On Friday, October 30, on the occasion of World Lemur Day, Madagascar’s tourist guides mobilized Madagascar’s tourist guides to draw attention to visitors to this endemic animal, the Big Island emblem and in danger of extinction.
with our correspondent in Antanarivo, Laetitia Bezain
Center thirteen species of lemurs are registered in the country. A primate that attracts thousands of foreign tourists each year, but which remains little known to Malagasy, estimates the National Federation of Guides, which brings together nearly 2,100 members across the island. Better to make this animal known for better protection, c ‘is its ambition with this exhibition entitled “Lemurs and their habitats: a heritage to be preserved”.
In Antanarivo, in the garden of the Antaninarenina district, gathered around a panel presenting Indri, the largest living lemur, simple passers-by or students of tourism listen attentively to the explanations of the laguide.
“This lemur lives in the forests of the eastern part of the country. Do you know what the enemy of this animal is? It is the destruction of nature. That is, when we destroy the environment by cutting down trees or cutting-and-burning crops. ”
If the twenty guides mobilized for the exhibition are more accustomed to transferring their knowledge of lemurs in various foreign languages to tourists, it is this time in Malagasy that this visit is made for Antananarivo.
Jackye is a national guide. “Some people do not even know that lemurs exist. You cannot protect something that you do not know exists. That is why we are holding the exhibition. It is a wealth of our biodiversity. When there are tourists coming to us, it is they they will see lemurs first. “”
Among the visitors, Faliana, 21. “I got to know several other species of lemurs and their lifestyle. The guides told us that most of them are threatened. It touches me personally and it makes you want to participate in the conservation of this animal. “
► also read : In Madagascar, lemurs are endangered, according to conservationists
A critically endangered species
Lemurs, who also support many families with ecotourism, recalls Mirana Randriamahaleo, spokeswoman for the National Federation of Guides of Madagascar. “We try to establish a close connection between the local population and the national guides, which are part of the most important players in the field of environmental protection.
Wealth is lemurs. But when their habitats are not respected, there is no more wealth for Madagascar, but this wealth of our biodiversity brings in currencies and it is very good for the economy. “
Nearly a third of all species of lemurs in Madagascar are critically endangered under the World Wide Fund for Nature. On the issue of deforestation, poaching, trafficking and illegal livestock farming.
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