(22 March 2017) The only Italian research group stationed in Madagascar departed for Maromizaha Forest yesterday on the occasion of the International Day of Forests. For more than a decade, the University of Turin and Parco Natura Viva Bussolengo have protected 1600 hectares of the Dragon tree rainforest. There are 10 different groups of indris (lemurs) native to this area. During this expedition, trap cameras and sound records will be placed to monitor the behaviour of the largest of all lemurs under severe threat of extinction and the only one able to sing. "We celebrate the International Day of Forests in a country that has lost 90% of the original rain forest," explained Cristina Giacoma director of the Department of Life Sciences and Biology Systems of the University of Turin". The expedition will last until April 30 to continue their studies on the indri. This forest is also home to all the rarest species of lemurs, a total of 13 including the ‘aye aye’, the nocturnal lemur that was believed to be extinct and was rediscovered by Gerald Durrell in the 1990s. Rare and all under the same threat".

SLAH AND BURN

Cesare Avesani Zaborra, the Scientific Director of Parco Natura Viva di Bussolengo reminds us that “in times of great economic hardship, populations of rural Madagascar are lead to an unsustainable exploitation of natural resources. It’s referred to as ‘Slash-and-Burn’. The rainforest is first cut down and then burned. In this way, more room is created for crops but it takes away the animal’s possibility of survival. It is therefore necessary to work from different angles: safeguarding animal habitats and offering the people an beneficial alternative.