Elucidating Conservational Strategies to Rescue the Greater Bamboo Lemurs: Part 2

Outlining the Conservational Strategies

Before we begin! The Aspinall Foundation has initiated a multi-disciplinary project at the end of 2008 to establish, identify, and implement effective actions to address this pressing issue of critically endangered lemurs, specifically The Great Bamboo Lemur. In fact, the signing of an “Accord de Siège” with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 5th June 2009 has led to the recognition of Aspinall Foundation as an official NGO in Madagascar with the primary goal of working with local partners in Madagascar for the conservation of the Great Bamboo Lemurs and their habitat. The foundation has made significant and successful progress:

1. In surveying new sites in the Ankeniheny-Zahamena Corridor in the central region of the south-eastern rainforest

2. In doubling the numbers of the species in the wild

The Aspinall Foundation has five objectives, and I will summarise them for you here!

Playing a Key Role In Coordinating an Urgent, and Collaborative Response

The foundation is in a good spot to play a key role in coordinating a response. This is because it bridges the divide between captive-breeding institutions and conservation management organisations. In the year 2012, the interactive Madagascar webpage that the foundation has set up grew quickly in popularity. Other than that, the foundation has made various efforts in raising awareness both nationally, and internationally by publishing articles in the international scientific journal Oryx.

Organising a Rapid and Extensive Survey

The foundation has made a very successful collaborative surveys in 2009 and 2010, which led to more than doubling of the number of known sites of the species in the wild. In this objective, the foundation continues to provide abundance data from the majority of surveyed sites.

Ensure All Known Sites Containing the Species Are Effectively Managed

The Aspinall Foundation has suggested that in order to assure the survival of the species within the site known to have the Great Bamboo lemurs, is to hire local rangers to:

1. Regularly patrol

2. Support the species

3. Dismantling lemur traps

4. Deterring illegal hunters, loggers, and miners

Developing Management Strategies For Small, Isolated Populations in Habitat Fragments To Ensure Their Survival and Potential Use In Future Conservation Efforts

The foundation’s first step is to ensure the sites, which is outside of the protected areas, are well-protected and legal secured. Once these sites with isolated populations of lemurs are legally safeguarded, the potential for utilising them for activities such as captive breeding, translocation, reinforcement, or reintroduction can be explored, following the guidelines set by the IUCN.

Ensuring the Survival of Any Greater Bamboo Lemur Groups Restricted to Sites That Can Not Be Protected

This objective would be known as the “final resort” for any groups of the species that are stuck in the habitats that simply do not have a future! However, this would be done within a strict, legal framework. This can also be done by capturing and caring them at suitable sites, either in captivity or in suitable isolated sites within or close to the species range.

Concluding Remarks

In the IUCN lemur red-listing and conservation planning and workshop, greater bamboo lemurs were the only lemur species to show positive conservation trend in recent years. The Aspinall Foundation continues to try its best to protect all known sites!

Reference

‘Greater Bamboo Lemur – Endangered Wildlife’ 2023, Endangered Wildlife, viewed 10 October 2023, <https://www.endangeredwildlife.org/wildlife/greater-bamboo-lemur/#:~:text=Distribution>.

Olson, ER, Marsh, RA, Bovard, BN, Randrianarimanana, HLL, Ravaloharimanitra, M, Ratsimbazafy, JH & King, T 2012, ‘Arboreal camera trapping for the Critically Endangered greater bamboo lemur Prolemur simus’, Oryx, vol. 46, no. 4, pp. 593–597.

The Aspinall Foundation, ‘[Aspinall Foundation – Lemur Conservation Network]’, in Lemur Conservation Network, viewed 9 October 2023, < https://lemurconservationnetwork.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/ASPINALL_LOGO_mono.jpg>.