Basic HTML Version
Desperately Seeking Prolemur simus
continued
P A G E 5
V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 1
Most recently, our team braved the torrenƟal rainy season and returned to Antohaka
Lava in February and March of this year. Several new campsites were established but
despite extensive searching no fecal samples were obtained and no greater bamboo lemurs
were seen. However, a few potenƟal feeding traces on wild ginger (lingoza) were found in
which the outer stalk was removed and the pith consumed. We have only yet surveyed a
fracƟon of the large Antohaka Lava Forest landscape, and P. simus can have a very large
home range of over 1000 hectares in some places. Therefore we remain opƟmisƟc that
future surveys will either confirm the presence of P. simus or at least another large bamboo
lemur species. We must hurry, since virtually all mammals in the Antohaka Lava forest are
hunted for food by humans. Lemur carcasses, traps, and even gun shells are all found too
commonly. The Antohaka Lava Forest can be seen as the small mountains in the distance.
LocaƟon is about 20km south of Marojejy NaƟonal Park.
“We must hurry,
since virtually all
mammals in the
Antohaka Lava
forest are hunted
for food by
humans.”
Mosaic of forest and cleared land visited by the mission team.
(Photo by Erik Patel)
S A V A C O N S E R V A T I O N