonah

Razafindramanana, Josia

Schwitzer, Christoph

Tinsman, Jennifer

Wright, Patricia C.

English

Scholarship@Western

Western UniversityScholarship@WesternAnthropology Publications Anthropology Department2-21-2014Averting Lemur Extinctions amid Madagascar'sPolitical CrisisChristoph SchwitzerBristol Zoological Society, Bristol, UKRussell MittermeierConservation International, Washington, D.C.Steig JohnsonUniversity of CalgaryGiuseppe DonatiOxford Brookes UniversityMitchell IrwinNorthern Illinois UniversitySee next page for additional authorsFollow this and additional works at: https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/anthropubPart of the Biodiversity Commons, Biological and Physical Anthropology Commons,Environmental Policy Commons, Forest Management Commons, Population Biology Commons,and the Zoology CommonsCitation of this paper:Schwitzer et al. (2014). "Averting Lemur Extinctions amid Madagascar's Political Crisis". Science 343 (6173): 842-843.AuthorsChristoph Schwitzer, Russell Mittermeier, Steig Johnson, Giuseppe Donati, Mitchell Irwin, Heather Peacock,Jonah Ratsimbazafy, Josia Razafindramanana, Edward E. Louis, Lounes Chikhi, Ian C. Colquhoun, JenniferTinsman, Ranier Dolch, Marni LaFleur, Stephen Nash, Erik Patel, Blanchard Randrianambinina, ToveRasolofoharivelo, and Patricia C. WrightThis article is available at Scholarship@Western: https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/anthropub/5621 FEBRUARY 2014    VOL 343    SCIENCE    www.sciencemag.org 842POLICYFORUM The most threatened mammal group on Earth, Madagascar’s ﬁ ve endemic lemur families (lemurs are found nowhere else) ( 1), represent more than 20% of the world’s primate species and 30% of family-level diversity. This combination of diversity and uniqueness is unmatched by any other country—remarkable consider-ing that Madagascar is only 1.3 to 2.9% the size of the Neotropics, Africa, or Asia, the other three landmasses where nonhuman primates occur. But lemurs face extinction risks driven by human disturbance of for-est habitats. We discuss these challenges and reasons for hope in light of site-speciﬁ c, local actions proposed in an emergency con-servation action plan ( 2).Political Crisis, Remarkable ThreatAn International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Species Survival Com-mission (SSC) Red List reassessment found that 94% of lemur species are threatened ( 2) (ﬁ g. S1 and table S1), up from 74% in 2008, which makes lemurs the most imper-iled group of large vertebrates. Although other large mammals are also under pres-sure, for the vast majority of taxa in an entire infraorder (Lemuriformes) to be threatened is new, notable, and disturbing. This reeval-uation has resulted from both the deterio-ration of habitat and the recent application of genetic data to phylogenetic analyses (increasing the number of extant lemur spe-cies from 43 to 101) ( 3), revealing more spe-cies with smaller ranges.This unique primate diversity relies on for-est habitats that are shrinking under persistent anthropogenic destruction and disturbance. Remaining intact forest habitat was estimated to cover 92,200 km2 in 2010, only 10 to 20% of Madagascar’s original forest cover and down from 106,600 km2 in 1990 ( 4); much of this habitat is inadequately or not at all pro-tected. Habitat and lemur conservation are interdependent: Lemurs have important eco-logical roles and are essential to maintaining the island’s unique forests. Their loss would likely trigger extinction cascades ( 5).Challenges to in situ lemur conservation are immense. Madagascar is one of the poor-est countries in the world; more than 92% of Malagasy live on less than U.S. $2/day ( 6). Although there is a paucity of published data compared to other lemur-related subjects, lemur poaching for bushmeat has drasti-cally increased since the onset of the polit-ical crisis in 2009 ( 7,  8). Illegal logging of rosewood and ebony, mining, and slash-and-burn agriculture are all causing lemur pop-ulation declines, by habitat loss, fragmen-tation, and alteration. Protected areas have not been spared; for example, armed timber poachers extracting valuable hardwoods tar-geted Masoala and Marojejy National Parks in the northeast once local law enforcement broke down ( 9). Foreign demand, as well as political turmoil and corruption, drive these destructive, and often unlawful, activities ( 8).Effective management of Madagascar’s protected areas, as well as creation of more reserves, will be critical to future conserva-tion of lemurs. In 2003, only ~3% (~17,000 km2) of Madagascar’s land area was desig-nated as protected. During the administration of former President Ravalomanana, conser-vation became a national priority. In 2003, Ravalomanana announced that the govern-ment would triple its protected areas. Some 30,000 km2 of community-based reserves were gazetted. As of January 2010, 47,000 km2 are ofﬁ cially protected, ~8% of Mada-gascar’s land area.The creation of new protected areas has continued despite political instability brought on by the unconstitutional change of govern-ment in early 2009. However, this process has been slowed by a breakdown of government presence and control in many regions, exac-erbated by suspension of funding for envi-ronmental programs by most international donors in the wake of the political crisis ( 10). The U.S. Agency for International Develop-ment shelved a comprehensive 25-year envi-ronmental program until the country returns to democratic government (although humani-tarian assistance continues), and several Euro-pean governments have responded similarly. Only the World Bank has maintained its com-mitment, but even its substantial support has not been utilized effectively by the transitional government for the management of protected areas ( 11). Presidential elections, held in two rounds on 25 October and 20 December 2013, resulted in a narrow victory for former Finance Minister Hery Rajaonarimampia-nina. There are encouraging signs that the new president will set the conditions for a return to effective governance and resumption of inter-national aid.Outside the ofﬁ cial protected areas, the situation is worse, with illegal slash-and-burn agriculture, logging, mining, and bushmeat hunting on the rise. Commercial lemur hunt-ing, a practice previously unreported from the country, has been noted in regions such as Foulpointe, Vatomandry, Daraina, and the forests south of Antsiranana (Diego Suarez). Averting Lemur Extinctions amid Madagascar’s Political CrisisCONSERVATIONC. Schwitzer, 1 * R. A. Mittermeier, 2 S. E. Johnson, 3 G. Donati, 4 M. Irwin, 5 H. Peacock, 6 J. Ratsimbazafy, 7,  8 J. Razaﬁ ndramanana, 8 E. E. Louis Jr., 9 L. Chikhi, 10,  11 I. C. Colquhoun, 12 J. Tinsman, 13 R. Dolch, 14 M. LaFleur, 15 S. Nash, 2,  16 E. Patel, 17 B. Randrianambinina, 18 T. Rasolofoharivelo, 8 P. C. Wright 16                   Community-based management, ecotourism, and researchers’ presence are proposed to prevent lemur extinctions.CREDIT: NORA SCHWITZER1Bristol Zoological Society, Bristol BS8 3HA, UK. 2Conserva-tion International, Arlington, VA 22202, USA. 3University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada. 4Oxford Brookes University, Oxford OX3 0BP, UK. 5Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115, USA. 6Golder Associates, Calgary, Alberta T2A 7W5, Canada. 7Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, Anta-nanarivo 101, Madagascar. 8Groupe d’Etude et de Recherche sur les Primates de Madagascar, Antananarivo 101, Mada-gascar. 9Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo, Omaha, NE 68107, USA. 10Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portu-gal. 11Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique, CNRS, UMR 5174 Université Paul Sabatier, 31062 Toulouse cedex 9, France. 12Western University, London, Ontario N6A 5C2, Canada. 13American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY 10024, USA. 14Association Mitsinjo, Andasibe 514, Mad-agascar. 15University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria. 16Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA. 17Duke Lemur Center, Durham, NC 27705, USA. 18Université de Mahajanga, Mahajanga 401, Madagascar. *Corresponding author. cschwitzer@bcsf.org.ukMale blue-eyed black lemur. Eulemur ﬂ avifrons in Sahamalaza–Iles Radama National Park.Published by AAAS on February 20, 2014www.sciencemag.orgDownloaded from  on February 20, 2014www.sciencemag.orgDownloaded from www.sciencemag.org    SCIENCE    VOL 343    21 FEBRUARY 2014 843POLICYFORUMIn several parts of the northeastern rain for-ests, large-bodied indris (Indri indri) and dia-demed sifakas (Propithecus diadema) are in danger of being extirpated ( 7).Tourism, Research, Local ManagementDespite these profound problems, we believe there is still hope. Overall, lemur conser-vation must tie in with national conserva-tion efforts in Madagascar, such as expand-ing the protected area network and enforc-ing environmental laws. However, there are speciﬁ c site-based actions that can be car-ried out by conservationists, researchers, and local communities, which are less expensive than national initiatives ( 2). The emergency 3-year action plan takes such an approach, combining a broad framework with concrete steps modeled on past successes. It proposes conservation actions for 30 priority sites har-boring endangered lemurs (see the chart), for a total budget of U.S. $7.6 million. This is a reasonable amount in terms of interna-tional aid, for an incalculable return. Major goals include stabilizing the immediate crisis in priority areas and laying the groundwork for longer-term actions in all habitats crucial for prevent-ing lemur extinctions. Promoting and expand-ing ecotourism is one impor-tant component of the action plan. Lemurs represent Madagascar’s most distinc-tive “brand” for tourism. Ecotourism continues in spite of political problems and remains one of the coun-try’s most important foreign-exchange earners, providing livelihoods for the rural poor in environmentally sensitive regions and often fostering local valuation of primates and ecosystems. Examples of implementation already exist and could be repli-cated, provided resources are available and there is sufﬁ cient community engagement to ensure appropriate investment. An important element of this is the development of local tourist guide associations.Another key mechanism is the creation of protected areas managed at the commu-nity level. Despite the fact that such reserves may take a long time to establish, empower-ing local communities to create reserves and training them in management through small grants is where we are likely to see the great-est growth in habitat protection over the next decade.Another goal is to sustain and expand long-term research presence in critical lemur sites. Field stations that support a permanent presence of local and interna-tional ﬁ eld workers—such as those at Rano-mafana, Marojejy, Kirindy, Tsinjoarivo and Sahamalaza—can serve as training grounds for Malagasy scientists while deterring ille-gal hunting and logging ( 12). Scientists are working with local communities, providing economic beneﬁ ts and knowledge exchange for conservation at local levels.Past successes highlighted in the plan, such as Anja Community Reserve and Kianjavato Classiﬁ ed Forest, demonstrate that collabo-ration between local communities, nongov-ernmental organizations and researchers can protect imperiled species. We urgently invite all stakeholders to join our efforts to meet the action plan’s goals and to ensure the continued existence of lemurs and the considerable bio-logical, cultural and economic richness they represent. Madagascar—and the world—will undoubtedly be much poorer without them. References and Notes 1. Two species have been introduced to the neighboring Comoro Islands in the past few hundred years. 2. C. Schwitzer et al., Lemurs of Madagascar: A Strategy for Their Conservation 2013–2016 (IUCN SSC Primate Specialist Group, Bristol Conservation and Science Foun-dation, and Conservation International, Bristol, 2013); https://portals.iucn.org/library/node/10414. 3. R. A. Mittermeier et al., Lemurs of Madagascar (Conser-vation International, Arlington, VA, ed. 3, 2010). 4. Ofﬁ ce National pour l’Environnement (ONE) et al., Evolu-tion de la Couverture de forêts naturelles à Madagascar 2005-2010 (ONE, Antananarivo, 2013); www.pnae.mg/index.php/Autres/evolution-de-la-couverture-de-forets-naturelles-a-madagascar-2005-2010.html. 5. J. U. Ganzhorn et al., Conserv. Biol. 13, 794 (1999).   6. World Bank, “Madagascar: Measuring the impact of the political crisis” (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2013); www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2013/06/05/mada-gascar-measuring-the-impact-of-the-political-crisis. 7. R. K. B. Jenkins et al., PLoS ONE 6, e27570 (2011).   8. M. A. Barrett et al., Science 328, 1109 (2010).   9. Global Witness, Environmental Investigation Agency, Investigation into the Illegal Felling, Transport and Export of Precious Wood in SAVA Region, Madagascar (Global Witness, London, 2009); www.parcs-madagascar.com/doc/report_vsﬁ nal.pdf. 10. World Bank, The World Bank Adopts an Interim Strategy for Madagascar [press release] (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2012); http://go.worldbank.org/5XTWG1TGG0. 11. J.-C. Carret, Madagascar Country Environmental Analysis (CEA): Taking Stock and Moving Forward (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2013). 12. W. F. Laurance, Trends Ecol. Evol. 28, 261 (2013).  Acknowledgments: We thank organizers and participants of the International Prosimian Congress, held in Ranomafana, Madagascar, 5 to 9 August, 2013, as well as the three anony-mous reviewers of this manuscript. This paper is dedicated to Alison Jolly (1937–2014) in recognition of her dedication to the conservation of Madagascar’s lemurs.Montagne des FrançaisAnalameranaDarainaMarojejy andAnjanaharibeMakiraMasoalaMananaraNordLac AlaotraBetamponaCAZ WestCAZAndriantantelyAnjozorobeTorotorofotsyFandrianaRanomafanaKianjavatoCOFAVDiversity-statusindex1–1011–2021–3031–4041–5051–52Capital cityPriority areaCountry boundaryProtected areasManomboKalambatritraAndohahela/TGK–200 2001:13,000,000 Kilometers0Mahafaly and MandrareKirindy Makay Tsingy deBemarahaMahavavyAntremaBombetokaAnkarafantsikaAmbato BoenyAntananarivoMaroselyAnjiamangiranaSahamalazaNosy BeNLemur species richness-extinction risk index and priority conservation areas. Each species range was given a weighting according to its estimated extinction risk (the likelihood of a species becoming extinct in the near future, given current knowledge about population trends, range, and recent, current or projected threats, expressed by its 2012 IUCN Red List status (1, Least Concern; 2, Near Threatened; 3, Vulnerable or Data Deﬁ cient; 4, Endan-gered; 5, Critically Endangered). All lemur species’ range weightings were summed to pro-vide the richness-risk index, a composite measure of richness and estimated extinction risk. For example, where two Near Threatened species co-occur, there is a value of 4, and where two Critically Endangered species co-occur, the value is 10. The color spectrum represents the continuum from areas with low species richness and lower extinction risk to areas with high species richness and high extinction risk. Hatched areas indicate terrestrial protected areas. Green dots show locations of priority areas for lemur conservation digitized from the 2013 to 2016 conservation action plan ( 2).CAZ, Corridor Ankeniheny-Zahamena; COFAV, Corridor Fandriana-Vondrozo; TGK, Tsitongambarika. See supplementary materials for details.Supplementary Materialwww.sciencemag.org/content/343/6173/842/suppl/DC110.1126/science.1245783Published by AAAS

Averting Lemur Extinctions amid Madagascar\u27s Political Crisis

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Averting Lemur Extinctions amid Madagascar\u27s Political Crisis

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