The Agnalazaha Forest, a degraded fragment of littoral forest in southeast Madagascar, contains a small population of the endangered Eulemur cinereiceps . To better conserve this species its feeding ecology was described by habituating two groups and recording their activities, the food types and species exploited, and the location of food trees by focal animal sampling. The lemurs’ environment was also described by measuring forest structure, and monitoring climate and phenology. In total, the groups were observed for 498 hours over 11 months. Monthly time spent feeding averaged 9.6% of total observation time. The species was highly frugivorous (93% of total time spent feeding). 55 different plant species were exploited for food. Time spent feeding and diet were not simply related to rainfall and temperature nor to food type availability. The two groups’ home ranges were 54.9 ha and 58.4 ha and showed a 40% overlap. The overlap occurred in the swamp forest, which is rich in food plants. To improve the conservation of E. cinereiceps at the Agnalazaha Forest, it is recommended that: The swamp forest be included within the zone of strict conservation; important lemur food plants used for restoration; and alternative sources of timber and fuel wood provided for the local population, thereby allowing greater forest regeneration. RESUME La foret d’Agnalazaha est un bloc de foret littorale degradee d’une superficie de 1,500 ha dans le sud est de Madagascar qui abrite une petite population de l’espece en danger Eulemur cinereiceps. L’ecologie de ce lemurien n’a jamais ete etudiee dans les forets littorales et pour ameliorer la protection de cette espece prestigieuse, l’ecologie de son regime alimentaire a ete etudiee en habituant deux groupes et en relevant la nature des activites, le type de nourriture consomme, les especes consommees et la localisation des arbres source de nourriture par focal animal sampling. L’environnement d’ E.cinereiceps a egalement ete decrit avec des informations portant sur le climat, d’une part, et d’autres portant sur la structure de la foret, sa composition et la phenologie en utilisant deux parcelles de 1 ha de foret dans lesquelles tous les arbres dont le tronc avait un diametre au moins egal a 10 cm ont ete releves, identifies et suivis quant a leur fructification et floraison mensumensuelles. La structure et la composition de la foret d’Agnalazaha se sont revelees typiques des forets littorales malgaches. Au total, les groupes de lemuriens ont ete observes pendant 498 heures au cours d’une periode de 11 mois. La duree mensuelle moyenne consacree a l’alimentation etait de 9,6% de la duree totale des observations. L’espece s’est montree nettement frugivore (93% de la duree totale consacree a l’alimentation) mais elle consommait egalement des feuilles, des inflorescences, des fleurs, du nectar, des insectes et des champignons. Les feuilles et les nectars ont pu etre des composants importants du regime alimentaire a certaines periodes. Un total de 55 especes de plante ont ete consommees, parmi lesquelles Noronhia emarginata , Pandanus microcephalus, Garcinia verrucosa et Uapaca louvelii etaient les plus courantes. Le temps consacre a l’alimentation et celui alloue a la consommation des divers aliments n’etaient lies ni au climat ni a la disponibilite de la nourriture. Les superficies des territoires occupes par les deux groupes etaient de 54,9 ha et de 58,4 ha et presentaient un chevauchement de 40% au niveau de la foret marecageuse ou les plantes consommees a titre de nourriture etaient abondantes. Pour proteger E. cinereiceps dans la foret d’Agnalazaha, nous recommandons que la foret marecageuse soit incluse dans une zone de conservation stricte ; que les plantes importantes faisant partie du regime alimentaire de ces lemuriens soient considerees dans les activites de restauration de la foret ; et que des sources alternatives pour l’obtention de bois d’oeuvre ou de chauffe soient proposees a la communaute villageoise locale pour permettre a la foret de se regenerer.

This, the first issue in 2010 of the Journal of Madagascar Conservation & Development (MCD), deals with illegal and destructive selective logging activities within the supposedly protected National Parks of Madagascar. Accounts of these multifaceted crimes and their impacts began circulating in the Malagasy forests and have since come to the attention of the global community courtesy of the World Wide Web. In this issue, through the incredible efforts of numerous authors, reviewers, editors and translators, we are able to present a rich and diverse assemblage of voices which explore a wide range of angles within the broader context of illegal Malagasy logging. It is our hope, that through the distribution of this issue, we can help to expose the ongoing, versatile range of injustices connected to this topic, help to secure remnant biodiversity in and around Madagascar’s forests, and safeguard the human rights of its inhabitants. At the core of this issue is the relatively recently arisen topic of Independent Forest Monitoring (IFM). An assemblage of scholars and conservationists directly involved with Madagascar’s forests provide a detailed discourse on IFM, a subject that has far reaching consequences for the future of Malagasy forests. The central point of contention within the IFM framework is the illegal exploitation of rosewood, which threatens the ecological integrity of the forests and jeopardizes the short and long-term well being of numerous affected communities. Thanks largely to the efforts of Hery Randriamalala and Zhou Liu, the patterns and mechanistic aspects of the illegal rosewood trade were initially brought to our attention. In addition, John Innes’ essay for Spotlights raised awareness. Now, through the writings of (among others): Marie Jeanne Raherilalao, Jeanneney Rabearivony, Hubert Andriamaharoa, Thomas Baldauf and their collaborators, who provide compassionate accounts of ongoing activities in, around, and associated with the Malagasy forests, concern for this topic continues to grow. It is our call to ‘take the Zebu by the horns’, both literally, and through words, and we encourage all readers to share with us their feedback. Initiating and maintaining an open dialogue permits fine tuning solutions based in constructive contribution and pertinent criticism. Through collaboration, we can all contribute to what we hope will be a comparatively bright and positive future for those who call this amazing island home, and the unique biodiversity found within. EDITORIAL Les grondements de la brousse font des vaguessur la toile… L’elaboration de ce premier numero 2010 de Madagascar Conservation & Development est partie de murmures dans la brousse qui se sont amplifies en traversant les forets et les oceans, ils ont retenti sur le www pour nous toucher et de partout nous entendons les grondements d’un peuple que certains qualifient de silencieux. Jamais les redacteurs de ce journal n’ont ete tant sollicites et plus que jamais nous avons trouve de l’aide pour vous livrer un numero qui est le fruit du travail d’auteurs et de rapporteurs, d’editeurs et de traducteurs qui veulent garder l’espoir de sauver les richesses de la Grande Ile. De grands dossiers ont ete ouverts a Madagascar au cours des derniers mois : ceux des droits de l’Homme, de la liberte d’expression, du developpement durable, de la CITES, ou encore du Suivi Independant des Forets (IFM), parmi tant d’autres. Et bien sur, nous reprenons dans ce numero les principaux murmures de 2009 qui se sont a present transformes en grondements; ceux-la portent sur l’exploitation illegale des bois precieux qui menace l’integrite des ecosystemes forestiers ainsi que la sante et l’avenir des habitants des regions concernees. Nous ne pouvons que feliciter Hery Randriamalala et Zhou Liu qui nous proposent leurs travaux scientifiques dument documentes, rigoureux et brillamment analyses. Sous ce meme dossier, John Innes nous depeint un tableau local, avec ses specificites, d’une scene qui s’inscrit sur la zone pantropicale du monde, voir au-dela. Le journal continue de relayer les travaux des ecologistes et vous invite a partager les passions de Marie Jeanne Raherilalao pour Nosy Hara ou encore celles de Jeanneney Rabearivony et de ses collaborateurs pour des sanctuaires du nord et de l’ouest, sans oublier Hubert Andriamaharoa ou Thomas Baldauf et leurs co-auteurs. Ces chercheurs nous presentent leurs travaux avec enthousiasme et nous montrent qu’ils sont les moteurs de la conservation de l’environnement ainsi que les formateurs, enseignants et mentors des generations futures. Le suivi independant des forets a ete aborde en 2009 dans ce journal qui propose a present d’en parler dans l’interview de ce numero en sollicitant la participation de plusieurs specialistes ; ce fut un reel succes et nous vous invitons vivement a poursuivre ce debat car il est loin d’etre clos et ce sujet merite que nous restions ouverts et que nous lui accordions toute l’importance qu’il merite pour assurer l’avenir des forets de Madagascar. Il nous appartient de prendre le zebu par les cornes, dans les faits et par les mots, et nous vous invitons a partager vos analyses et vos critiques, mais aussi a formuler des solutions afin que vous participiez a l’ecriture de l’Histoire de la Grande Ile. Les murmures auraient pu excuser des vociferations mais laissons les a l’ankoay ( Haliaeetus vociferoides ) qui agremente le fonds sonore des littoraux occidentaux et poursuivons la publication de la conservation et du developpement de Madagascar, afin de pouvoir formuler des solutions a mettre en oeuvre pour sauver la vie et combattre les crimes.

So far parasitological studies were concentrated on large primates such as apes and monkeys. This is probably due to epidemiological interest because apes, which are genetically closer to humans, are known to be a reservoir of certain pests and diseases fatal to humans and vice versa. Prosimian gastrointestinal parasites are less studied. The goal of this project was to assess and describe the gastro-intestinal parasites of the lemur species Microcebus murinus from the littoral forest fragments of Mandena, southeastern Madagascar. In addition I wanted to evaluate the utility of determining gastro-intestinal parasite loads based on fecal samples. From April 2003 to October 2005, a total of 427 fecal samples from 169 different individuals of M. murinus from five forest fragments were analyzed to assess the parasite species richness of this lemur species based on parasite larvae and egg morphology. Three individuals of M. murinus were also sacrified in order to look for adult worms for identification and confirmation of parasite species, and to localize their gastro-intestinal parasites in the digestive tract. Screening all fecal samples by using the modified technique of the McMaster flotation, I noted that Microcebus murinus harbored nine different forms of intestinal parasites, and six of them were nematodes: a member of the Ascarididae family, one species of the Subuluridae family represented by the genus Subulura , an unidentified Strongylida, a species of the genus Trichuris (Trichuridae), two forms of the Oxyuridae family, one from the genus Lemuricola and the other still unidentified. For the Plathelminthes, two cestodes of the genus Hymenolepis (Hymenolepididae) were found and one species of Protozoa, belonging to the Coccidia order. These gastrointestinal parasites of M. murinus from Mandena have not been described as parasites of M. murinus yet. The cestode infection of this lemur deserves special attention because no study has reported lemurs infected by cestodes up to now. Adult worms of the Trichuris species were found in the caecum. I localized Lemuricola worms in the caecum and large intestine. Subulura worms were more abundant in the caecum than in the small and large intestine. A large number of Subulura larvae has been observed in the caecum. As exemplified by the data on Subulura sp. worms in the digestive tract of M. murinus , the number of nematode parasite eggs and larvae found in the feces are correlated with the intensity of infection in the digestive tract. RESUME Ce travail avait pour but de decrire les parasites gastro-intestinaux du lemurien Microcebus murinus de la foret littorale fragmentee de Mandena et d’evaluer l’analyse des parasites basee sur des echantillons de feces. Des matieres fecales au nombre de 427 provenant de 169 individus de M. murinus vivant dans cinq fragments de foret ont ete analysees. Trois individus de M. murinus ont ete sacrifies et autopsies en vue d’une identification des vers parasite qui ont pondu chaque type d’oeuf trouve dans les excrements et afin de voir leurs localisations dans le tube digestif de l’animal. Microcebus murinus heberge neuf especes de parasites gastro-intestinaux dont six nematodes avec une espece non-identifiee d’Ascarididae, une espece de Subuluridae du genre Subulura , une espece de l’ordre des Strongylida et du genre Trichuris (Trichuridae), deux especes d’Oxyuridae dont l’une est du genre Lemuricola et l’autre reste encore non-identifiee, deux cestodes appartenant au genre Hymenolepis (Hymenolepididae) et un protozoaire de l’ordre des Coccidia. Compares a toutes les etudes deja faites auparavant sur les parasites gastro-intestinaux de M. murinus, les parasites heberges par les microcebes de Mandena appartiennent a d’autres especes que celles qui etaient deja connues pour infester cette espece de lemurien. De cette etude, je suggere que le nombre d’oeufs et de larves de Subulura sp. trouves dans les matieres fecales pourrait refleter l’intensite de l’infestation des microcebes par cette espece de parasite.

It is rare for a journal to provide information not only about research and conservation of wildlife and wildlife habitats, but also about human development. The editors are to be congratulated, since my own experience in Africa makes it clear that long-term conservation can never be successful unless local people are taken into consideration. It is essential to raise the standard of living and education of the very poor, whilst ensuring that any development that results is environmentally sustainable. This journal thus provides a unique forum for the exchange of ideas and sharing of information between research, conservation and humanitarian organizations. There is no shortage of NGO´s in Madagascar, but many are working in isolation, unaware of others with similar concerns and projects: yet my experience suggests that when such organizations agree to cooperate, their effectiveness often increases dramatically. Madagascar, despite the damage inflicted on its island environment, is still stunningly beautiful with a rich diversity of flora and fauna. But unless everyone works together to save what is left and restore some crucially important habitats, whilst gaining the goodwill of the local people, many species will become extinct during this century. Thus I hope that, over the years, this journal will grow, both in scope and in its ability to reach ever more interest groups. Jane Goodall Ph.D., DBE