Lemurs out on a Limb
The lemurs of Madagascar are the most endangered mammals on earth - driven to the edge of survival by habitat loss and hunting. How can we save them from extinction?
The lemurs of Madagascar are the most endangered mammals on earth - driven to the edge of survival by habitat loss and hunting. Many different lemurs inhabit different parts of the island's forests but as these are cleared for development, food and fuel, so the lemurs are disappearing from the face of the earth. Monty Don explores what is being done to save these endearing mammals, including communities working together to find alternative ways of living that allows them to live in peace. Eco-tourism, community conservation projects and education are all being used to help local people as well as tourists value the lemurs, but is it too little too late? And is there the political will to save them?
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Dr Jonah Ratsimbazafy
He also heads the Madagascar primate study research group聽聽and is聽an Associate Professor at the University of Antananarivo where he supervises student research projects and trains students to tackle current issues in conservation.
Before joining GERP, Jonah worked as聽鈥檚 training and conservation co-ordinator for Madagascar, responsible for building the conservation capacity of the staff and partners at Durrell-Madagascar sites.
Jonah is also a co-author of .
Dr Rainer Dolch
As senior coordinator of the Malagasy conservation organisation , his interest and research has been focusing on Madagascar's threatened and endemic animal and plant species, stretching across a wide variety of taxa including lemurs.
Dr Julia Jones
She is interested in the growing field of (PES) and how such schemes can effectively deliver global environmental benefits while also having a positive impact on local livelihoods. Much of her research is based in Madagascar where she has worked for nearly 15 years.听
Julia started working in Madagascar in 2001 doing a PhD looking at the sustainability of crayfish harvesting in the eastern rainforests. This PhD started out with a focus on population dynamics and harvesting models but the time she spent working with crayfish harvesters got her interested in the role that traditional institutions such as taboos play in resource management. This started her into interdisciplinary research; integrating social science and ecology.
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Dr Ivan Scales
He has worked in Madagascar since 2002, where his research has focused on the drivers of deforestation and the politics of forest use and conservation. He recently edited a book on .听
Other research projects include work on the emerging political economy of agriculture in Africa (with a focus on biofuels and biotechnology); green capitalism and ethical consumption; and the environmental values held by different individuals and groups (from rural households in Africa to research scientists and conservation organisations).听
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Broadcast
- Mon 5 Jan 2015 21:00麻豆社 Radio 4
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