In April 11,000 critically endangered radiated tortoises were rescued from wildlife traffickers in Madagascar. Click here for the press release. I find it overwhelming to think about the scope of this seizure. The Museum joined the Radiated Tortoise Species Survival Plan (SSP) just over one year ago- our five radiated tortoises arrived in March 2017. We are now part of a group of accredited institutions that work together to support the conservation and recovery of radiated tortoises. Radiated tortoises occupyRead more
Posts tagged: #Madagascar
Lemur and Tortoise Introductions!
Earlier this year, we introduced our new Radiated Tortoises to our lemur yard and therefore to our lemurs. Whenever you are introducing new animals to each other, careful planning must take place. We thought the tortoises would not have much of a reaction to the lemurs. We ended up being correct. We were pretty confident that the lemurs would react to the tortoises though. After all, large moving boulders in your yard would probably concern you too. We had aRead more
Wild Ring-Tailed Lemurs are in Trouble!
When people think of lemurs they usually think of Ring-Tailed Lemurs. They can be found all around the world in zoological institutions and they can be seen in various movies. Due to their popularity, people assume they are safe from extinction. However, two studies have been published recently that suggest the iconic Ring-Tailed Lemur could be headed for extinction and soon. Both studies, one in Primate Conservation and one in Folia Primatologica, project that there are only 2,000-2,400 lemurs leftRead more
Disturbing news for lemur conservation
The American Association for the Advancement of Science reported troubling news for lemurs in the February 21 issue of their Science Magazine. The report states that lemurs the most imperiled group of large vertebrates. Read the full article: Schwitzer et al 2014_Science-Averting Lemur Extinctions.Read more
The Fossa
This is a fossa, it is the main predator of lemurs. As you can see it kinda looks like a cat, but actually, it is related to the mongoose. They live in Madagascar and can grow up to 6 feet long but only weigh about 25 lbs. The fossa isn’t just a predator to lemurs, it’s the islands largest predator and a strict carnivore, so it feeds on just about anything it can. (although lemurs are their favorite meal) Read more
Looking Out for Lemurs in Madagascar
This article is written by PhD student Jenna Pyle, who is studying with Drs. Michelle Sauther and Frank Cuozzo (Lemur Biology Project.). They are doing their research at the Beza Mahafaly Reserve in Madagascar. Really, it’s worth reading. (Click here).Read more