About the Survey of Pet Lemurs of Madagascar project
The Survey of Pet Lemurs in Madagascar project aims to increase understanding of the pet lemur trade in Madagascar, which may be impacting over 28,000 lemurs every three years. Surprisingly, not a lot of known about the pet lemur trade, and this research program is aiming to change that!
Launched in 2015, this research program - a collaborative program by researchers at the University of Utah (USA) and Conservation International - will collect information on the ownership of pet lemurs in Madagascar from the general public. Specifically, we are interested in the experiences that individuals living in or visiting Madagascar have had with pet lemurs over the past 20 years. We hope that our study can help inform conservation efforts aimed at protecting these endangered species. Adults who have visited Madagascar and who have seen a pet lemur are encourage to participate by telling us about their experiences with those pet lemurs using our web-based form. Participation is expected to take approximately 5 minutes, is anonymous and voluntary, and can be completed at any time. More information about this study can be found by contacting the research team here! In 2016, we worked to increase outreach to the general public by launching an interactive website, distributing posters across the island, and conducting on-the-ground field work in Madagascar. This additional outreach was partnership with Lemur Love and is funded by National Geographic and the Margot Marsh Primate Action Fund. Data collection through this website is ongoing. At the end of 2017, we had received information on over 1,200 pet lemurs in Madagascar from our online survey and on-the-ground data collection efforts. About the researchers
Many thanks to other volunteers for their assistance throughout the course of the project, including Sarika Rabefaritra, Danielle Raolisoa, Rodriguez Belalahy, and Dr. Seheno Andriantsaralaza for Malagasy translations and Dr. Twyla Meding for French translations. |