Madagascar's Lemurs:The Most Threatened Mammals

According to a press release of Conservation International, lntentAccording toeading conservationists gathered at a workshop of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Species Survival Commission recently to review the conservation status of the world’s 103 lemur species  which is the most endangered primate group in the world.

The results of the conference announced, highlight that many lemur species are on the very brink of extinction due primarily to habitat loss, and are in need of urgent and effective protection measures.

Black-and-white lemur (Varecia variegata). Copyright: Conservation International. Photo by: Sterling Zumbrunn. 

The conservation status of 91 per cent of the world’s lemur species have now been upgraded to either ‘Critically Endangered’, ‘Endangered’ or ‘Vulnerable’ on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species — an indicator of rampant forest loss which additionally endangers vital ecosystem services that support Madagascar’s people.

Of the world’s 103 different species of lemurs, 23 are now considered ‘Critically Endangered’, 52 are ‘Endangered, 19 are ‘Vulnerable’ and two are ‘Near Threatened’. Just three lemur species are listed as ‘Least Concern’. 

A previous assessment carried out in 2005 as part of a Global Mammal Assessment identified 8 species as ‘Critically Endangered’, 18 as ‘Endangered’, and 15 as ‘Vulnerable’, already a very high number. Given the recent increases in the number of new species and the fact that the level of threat has increased over the past three years, the experts decided to carry out a reassessment of Madagascar’s lemur fauna.

Lemurs are in danger of becoming extinct by destruction of their tropical forest habitat on their native island of Madagascar, off Africa's Indian Ocean coast, where political uncertainty has increased poverty and accelerated illegal logging. Hunting of these animals has also emerged as a more serious threat than previously imagined.

Dr Christoph Schwitzer, Head of Research at Bristol Zoo Gardens, is a world leading primatologist and is on the organising committee for the conference in his role as advisor on Madagascar’s primates and the Red List authority for the IUCN Species Survival Commission’s (SSC) Primate Specialist Group.

Greater bamboo lemur (Prolemur simus). Copyright: Conservation International. Photo by: Russell A. Mittermeier

Explaining the significance of the lemur assessments,Dr Christoph Schwitzer said : “The results of our review workshop this week have been quite a shock as they show that Madagascar has, by far, the highest proportion of threatened species of any primate habitat region or any one country in the world. As a result, we now believe that lemurs are probably the most endangered of any group of vertebrates.”

Among the most spectacular species of lemurs assessed as ‘Critically Endangered’ is the indri, the largest of the living lemurs and a species of symbolic value comparable to that of China’s giant panda, Madame Berthe’s mouse lemur, at 30 grams the world’s smallest primate, and the blue-eyed black lemur, the only primate species other than humans that has blue eyes. Probably the rarest lemur is the northern sportive lemur (Lepilemur septentrionalis), of which there are only 18 known individuals left.

Dr. Russell Mittermeier, President of Conservation International and Chair of IUCN/SSC’s Primate Specialist Group, said: “This new assessment highlights the very high extinction risk faced by Madagascar’s unique lemur fauna and it is indicative of the grave threats to Madagascar biodiversity as a whole, which is vital to supporting its people. As the forests go, so do lemurs and a host of benefits derived from them.”

“Madagascar’s unique and wonderful species are its greatest asset and its most distinctive brand and the basis for a major tourism industry that continues to grow in spite of the current political problems."

The workshop, held in Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar, included a welcome speech by British entrepreneur, Sir Richard Branson, who is a great fan of lemurs and welcomed the work being done by conservationists to protect these rare creatures. The workshop also had the support of the Ambatovy Nickel Mining Project, the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund and the Margot Marsh Biodiversity Foundation.

Delegates who attended the conference were from the UK, Madagascar, the United States, Canada, India, Germany, Italy and France; they are now working together to establish a Conservation Action Plan to protect the most threatened lemurs over the coming decade.

Dr Schwitzer said: “This conference is a good example of the growing importance of collaboration between the international conservation, research and zoo communities in the protection of species and habitats. At Bristol Zoo Gardens, we will continue our conservation and research with the aim of increasing the effectiveness of the conservation activities, as well as increasing our understanding of these, and other, critically endangered species.”

A more positive outcome of the conference has been the discovery of a previously unknown species of lemur — a type of mouse lemur — discovered by Peter Kappeler and his team at the German Primate Center. The new species is found in the Marolambo area of eastern Madagascar. A formal description of the species has not yet been published, meaning it has not yet been given a name. This is the 103rd taxon of lemur known to man.

In Madagascar, Bristol Zoo is working with other European zoos to protect the last remaining populations of two critically endangered lemur species, the blue-eyed black lemur and the Sahamalaza sportive lemur. Both are only found on the Sahamalaza Peninsula in the northwest of the island and are threatened by habitat destruction and hunting.

Bristol Zoo’s work in the field is carried out through the Bristol Conservation and Science Foundation (BCSF), which is based at Bristol Zoo Gardens which is a conservation and education charity and relies on the generous support of the public not only to fund its important work in the zoo, but also its vital conservation and research projects spanning five continents.

Slash and burning for burning forest for farmland in

The Wonderworld of Biological Diversity Called Madagascar

If felling of a tree hurts you, then cutting of a forest is going to hurt you more, and similarly cutting of rare trees will definitely sadden you. What, if the forests of a place are unique to not a country but the whole world, and those forests are destroyed ruthlessly. Forests are home to wildlife and innumerable species of flora and fauna. Destroying forests means destroying homes of wildlife, flora and fauna, common, rare and unique. 

The nature put Homo sapiens on the highest position in evolutionary ladder, as a highly evolved intelligent being. But his willful destruction of the same resources which sustain him puts a question mark on the very intelligence that he claims. Interestingly, the trend to destroy forests is a trend set after industrial revolution. The primitive human societies respected nature, and lived in greater harmony with forests and natural resources. Several societies even worshipped trees, animals, etc as manifestation of God or incarnation.  

On Earth there is one place which is unique for its forests and biodiversity and this is the island of Madagascar, located some 400 miles away from the east coast of Africa. It is among the highest priority biodiversity hot spot on Earth. 

Covering nearly 600,000 square kilometers, which means slightly larger than France, Madagascar is the fourth largest island in the world, but the largest oceanic island. 

Separated from the rest of the world for at least 90 million years, imply that most of the plant and animal species found on Madagascar shall be unique to the island and found no where else.

Madagascar's geographic location in the tropics and subtropics and its unusual geological history and topography has led to very high levels of species diversity. The Island is also an example of extremely high endemism which means that species found here are found nowhere else on the planet.

Sadly, Madagascar is one of the most heavily impacted countries on Earth in terms of recent habitat destruction.

According to Conservation International (USA) nearly 90 percent of its natural vegetation has already been lost and erosion is as extreme as anywhere on the planet.

Currently a major cause for ongoing massive destruction reported in Madagascar is taking place due to considerable political instability there since a coup in March, 2009, and the current government is not recognized by any other country.

Following the coup, there is a serious breakdown of protective measures, and the two key protected areas in northern Madagascar, Masoala National Park and Marojejy National Park, both being part of a UNESCO complex of World Heritage Sites, have been invaded for extraction of valuable timbers, especially rosewood. 

There has also been a recent upsurge in hunting for bush meat, which has impacted rare species of lemurs, tortoises, and many other species. The world must rise to educate and convince people not only in Madagascar but every where else to protect forests, wildlife, flora and fauna far more vigorously and not ritually!

My New Neighbours: Red Ants

As a child I had witnessed red ants (Oecophylla sp.) making nests by joining leaves on mango tree. They were fearsome, in hundreds and thousands, moving from one leaf to another, on thick stems of several decades old mango trees. Slight danger will alert them and they will move forward and backward to get on the enemy. They sting and it is really painful.

My childhood memories of  maternal grandfather's mango orchard had just flashed on my mind, when I saw a nest of twisted leaf on the lone mango tree in my garden. I looked around the nest and saw a few red ants in alert. I thought of removing the nest with care so that more nests do not come up over there. The thought of my youngest daughter and grand children getting stung by red ants was in my mind.

Almost transparent red ants (Oecophylla sp.) seen in highly alert position on their nest.

I gently pick up a scissor and tried removing the nest from its base. Half done, I notice movements on my hand but there was nothing visible there. I got panicked, and tried to see more carefully! About half a dozen orange red colour ants were moving on my right hand's skin, they were almost transparent. I jerked my hand to remove them, and ran for a wash. Luckily none had applied their sting.

A red ant (magnified view).

But their look was terrific, their body I can not ignore to admire. What a creation of nature, slender, light coloured and transparent, long legs, dignified, self-respectful, marching on leaves and stem, the march excelling a women fashion parade in the best of attire. What I see more prominent are a pair of eyes on upright face with mandibles open to serve a bite on the intruder.

My love for them gets an upper hand, and I decide not to remove their nest: I take few photos of those alerted red ants and  decide not to remove their lone nest on the young mango tree in my garden. I make a promise to them: They can live there, until of course their number does not multiply beyond a couple of nests! 

New Delhi To Host Nagoya Protocol Meet

The Second Meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee for Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing (ICNP-2) is being held in New Delhi from 2-6 July, 2012. The Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) is an international treaty which was adopted under the auspices of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Nagoya, Japan on 29th October, 2010, after six years of intense negotiations.

The CBD, one of the two agreements adopted during the Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, is the first comprehensive global agreement which addresses all aspects relating to biodiversity. The Convention, while reaffirming sovereign rights of nations over their biological resources, establishes three main goals: (i) conservation of biological diversity, (ii) sustainable use of its components, and (iii) fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the use of genetic resources.

A framework for implementing the third objective of the CBD, which is generally known as access and benefit sharing (ABS) is provided for in the Convention. All living organisms such as plants, animals and microbes, carry genetic material that has potential uses for developing a wide range of products and services for human benefits, such as in development of medicines, drugs, cosmetics, enzymes, agricultural and horticultural products, environmental techniques etc. ABS refers to the way in which genetic resources may be accessed, and the way in which benefits that result from their use are shared between the people or countries using the resources (users) and the people or countries that provide them (providers).

Prior to the CBD, biological resources were considered as common heritage of mankind. The CBD, while reaffirming sovereign rights of States over their natural resources, stipulates that the authority to determine access to genetic resources rests with the national Governments and is subject to national legislation. Further, access where granted, has to be on mutually agreed terms (MAT) and subject to prior informed consent (PIC) of the Party providing such resources.

Each Party is also required to take measures to ensure fair and equitable sharing of benefits on MAT arising from the commercial and other utilisation of genetic resources with the Party providing such resources. The CBD recognises the importance of traditional knowledge associated with biological diversity, and stipulates that Parties (subject to their national legislation) respect, preserve and maintain this traditional knowledge, and promote their wider application with the approval and involvement of holders of their knowledge and encourage equitable sharing of benefit arising from use of such knowledge.

India, as a megadiverse country rich in biodiversity and associated traditional knowledge, and with a rapidly advancing biotechnology industry, has contributed effectively in ABS negotiations.

The objective of the Nagoya Protocol, namely, the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources, is also one of the three objectives of the CBD. The Nagoya Protocol on ABS establishes a clear framework on how researchers and companies can obtain access to genetic resources and to traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources, and how benefits arising from the use of such material or knowledge will be shared.

The Nagoya Protocol  sets out clear obligation for Parties to provide that users of genetic resources within their jurisdiction respect the domestic regulatory framework of Parties from where the resource has been accessed.

The first meeting of ICNP was held in June, 2011, in which India had been elected as one of the two Bureau members to represent Asia Pacific region. This is helping India to steer the discussions under ICNP. The second meeting of ICNP is being hosted by India in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi from 2-6 July, 2012.

The Nagoya Protocol has been signed by 92 countries, and as on date ratified by five countries. India signed the Protocol on 11th May, 2011, and is in the process of completing interministerial consultations necessary for ratifying the Protocol. The Protocol will enter into force 90 days after its 50th ratification. The first meeting of the governing body of the Protocol (CoP-MoP) will be held concurrently with the next meeting of governing body of the CBD (CoP).

The ICNP-2 will discuss issues such as capacity building of developing countries for implementation of the Protocol, awareness raising, modalities of ABS clearing house, procedures and mechanism to promote compliance with the Protocol, agenda for the first CoP-MoP, rules of procedure for CoP-MoP, and global multilateral benefit sharing mechanism.

About 600 delegates from all countries of the world representing Governments, academia, UN bodies, civil society organizations, and indigenous and local communities are expected to attend the New Delhi meeting which will be inaugurated by India's Minister of Environment & Forests, Jayanthi Natarajan, on 2nd July, in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.

The recommendations of the ICNP meetings will be considered by the CoP-11 to the CBD being hosted by India in Hyderabad in October 2012.