Madagascar

Information Sources

Location

Large Island off the south-eastern coast of African, in the south-west Indian Ocean

http://www.odci.gov/cia/publication/factbook/ma.html

National websites

And the UN Mission

http://www.mcai.org/ 

http://www3.itu.ch/MISSIONS/Madagascar/index_.htm

Embassy / Chancery in U.S.

Washington, DC 20008

 CIA Wold Factbook

Agencies responsible for biological inventory and conservation

Direction des Eaux et Forets, BP 243, Antananarivo 101, Madagascar

Major Natural Resources

Madagascar is an incredibly unique Island, with ecosystems and species found nowhere else in the world. Isolated for millions of years, the animals, insects and habitats have developed along their own terms. Lemurs, animals abundant, in fact found only in Madagascar and making up a unique primate group, are an example of this development. Also, Madagascar is known for its orchids, chameleons and very rich flora.

Preston-Mafham

Major Environmental and Conservation Issues

There is soil erosion resulting from massive de-forestation, overgrazing and other agriculture. The island faces the problem of desertification, as well. Organic wastes, including raw sewer, contaminate much of the ground water. Also, the ecosystems are unique to the island, with many endemic species, causing the serious situation that an endangered animal on the island has no other home at all.

 CIA World Factbook

Statistics

Land area

581,540 Sq. km

 CIA World Factbook

Area of forest

3,837 Sq. km of forest is protected

 http://www.wcmc.org.uk/forest/data

Wetlands

Madagascar has a variety of wetlands, including tidal swamps, inland swamps, floodplains, lagoons, and lakes

 http://www.iucn.org/themes/wetlands/africandirectory.htm

Area of territorial waters

5,500 Sq. km

 CIA World Factbook

Population

14,462,509  

 CIA World Factbook

Population Density

24.862 /Sq. km

Area protected (ha) (only areas 1000ha) at all IUCN levels

Fraction of land area protected (%)

Major Protected Areas

There are also 23 Special Reserves, several Private Reserves, as well as forestry stations. Plus, there is a proposal to create a new National Park, called Ranomafana.

Species

Mammals

 105

http://www.wri.org/

Specifically, see

http://www.wri.org/sdis/ctr_std/cs-pdf/madaga.pdf

Birds

 253

Reptiles

252

Amphibians

144

Freshwater Fish

 40

Invertebrates

 N/A

Plants

Approx. 9,000

Endangered and Threatened Species

Mammals

 33

 WRI

Birds

 28

Reptiles

 10

Amphibians

 0

Freshwater Fish

 10

Invertebrates

 N/A

Plants

 189

Extinct Species

Only five recorded, including the Great Elephantbird

Http://www.wcmc.org.uk/species/animals/animal_redlist.html 

Species listed on CITES Appendix I

 Fauna: 39 http://www.wcmc.org.uk/CITES/english/fauna.htm then search for all species, Madagascar, and the appropriate appendix

Flora database non-operational as yet.

Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES)

Species listed on CITES Appendix II

 Fauna:114

Legislation

Laws protecting endangered or threatened species

 Signatory to the CITES laws.

Laws protecting endangered ecosystems

Signatory to CITES

8/26/75

http://www.wcmc.org.uk/CITES/english/parties.htm

Signatory to Ramsar Wetlands Convention

Yes

 http://www.iucn.org/themes/ramsar/key_cp_e.htm

Signatory to Convention on Biological Diversity 

3/4/96

http://www.biodiv.org/conv/ratify.html 

Signatory to Migratory Bird Treaty

No

Member of International Whaling Commission

No

 Http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/iwcoffice

Signatory to other international treaties designed to protect or manage biological resources

 Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Desertification

 CIA World Factbook

Non-government Organizations (NGOs), or chapters of international organizations concerned with the preservation of natural resources

 Betampona Ruffed Lemur Project, Madagascar Fauna Group, Madagascar Flora Group, Project Ivoliona, Peace Corps' Madagascar Project, Wildlife Preservation Trust International, Conservation International

 http://www.peacecorps.gov/wws/facts/africa

Natural Resource Use

Fisheries

Marine Harvest/year: 84,559 tonnes 

 WRI

Forestry

 In timber exports, approx. $105,000,000 U.S. (In the equivalent to United States' dollars, not to the U.S.)

 WRI

Ecotourism

 Tourism is a large industry in Madagascar, because of its unique and stunning habitats.

http://www.lemurtours.com/

Trade in wildlife products

Hunting

Other uses of natural resources

Human Impacts on Natural Resources

Air pollution

 Not a major problem for Madagascar.

Water pollution

 Rice patties, forests and grasslands; the loose sewage is the major problem.

 http://www.selu.com/

Development activities

 Forests are impacted by slash and burn agriculture.

 http://www.selu.com/

Introduced species

Legislation addressing these issues

Madagascar Environmental Action Plan, while not yet in effect, intends to save land and place the land in to the authority of the nearby villages, who will be able to use the land as tourist sites, leading tours and maintaining the parks. By creating a system whereby the forests provide employment as they are, the incentive to log the forests and use the land for agriculture should be minimized.

http://www.wcmc.org.uk/cgi-bin/pa/paisquery.p

http://www.info.usaid.gov/environment

Restoration and Reintroduction

Programs for restoration of damaged habitat 

 Corporation Suisses's forest utilization project, while more of a method of maintaining a forest from damage, is careful to replace every taken tree with another native seedling.

Preston-Mafham 

Programs for ex situ conservation (captive breeding and reintroduction) of endangered species

Captive breeding of the black and white ruffed Lemur.

http://www.duke.edu/web/primate/reintro.html