We are currently assisting PI Dr. Kim Valenta with the creation of a wildlife corridor connecting two of Madagascar’s most important protected areas: Mantadia National Park and Analamazaotra National Park. These areas are home to numerous Endangered and Critically Endangered species including 12 lemur species, the world’s most endangered mammals. Wildlife populations in the two protected areas are currently not connected due to past deforestation that previously connected these two forests. The ultimate goal of this project is to leverage the reforested 150 hectare corridor to create community-based ecotourism that can provide long term financial relief and food security to local communities.

A consortium of international lemur specialists was formed in 2021 with the purpose of creating two parallel Field Training Programs in Madagascar. We provided financial assistance, logistical and scientific support, and mentoring to eight Malagasy master’s students in the Anthropobiology and Sustainable Development Department (ADD) at the University of Antananarivo in Summer/Fall 2021. Our second training program season supported six Malagasy students in Spring 2022. Currently we are in the process of establishing annual training programs in Ankarafantsika National Park and Tsinjoarivo-Ambalaomby Protected Area to support the next generation of Malagasy scientists.

Planet Madagascar (PM) is a conservation, education, and community development non-profit that was inspired by a PhD research project on the impact of forest fragmentation on the survival of lemurs. PM’s mission is to build sustainable forest communities. Since 2015, PM has worked closely with three local communities — Maevatanimbary, Ambanjabe, and Andranohobaka — to improve the lives of people that live in Madagascar while conserving lemurs and their habitat.