Lemurs are being hunted

Rare lemur species are being hunted as a precious dish in Madagascar's political unrest, conservationists said.

Since the daring coup in the island nation in March, long-term conservation measures have quickly collapsed - making lemurs a target for hunting.

Crime groups respond to the need for lemur meat dishes of luxury restaurants in the country, according to a nonprofit International Conservation organization.

No one knows how many lemurs have been killed, but species such as the golden-headed gibbon - listed as threatened by the International Association for Conservation of Nature - are also on the hunt.

The country relies on the help of external sources - for example, the World Bank and the US government - to mobilize the agency to keep its national parks continuing to operate.

But since President Marc Ravalomanana was overthrown, external funding has been cut and the war for power has trapped capital.

'With political unrest over the past four months, no conservationist has really worked,' said Serge Rajaobelina, president of Fanamby, a non-profit environmental organization.

"There is no government, no police, and many people have taken advantage of the situation to hunt lemurs," Rajaobelina said.

Success is broken?

Less than a year before Madagascar - home to the largest number of plants and animals that are not anywhere else on Earth - is a completely different place.

The country 'stands in front of becoming a success story', lemurs expert Russel Mittermeier, chairman of the International Conservation Organization, said.

Protected areas and ecotourism have increased rapidly in the country where the leadership team has been deposed.

Precious broadleaf wood, once protected by law in the national parks, began to fall into the hands of the loggers earlier this year - exacerbating the situation in the area that suffered a lot of damage by this deforestation.

Rare lemur species are being hunted as a precious dish in Madagascar's political instability. (Photo: Joel Narivony)

And now lemurs are hunted for good food.

Charlie Welch, conservation manager at Duke University Lemurs Center, said: 'It is worrying to think that African lemur meat trading is happening again in Madagascar'.
'This is unprecedented in Madagascar so far'.

Destroying eco-tourism

Mittermeier stressed that hunters who make money from selling lemurs are destroying the growing ecotourism industry, the country's biggest advantage.

'Tourists come to Madagascar mainly to see lemurs'. he said. If opportunists 'kill lemurs to earn some money, they are destroying the future of this country'.

Mittermeier also said that international donors and organizations want to punish some politicians involved in the power struggle, and this could seriously affect Madagascar's irreplaceable resources.

He said: 'If you continue to pour money into power struggles, of course you will not be able to look after or control areas like national parks'.

Community support

However, Rajaobelina, director of a non-profit organization, said the situation in the country may be improving.

He is working with the new government, and in response to this disaster the new government fired some environmental and forestry officials.

He said: 'They reacted to what we reflected and were involved in conservation efforts. We have seen some positive change signals. '

Rajaobelina said some local villagers, who benefited from the eclectic tourism economy, resisted those who encroach on their forests.

'Many people in the community are afraid of violent acts , ' he said.

'But since we caught some illegal hunters, some people have started speaking. They really want to stop outsiders from entering this country to kill animals.'

Rajaobelina acknowledges that efforts against intruders are "somewhat dangerous".
But 'if we have community support, we feel safer than being protected by police'.