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Special Lemur Conservation Symposium Planned For International
Primatological Society (IPS) Meetings in Vietnam (August 2014)
P A G E 1 1
V O L . 3 , N O . 1
F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 4
A special symposium entitled "The lemur cri-
sis: navigating the complexities of conservation
in Madagascar" will be held at the biannual
meetings in Hanoi, Vietnam (August 11 to 16
2014). IPS is the largest and longest of the pri-
matological meetings, and has always had a
strong commitment to conservation. Ten speak-
ers will be giving oral presentations reviewing
the successes (and failures) of specific commu-
nity-based conservation programs in Madagas-
car. Dr. Erik Patel, SAVA Conservation's Direc-
tor, is one of the symposium co-organizers and
will be delivering an oral presentation as well.
The symposium builds off the new ‘Lemur Con-
servation Action Plan’ which has recently been
released by The Primate Specialist Group of the
IUCN-SSC (International Union for the Conserva-
tion of Nature – Species Survival Commission). This very well written 197 page document, entitled
as developed during the July 2012 Lemur Red-Listing and Con-
servation Planning Workshop in Antananarivo, Madagascar, and may be downloaded
SAVA Conservation Two Years On: A Review of Duke Lemur Center’s Community-Based Conservation Program in
Northeastern Madagascar
E.R. Patel
1,2
, C.R. Welch
1,2
, L.H. Andrianandrasana
1,2
, and A.D. Yoder
1,2
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Duke Lemur Center SAVA Conservation, BP 164-A, Sambava 208, Madagascar
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Duke Lemur Center, 3705 Erwin Rd., Durham, NC 27705, USA
The Duke Lemur Center’s new conservation initiative in the SAVA region of northeastern Madagascar will be de-
scribed and the results of the first two years will be evaluated. Based in Sambava where the new office is found, the
project has followed a multi-faceted community-based approach to biodiversity conservation which is similar to that
used by the Madagascar Fauna Group (MFG) in the Toamasina region. The extensive environmental education pro-
gram includes both structured educational visits to Marojejy National Park with local student groups as well as a
teacher training program which will introduce a 68 page environmental education manual as part of the required pri-
mary school curriculum in dozens of schools. To diminish bushmeat hunting, fish farming of a locally endemic
Parati-
lapia
species (“fony”) is being taught as an alternative protein and income source by a local specialist in the practice.
Restocking of this endangered species into local rivers will also help to reestablish wild populations. Reforestation
campaigns have been established in several villages around Marojejy National Park with approximately 10,000 seed-
lings (fast growing endemics and fruit trees) being planted annually in each village. Direct collaboration with Mada-
gascar National Parks includes improving boundary demarcation at Marojejy NP, technical training, and provision of
needed supplies (such as raincoats). A new family planning initiative is bringing reproductive health specialists to ru-