Three Major Activities
SIMPONA engages in three major types of activities 1) Long-term monitoring and data collection of wild silky sifakas 2) Population surveys for silky sifakas and other lemurs and 3) Community development and educational projects in rural communities near silky sifaka habitat.
Several recent films discuss our activities:
Trouble in Lemur Land: http://vimeo.com/25109845
Angels of the Forest: http://www.vimeo.com/5894853
Dan Rather Reports: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dcl7WYJJlto
Long-term Field Sites and Research
We have established two long-term field sites where we have habituated (our presence is “accepted”) several silky sifaka groups which are being studied. Since 2001, we have been working at Camp Marojejia (Camp 2) of Marojejy National Park. Past research projects include vocalizations, scentmarking, alloparental care, ranging, diet, and agonistic behavior. More recently, in June 2011, a new field site has been established in the Makira Natural Park (Andaparaty) in collaboration with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). The Makira site is an unusually low-elevation habitat within a fragmented forest with a sharp habitat edge. We hope to learn more about how silky sifakas cope with disturbance by studying (and protecting) this isolated population in the Makira site.
During our most recent expedition, several lemur veterinarians from the United States joined us to conduct a biomedical health assessment and determine why silky sifakas lose so much skin pigment (“turn pink”) with age. It is remarkable that although all silky sifakas are born with black faces (and ears, hands, feet etc…) many individuals rapidly lose their pigment and develop pink faces. They are the only lemur in Madagascar (out of more than 100 types of lemurs) which loses skin pigment with such severity. They are not albinos (red-eyes, photo-phobic), they are leucistics (i.e., depigmentation disorders other than albinism). It is not yet clear if their leucism (which all members of the species have to some degree) negatively impacts (or benefits) their health or if it is perhaps the skin disease vitiligo.
4 year old male silky sifaka who has already lost a tremendous amount of skin pigment. Photo: Kevin Schafer
Fostering Eco-tourism
A secondary goal of establishing these long-term research sites was to encourage tourism which can generate considerable income for local residents, and thereby encourage silky sifaka conservation. As a direct result of our work, tourists are now able to find and see wild silky sifakas in collaboration with our team. Tourists are free to visit either site, though at this time the Marojejy site offers much more comfortable accommodations such as bungalows, a scenic dining area, basic toilet/shower facilities, and an organized guided trail system. To organize trips to Marojejy, contact any of the people listed on the How You Can Help Page.
Dining area and bungalows at our Marojejy National Park research site. Photos by Jeff Gibbs.
The developing field site in the Makira Natural Park (Andaparaty).
Population Surveys
As often as financially possible, SIMPONA conducts population surveys to identify and protect new groups of silky sifakas. One of our key goals is to determine the global population size and geographic range of this species. Population surveys are crucial in answering those questions. There are many parts of northeastern Madagascar which have yet to be professionally surveyed for lemurs. Many of these survey locations are extremely remote and require several days of walking (each way) and dozens of porters. During our surveys, we often collect data on habitat disturbance and destroy any bushmeat traps found. We also routinely conduct environmental education workshops in local communities near our survey locations.
As of August 2011, we have found 31 groups (131 individuals) of silky sifakas in Marojejy National Park. Several other groups have recently been found in the Makira Natural Park and in unprotected forests between Makira and Marojejy. Future surveys are needed in southern Marojejy National Park, the newly established western side of Anjanaharibe-Sud Special Reserve, the Betaolana Corridor, the Tsaratanana Corridor, and the Makira Natural Park.
Map of Marojejy National Park showing the 31 silky sifaka groups (red dots) found by SIMPONA over the past few years.
Before 2009, it was not known that silky sifakas were also found just 20km south of the boundary of Marojejy National Park. We are proud to have found silky sifakas both in the Antohaka Lava forest (north-eastern Makira) and in the (unprotected) Maherivaratra forest. In both of these forests, silky sifakas are sympatric (share habitat) with ruffed lemurs (Varecia spp.) which was also not known before 2009.
During our latest survey of Antohaka Lava, we collaborated with the organizations Mitsinjo and The Aspinall Foundation, and together discovered feeding traces of greater bamboo lemurs (Prolemur simus) which are even rarer than silky sifakas! Less than 200 greater bamboo lemurs remain in Madagascar (and only perhaps a dozen in captivity worldwide), and none have ever been found in this part of northern Madagascar. The closest living population is several hundred kilometers further south. A large scale conservation initiative will be needed to save these greater bamboo lemurs. Further surveys are underway to obtain fecal DNA samples as well as actual sightings and photos.
Greater Bamboo Lemur (Prolemur simus) feeding traces in the Antohaka Lava forest.
Photos by: Tianasoa Honoré Ratolojanahary and Jean Rafalimandimby
Community Development and Environmental Education
One of our most important goals is to engage local communities as partners in silky sifaka habitat conservation. We aim to create incentives to reduce human disturbance of silky sifaka habitat, and alternatives to utilization of primary forest resources. Environmental education programs are crucial in fostering such change. Towards that end, SIMPONA often conducts environmental education workshops in local schools and hosts children for guided eco-tours in Marojejy. Recently we have built (and stocked) a community library, with a second library already under construction. There are so few books of any kind in this region. It has been gratifying to see so much local interest in the libraries and the first library already being used regularly.
First completed library with over 1000 books in English, French, and Malagasy.
Located in Manantenina near the Marojejy National Park entrance.
Second library should be finished by October 2011.
Currently under construction in Matsube-Sud (near Rabary Desire’s home), just 6km from Andapa along Marojejy’s southern limit.
