INVASIVE STRAY AND FERAL DOGS LIMIT FOSA (CRYPTOPROCTA FEROX) POPULATIONS IN
ANKARAFANTSIKA NATIONAL PARK, MADAGASCAR
Masters project submitted in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the Master of Environmental Management degree in
the Nicholas School of the Environment of
Duke University
2009
ABSTRACT
The fosa (Cryptoprocta ferox) is a medium sized carnivore of the family Eupleridae which is endemic to
the island of Madagascar. Recent publications have shown that the fosa is under significant pressure
from deforestation and fragmentation, leading to its classification as Threatened under the Endangered
Species Act. A trap study was conducted from 1999 to 2008 in Ankarafantsika National Park,
Madagascar, to ascertain the health of a population and measure additional threats to its survival. Feral
dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) appeared in the park in 2004 and a comparison of trap rates of the two
species shows an inverse relationship between the presence of dogs and the presence of fosa. In this
paper I discuss reasons for this relationship, the effect of the continued presence of dogs, and
implications for the management of the park.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Domestic dogs and the Bras´ılia National Park
Animal Conservation. Print ISSN 1367-9430
Domestic dogs as an edge effect in the Bras´ılia National
Park, Brazil: interactions with native mammals
Abstract
Edge effects are a well-known result of habitat fragmentation. However, little has
been published on fragmentation, isolation and the intrusive influence from the
surrounding matrix at the landscape level. The objectives of the present study are
to evaluate the presence of dogs in the Brası´ lia National Park (BNP) in relation to
habitat type and the influence from the surrounding matrix. In addition, this study
examines the response of the native mammal fauna to the presence of dogs. Track
stations were built along dirt roads in the BNP and subsequently examined for the
presence or absence of tracks. We used a stepwise logistic regression to model the
occurrence of five mammal species relative to habitat variables, with an a=0.05 to
determine whether to enter and retain a variable in the model. A simulation of each
species occurrence probability was conducted using a combination of selected
habitat variables in a resource selection probability function. Results indicate a
negative relationship between distance from the BNP edge and the probability of
dog occurrences. From an ecological perspective, the presence of dogs inside the
BNP indicates an edge effect. The occurrence of the maned wolf was positively
associated with distance from a garbage dump site and negatively associated with
the presence of dog tracks. The maned wolf and giant anteater seem to avoid areas
near the garbage dump as well as areas with dog tracks. There is no support for the
possible existence of a feral dog population inside the BNP, but the effects of freeranging
dogs on the wildlife population in such an isolated protected area must not
be neglected. Domestic dog Canis familiaris populations and disease control
programs should be established in the urban, sub-urban and rural areas surrounding
the BNP, along with the complete removal of the garbage dump from the BNP
surroundings.
Domestic dogs as an edge effect in the Bras´ılia National
Park, Brazil: interactions with native mammals
Abstract
Edge effects are a well-known result of habitat fragmentation. However, little has
been published on fragmentation, isolation and the intrusive influence from the
surrounding matrix at the landscape level. The objectives of the present study are
to evaluate the presence of dogs in the Brası´ lia National Park (BNP) in relation to
habitat type and the influence from the surrounding matrix. In addition, this study
examines the response of the native mammal fauna to the presence of dogs. Track
stations were built along dirt roads in the BNP and subsequently examined for the
presence or absence of tracks. We used a stepwise logistic regression to model the
occurrence of five mammal species relative to habitat variables, with an a=0.05 to
determine whether to enter and retain a variable in the model. A simulation of each
species occurrence probability was conducted using a combination of selected
habitat variables in a resource selection probability function. Results indicate a
negative relationship between distance from the BNP edge and the probability of
dog occurrences. From an ecological perspective, the presence of dogs inside the
BNP indicates an edge effect. The occurrence of the maned wolf was positively
associated with distance from a garbage dump site and negatively associated with
the presence of dog tracks. The maned wolf and giant anteater seem to avoid areas
near the garbage dump as well as areas with dog tracks. There is no support for the
possible existence of a feral dog population inside the BNP, but the effects of freeranging
dogs on the wildlife population in such an isolated protected area must not
be neglected. Domestic dog Canis familiaris populations and disease control
programs should be established in the urban, sub-urban and rural areas surrounding
the BNP, along with the complete removal of the garbage dump from the BNP
surroundings.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Luxury bushmeat trade threatens lemur conservation
NATUREVol 46124 September 2009
Meredith A. Barrett Box 90338,
University Program in Ecology,
Duke University, Durham,
North Carolina 27705, USA
e-mail: meredith.barrett@duke.edu
Jonah Ratsimbazafy Durrell Wildlife
Conservation Trust, BP 8511,
Antananarivo 101, Madagascar
e-mail: jonah.ratsimbazafy@
durrell.org
Luxury bushmeat
trade threatens
lemur conservation
SIR — Shocking new proof of an
emerging trade in lemur bushmeat
in Madagascar (see http://tinyurl.
com/mqsx7w) is refocusing
attention on the conservation
and health challenges in one
of the world’s most important
biodiversity hotspots.
The growth of this market,
in which lemurs are sold as a
delicacy to luxury consumers,
could mean extinction for alreadyendangered
lemur species, which
are found only in Madagascar.
Furthermore, as in other countries,
bushmeat hunting carries serious
risks to public health by fostering
emergence of disease.
Madagascar has experienced
an upsurge in environmental
crime since its political upheaval
in March this year. Increasing
illegal harvesting of precious
hardwoods and animal trafficking
bodes poorly for the future of
Madagascar’s already-degraded
environment, where 90% of its
original forest cover has been lost.
Political chaos and the withdrawal
of foreign aid mean that these
environmental crimes have
continued almost unchecked.
Russell Mittermeier, president
of Conservation International,
has warned that certain lemur
species, such as the goldencrowned
sifaka (Propithecus
tattersalli), could vanish as a result
of hunting for the new market.
There may be as many as 99 lemur
species in Madagascar (R. A.
Mittermeier et al. Intl. J. Primatol.
29, 1607–1656; 2008). Wiping
out any of these would disrupt the
ecological balance and undermine
the country’s ecotourism industry.
Some 75% of emerging
diseases have zoonotic origins
(L. H. Taylor et al. Phil. Trans.
R. Soc. Lond. B 356, 983–989;
2001). Ebola and simian foamy
virus outbreaks, for example,
as well as HIV, have been
traced to bushmeat hunting
and butchering. The increase
in human–wildlife contact in
Madagascar’s degraded forests,
along with its extreme biodiversity
and wide distribution of domestic
animals, could enhance the risk of
disease emergence and spread,
potentially to a global level.
The country’s interim
government has responded
to the crisis by firing several
forestry officials, but more
cohesive enforcement is needed.
Mittermeier has urged the
international community to
reinstate conservation funding
to Madagascar, in order to save
this pinnacle of biodiversity.
With 20% of the world’s
primate species in peril, and
with increased risks of disease
emergence, an integrated solution
must and can be achieved by
conservation, public health
Meredith A. Barrett Box 90338,
University Program in Ecology,
Duke University, Durham,
North Carolina 27705, USA
e-mail: meredith.barrett@duke.edu
Jonah Ratsimbazafy Durrell Wildlife
Conservation Trust, BP 8511,
Antananarivo 101, Madagascar
e-mail: jonah.ratsimbazafy@
durrell.org
Luxury bushmeat
trade threatens
lemur conservation
SIR — Shocking new proof of an
emerging trade in lemur bushmeat
in Madagascar (see http://tinyurl.
com/mqsx7w) is refocusing
attention on the conservation
and health challenges in one
of the world’s most important
biodiversity hotspots.
The growth of this market,
in which lemurs are sold as a
delicacy to luxury consumers,
could mean extinction for alreadyendangered
lemur species, which
are found only in Madagascar.
Furthermore, as in other countries,
bushmeat hunting carries serious
risks to public health by fostering
emergence of disease.
Madagascar has experienced
an upsurge in environmental
crime since its political upheaval
in March this year. Increasing
illegal harvesting of precious
hardwoods and animal trafficking
bodes poorly for the future of
Madagascar’s already-degraded
environment, where 90% of its
original forest cover has been lost.
Political chaos and the withdrawal
of foreign aid mean that these
environmental crimes have
continued almost unchecked.
Russell Mittermeier, president
of Conservation International,
has warned that certain lemur
species, such as the goldencrowned
sifaka (Propithecus
tattersalli), could vanish as a result
of hunting for the new market.
There may be as many as 99 lemur
species in Madagascar (R. A.
Mittermeier et al. Intl. J. Primatol.
29, 1607–1656; 2008). Wiping
out any of these would disrupt the
ecological balance and undermine
the country’s ecotourism industry.
Some 75% of emerging
diseases have zoonotic origins
(L. H. Taylor et al. Phil. Trans.
R. Soc. Lond. B 356, 983–989;
2001). Ebola and simian foamy
virus outbreaks, for example,
as well as HIV, have been
traced to bushmeat hunting
and butchering. The increase
in human–wildlife contact in
Madagascar’s degraded forests,
along with its extreme biodiversity
and wide distribution of domestic
animals, could enhance the risk of
disease emergence and spread,
potentially to a global level.
The country’s interim
government has responded
to the crisis by firing several
forestry officials, but more
cohesive enforcement is needed.
Mittermeier has urged the
international community to
reinstate conservation funding
to Madagascar, in order to save
this pinnacle of biodiversity.
With 20% of the world’s
primate species in peril, and
with increased risks of disease
emergence, an integrated solution
must and can be achieved by
conservation, public health
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Bats as bushmeat: a global review
Abstract A questionnaire survey and literature review
revealed the extent of hunting of bats for bushmeat in
the Old World tropics. High levels of offtake were reported
throughout Asia, the Pacific islands and some Western
Indian Ocean islands, where fruit bats of the genus
Pteropus are eaten extensively. Most hunting in Africa was
reported in western states and the largest fruit bat Eidolon
helvum was preferred. Insectivorous bats are also eaten,
particularly Tadarida in Asia. Hunting is both for local
consumption and commercial, sometimes involving crossborder
transactions. The high levels of hunting reported
and the low reproductive rate of bats indicate there are
likely to be severe negative effects on bat populations, and
declines of several species are documented. Although there
has been only one reported attempt to manage offtake, this
indicates that it is possible and apparently successful. Furthermore,
voluntary controls on hunting have halted declines
in bat numbers. There have been several initiatives
to reduce hunting pressure and conserve threatened bat
species, mainly on islands that, when sustained, have been
successful. More education projects and community-based
conservation initiatives should be encouraged together
with further attempts at sustainable harvesting in situations
where disease risk has been evaluated.
Keywords Bats, bushmeat, commercial hunting, Eidolon,
Pteropus, sustainability, Tadarida.
This paper contains supplementary material that can be
found online at http://journals.cambridge.org
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
New Virus, Old Tale: Animals Share Bugs With Us
New Virus, Old Tale: Animals Share Bugs With Us
By Joel AchenbachWashington Post Staff Writer Thursday, May 7, 2009
Somewhere out there, somewhere along the way, a single creature got all this started. A pig, presumably. Pig Zero.
Scientists suspect that two influenza viruses common in swine, one rooted in Eurasia and the other in North America, came together in a single cell within a pig. The two viruses exchanged their genes like a couple of kids swapping school clothes. The result was a novel strain of virus, with, according to scientists, two genes from the Eurasian virus and six genes from the North American virus.
The new strain then jumped to humans. Where is unknown. Mexico is a possibility, but so far the virus hasn't been found in any Mexican swine.
All of this is the latest iteration of a phenomenon dating to the dawn of mankind: zoonosis. A zoonotic disease is one that spreads from animals to humans, or vice versa. Bubonic plague came from a bacterium that infects rats and can spread via fleas to humans. HIV is a virus that passed into people from a monkey. Malaria, tuberculosis, rabies, yellow fever and typhoid fever are zoonotic.
And it's a two-way street, as seen recently when a Canadian farmworker infected with the new H1N1 swine flu apparently passed the disease to a herd of pigs. When it comes to influenza, the thoroughfare between Homo sapiens and Sus scrofa -- domesticated pigs -- is something of a superhighway.
From the perspective of an influenza virus, the receptors on the lungs of a human being -- the places where the little spiky knobs on the virus can attach themselves -- look very much like the receptors in a pig. A pig's anatomy is so similar in certain respects to a human being's that pig heart valves are routinely transplanted into human heart patients.
"Zoonotic agents don't care whether it's a human or an animal ," said Juergen Richt, a professor of veterinary medicine at Kansas State University.
Increased Crowding
Thanks to vaccines and antibiotics, the war against infectious diseases seemed to be nearly won by the second half of the 20th century, but the pathogens have shown themselves to be resilient and adaptive. Meanwhile, the human population has grown to more than 6 billion, sustained by billions of farm animals, many raised in close quarters on factory farms, said JoLynn Montgomery, an epidemiologist at the University of Michigan.
"There's more crowding in animals, and more crowding in people, and the crowding is merging," she said. "People are getting diseases from animals more frequently. I'm not sure the diseases themselves are getting worse." Public health measures -- careful surveillance of zoonotic diseases -- can counterattack the problem, she said.
Zoonotic diseases can also come from wild animals, and new pathogens can emerge as human beings penetrate remote, isolated regions of the planet, said Thomas J. Inzana, a bacteriologist at Virginia Tech. Some exotic pathogens are so "hot" that they can't spread as easily as viruses that are less lethal, he noted: "It doesn't do the pathogen any good to kill its host."
Which is why flu is such a problem: It has essentially co-evolved with people, pigs, birds and other animals. And it's malleable. Influenza is what is known as an RNA virus. Such viruses, mere snippets of genetic material, replicate inexactly, like photocopy machines on the fritz. That sloppiness enables them to evolve rapidly and find new hosts, and makes them a moving target for vaccine makers.
The specific origin of the new flu strain remains a matter of intense investigation. Even the presumption of a Pig Zero is just educated guesswork. The new virus conceivably could have spliced itself together inside a human being or some kind of bird. A pig is the most likely source simply because two ancestral viruses had clear genetic markers of swine-related flu, and a pig is the most likely place for two swine flus to converge, said Andrew Pekosz, a virologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
That said, a veterinarian and spokeswoman for the National Pork Producers Council, Jen Greiner, emphatically rejects any presumption that the new strain emerged in a pig: "It has not been found in any pigs in Mexico; it has not been found in any pigs in the U.S.," she says.
Influenza is hardly just a human-and-pig tango. Birds can also get flu. So can horses. But although humans can, in rare cases, catch bird flu, it doesn't then spread from person to person. Humans can't catch horse flu. Dogs, however, can catch horse flu. Why these viruses do what they do and jump where they jump is not well understood, Richt says. He says that's all the more reason for veterinary health research to be on equal funding footing with human medical research. "You need to understand what's happening in the cattle, the pig, the raccoon, to protect the human population," Richt said.
There's a lot a human would recognize in a pig with flu. "The pig feels hot, and it doesn't eat as much," Richt said. If the condition of pigs worsens, "they develop nasal and ocular secretions. And if they go further, they start to have respiratory distress, so they breathe faster, and they can go to coughing, sneezing."
Although factory farming has been a target of much criticism, it has its defenders. Marie Gramer, a veterinarian at the University of Minnesota, said enclosed farm buildings offer "biosecurity" from pathogens carried by wild animals.
"The health now of the collective animal agriculture is better than it was 20, 40, 60 years ago, " Gramer said.
Although some of the worst fears about the current swine flu outbreak have subsided -- the virus doesn't appear to be as virulent as first thought -- the very nature of influenza makes the future of this strain impossible to predict. It will surely evolve further, Pekosz said.
"This is a brand-new virus and a brand-new host," Pekosz said. The process of natural selection will tug the virus in new directions, he said. His scientific prediction -- "That gene constellation is probably going to optimize itself to replicate" -- strongly suggests that human beings haven't heard the last of this new swine flu.
Influenza is hardly just a human-and-pig tango. Birds can also get flu. So can horses. But although humans can, in rare cases, catch bird flu, it doesn't then spread from person to person. Humans can't catch horse flu. Dogs, however, can catch horse flu. Why these viruses do what they do and jump where they jump is not well understood, Richt says. He says that's all the more reason for veterinary health research to be on equal funding footing with human medical research. "You need to understand what's happening in the cattle, the pig, the raccoon, to protect the human population," Richt said.
There's a lot a human would recognize in a pig with flu. "The pig feels hot, and it doesn't eat as much," Richt said. If the condition of pigs worsens, "they develop nasal and ocular secretions. And if they go further, they start to have respiratory distress, so they breathe faster, and they can go to coughing, sneezing."
Although factory farming has been a target of much criticism, it has its defenders. Marie Gramer, a veterinarian at the University of Minnesota, said enclosed farm buildings offer "biosecurity" from pathogens carried by wild animals.
"The health now of the collective animal agriculture is better than it was 20, 40, 60 years ago, " Gramer said.
Although some of the worst fears about the current swine flu outbreak have subsided -- the virus doesn't appear to be as virulent as first thought -- the very nature of influenza makes the future of this strain impossible to predict. It will surely evolve further, Pekosz said.
"This is a brand-new virus and a brand-new host," Pekosz said. The process of natural selection will tug the virus in new directions, he said. His scientific prediction -- "That gene constellation is probably going to optimize itself to replicate" -- strongly suggests that human beings haven't heard the last of this new swine flu.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Recession sparks rise in dumped pets
Telegraph.co.uk
Recession sparks rise in dumped pets
Pets are becoming victims of the recession, the RSPCA is warning after recording a 57 per cent rise in the number of abandoned animals.
The RSPCA said it dealt with 11,586 dumped pets last year, compared with 7,347 in 2007 Photo: MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS
Recession sparks rise in dumped pets
Pets are becoming victims of the recession, the RSPCA is warning after recording a 57 per cent rise in the number of abandoned animals.
The RSPCA said it dealt with 11,586 dumped pets last year, compared with 7,347 in 2007 Photo: MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS
Melanie Johnson took the puppies home, before taking them to an RSPCA centre, where staff treated the dogs and are now looking to find them new homes Photo: MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS
The RSPCA said it dealt with 11,586 dumped pets last year, compared with 7,347 in 2007. Photo: AFP
An average of more than 30 animals were dumped across England and Wales every day last year, according to the animal welfare charity.
It called for people to donate money or time to help it cope with rising demand amid the country's financial problems.
The RSPCA said it dealt with 11,586 dumped pets last year, compared with 7,347 in 2007.
In the first two months of this year, a further 1,432 unwanted animals were abandoned.
In addition to the increased workload, the RSPCA said it was under pressure financially because of a reduction in donations while income from legacies also took a hit following the fall in property prices.
As RSPCA Week begins, the charity asked the public to help raise funds for its rehoming work, or to serve as volunteers or foster carers for the pets.
Tim Wass, chief officer of the RSPCA inspectorate, said: "Now more than ever we need the public's support.
"It is a challenging time for the RSPCA, but more importantly it is a crisis out there for the animals, and it's only because of the public's help that we're able to do what we can."
Animals abandoned last year included two cats left in a drawstring bag by the roadside.
The grey tabby cats, named Zig and Zag by charity staff, were found on a freezing January night on Zig Zag hill, near Shaftesbury.
A new home was found for the pair, believed to be father and son, within a few weeks.
Another case involved a litter of puppies found dead in a shoebox in Bretton Woods, Peterborough, while a dog whose coat was so badly matted it looked like a pile of dirty rags was discovered in a bin liner in Cannock, Staffs.
The number of abandoned cats rose by 50% last year, while dogs increased by nearly a third, the RSPCA said.
"It is an offence to abandon any animal and there is never any excuse for doing so," Mr Wass added.
"If people have pets they cannot care for, for any reason, then help and advice is always available from the RSPCA."
The RSPCA said it dealt with 11,586 dumped pets last year, compared with 7,347 in 2007. Photo: AFP
An average of more than 30 animals were dumped across England and Wales every day last year, according to the animal welfare charity.
It called for people to donate money or time to help it cope with rising demand amid the country's financial problems.
The RSPCA said it dealt with 11,586 dumped pets last year, compared with 7,347 in 2007.
In the first two months of this year, a further 1,432 unwanted animals were abandoned.
In addition to the increased workload, the RSPCA said it was under pressure financially because of a reduction in donations while income from legacies also took a hit following the fall in property prices.
As RSPCA Week begins, the charity asked the public to help raise funds for its rehoming work, or to serve as volunteers or foster carers for the pets.
Tim Wass, chief officer of the RSPCA inspectorate, said: "Now more than ever we need the public's support.
"It is a challenging time for the RSPCA, but more importantly it is a crisis out there for the animals, and it's only because of the public's help that we're able to do what we can."
Animals abandoned last year included two cats left in a drawstring bag by the roadside.
The grey tabby cats, named Zig and Zag by charity staff, were found on a freezing January night on Zig Zag hill, near Shaftesbury.
A new home was found for the pair, believed to be father and son, within a few weeks.
Another case involved a litter of puppies found dead in a shoebox in Bretton Woods, Peterborough, while a dog whose coat was so badly matted it looked like a pile of dirty rags was discovered in a bin liner in Cannock, Staffs.
The number of abandoned cats rose by 50% last year, while dogs increased by nearly a third, the RSPCA said.
"It is an offence to abandon any animal and there is never any excuse for doing so," Mr Wass added.
"If people have pets they cannot care for, for any reason, then help and advice is always available from the RSPCA."
Hundreds of new frog species found in Madagascar
Hundreds of new frog species found in Madagascar
Story Highlights
Political instability in the country makes conservation efforts extra difficult
A study identified between 129 and 221 new species of frogs on the island. The Spanish Scientific Research Council (CSIC), who carried out the study, believe the find could practically double the number of amphibians known in the world if the results are extrapolated at a global scale.
The study, published in the journal "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA," suggests that the number of amphibian species in Madagascar has been significantly underestimated.
"The diversity of species in Madagascar is far from being known and there is still a lot of scientific research to be done. Our data suggest that the number of new species of amphibians not only has been underestimated but it is spatially widespread, even in well studied areas," said Professor David R. Vieites, CSIC researcher to the press at the Spanish National Natural Sciences Museum in Madrid.
"For example, two of the most visited and studied national parks, Ranomafana and Mantadía/Analamazaotra, harbor 31 and 10 new species respectively."
Dr. Frank Glaw, curator of herpetology at the Zoologische Staatssammlung from Munich was part of the research team: "During the past 15 years, we discovered and described over 100 new frog species from Madagascar, which led us to believe that our species inventory is almost complete. But as our new surveys show, there are many more species than we suspected," he said in a press statement.
The paper suggests that the total biodiversity on the island could be much higher in other species as well, so the actual destruction of natural habitats may be affecting more animals than previously thought.
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This has important consequences for conservation planning, as the rate of destruction of rainforests in Madagascar has been one of the highest in the planet, with more than 80 percent of the historic surface of rainforest already lost, according to the study's authors.
Almost a quarter of the new species discovered have not been found yet in protected areas, but the unstable political situation in Madagascar has also been cited as hampering conservation efforts.
"Although a lot of reserves and national parks have been created in Madagascar during the last decade, the actual situation of politic instability is allowing the cut of the forest within national parks, generating a lot of uncertainty about the future of the planned network of protected areas", said Vieites.
Madagascar is the fourth largest island in the world and one of the most biodiverse areas globally, with a high degree of endemic species. "To get an idea of its biodiversity --while in the Iberian Peninsula [there] are about 30 species of amphibians and in Germany about 20, in a single locality in Madagascar we can find around 100 species of frogs," said Vieites.
Dr. Miguel Vences, professor at the Technical University of Braunschweig, Germany, who was also part of the study team, and believes that a century of new species discovery is just beginning: "People think that we know which plant and animal species live on this planet. But the majority of life forms on Earth is still awaiting scientific recognition."
Story Highlights
Political instability in the country makes conservation efforts extra difficult
A study identified between 129 and 221 new species of frogs on the island. The Spanish Scientific Research Council (CSIC), who carried out the study, believe the find could practically double the number of amphibians known in the world if the results are extrapolated at a global scale.
The study, published in the journal "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA," suggests that the number of amphibian species in Madagascar has been significantly underestimated.
"The diversity of species in Madagascar is far from being known and there is still a lot of scientific research to be done. Our data suggest that the number of new species of amphibians not only has been underestimated but it is spatially widespread, even in well studied areas," said Professor David R. Vieites, CSIC researcher to the press at the Spanish National Natural Sciences Museum in Madrid.
"For example, two of the most visited and studied national parks, Ranomafana and Mantadía/Analamazaotra, harbor 31 and 10 new species respectively."
Dr. Frank Glaw, curator of herpetology at the Zoologische Staatssammlung from Munich was part of the research team: "During the past 15 years, we discovered and described over 100 new frog species from Madagascar, which led us to believe that our species inventory is almost complete. But as our new surveys show, there are many more species than we suspected," he said in a press statement.
The paper suggests that the total biodiversity on the island could be much higher in other species as well, so the actual destruction of natural habitats may be affecting more animals than previously thought.
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This has important consequences for conservation planning, as the rate of destruction of rainforests in Madagascar has been one of the highest in the planet, with more than 80 percent of the historic surface of rainforest already lost, according to the study's authors.
Almost a quarter of the new species discovered have not been found yet in protected areas, but the unstable political situation in Madagascar has also been cited as hampering conservation efforts.
"Although a lot of reserves and national parks have been created in Madagascar during the last decade, the actual situation of politic instability is allowing the cut of the forest within national parks, generating a lot of uncertainty about the future of the planned network of protected areas", said Vieites.
Madagascar is the fourth largest island in the world and one of the most biodiverse areas globally, with a high degree of endemic species. "To get an idea of its biodiversity --while in the Iberian Peninsula [there] are about 30 species of amphibians and in Germany about 20, in a single locality in Madagascar we can find around 100 species of frogs," said Vieites.
Dr. Miguel Vences, professor at the Technical University of Braunschweig, Germany, who was also part of the study team, and believes that a century of new species discovery is just beginning: "People think that we know which plant and animal species live on this planet. But the majority of life forms on Earth is still awaiting scientific recognition."
Invasive Stray and Feral Dogs Limit Fosa (Cryptoprocta ferox) Populations in Ankarafantsika National Park, Madagascar
Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/10161/1037Title:
Invasive Stray and Feral Dogs Limit Fosa (Cryptoprocta ferox) Populations in Ankarafantsika National Park, Madagascar
Authors:
Barcala, Owen
Advisors:
Pimm, Stuart
Keywords:
fosaferal dogsankarafantsikacarnivore managementcryptoprocta feroxcompetition with domesticated animals
Publication Date:
24-Apr-2009
Abstract:
The fosa (Cryptoprocta ferox) is a medium sized carnivore of the family Eupleridae which is endemic to the island of Madagascar. Recent publications have shown that the fosa is under significant pressure from deforestation and fragmentation, leading to its classification as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act. A trap study was conducted from 1999 to 2008 in Ankarafantsika National Park, Madagascar, to ascertain the health of a population and measure additional threats to its survival. Feral dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) appeared in the park in 2004 and a comparison of trap rates of the two species shows an inverse relationship between the presence of dogs and the presence of fosa. In this paper I discuss reasons for this relationship, the effect of the continued presence of dogs, and implications for the management of the park.
Department:
Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences
URI:
http://hdl.handle.net/10161/1037
Appears in Collections:
Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences
Friday, March 6, 2009
News : Reptiles Abandoned at O.R. Tambo Airport, South Africa.
http://www.nspca.co.za
MEDIA RELEASEISSUED ON 7 MARCH 2008
REPTILES ABANDONED AT O.R. TAMBO AIRPORT
It was with outrage that an Inspector of the Kempton Park SPCA and National Inspectors of the National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA) arrived at a warehousing agent at OR Tambo Airport after a tip off, and found three animal transport crates that had been abandoned by a forwarding agent.
The stench emanating from the crates was nauseating. It is understood that some of the crates had arrived from Madagascar on 23 February 2008. The consignment was destined for the Czech Republic. A further consignment destined for Spain, which had also stood for a period of time, was returned to Madagascar on the morning of 6 March 2008.
As these animals were in sealed containers and OR Tambo was being used as a springboard to Spain and the Czech Republic, the animals had not undergone quarantine and therefore the contents of the crates was unknown at time of seizure. With the assistance of the Johannesburg Zoo, who is a registered quarantine facility, the crates were moved to this facility for opening. Staff of the NSPCA , Johannesburg Zoo as well as the Gauteng State Veterinarian worked throughout the night unpacking the hundreds of reptiles and other animals that were crammed into the three containers. Although the consignment listed lizards and frogs it was found that the first container contained a large number of snakes. Further to this species of gecko, lizard, chameleons and arthropods were unpacked. The species content is yet to be confirmed but the consignments included a vast quantity of endangered and threatened animals.
Due to the fact that these animals had been placed in cloth bags within the containers, without provision having been made for hydration and feed, a number of individuals had perished. Further mortalities are expected. Were it not for the intervention of the parties involved and veterinary treatment rendered, one can be certain that if the containers had been returned to Madagascar as was planned, all the animals would have died.
“I was appalled by the lack of compassion shown by all those involved with the importation and storage of these animals. It again proves the fact that animal welfare concerns are not adequately addressed by Airports Company South Africa, warehousing agents as well as the authorities involved in overseeing the animal trade in this country,” said Alistair Sinclair, National Inspector of the NSPCA.
Due to the mass neglect and cruelty in this incident, a case will be opened with the South African Police Services by the Kempton Park SPCA. This case is one of many that takes place on a daily basis in South Africa and around the world to feed the trade in exotic “pets”. This unscrupulous trade not only causes insurmountable welfare concerns but also depletes the indigenous populations of wild species worldwide. It is an unfortunate fact that animals are sent out of third world countries to supplement this trade on permits issued by CITES.
The NSPCA appeals to people working in the import and export business to report any suspected animal cruelty cases to the Wildlife Unit of the NSPCA or their nearest SPCA to circumvent the reoccurrence of a similar tragedy.
http://www.nspca.co.za
MEDIA RELEASEISSUED ON 7 MARCH 2008
REPTILES ABANDONED AT O.R. TAMBO AIRPORT
It was with outrage that an Inspector of the Kempton Park SPCA and National Inspectors of the National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA) arrived at a warehousing agent at OR Tambo Airport after a tip off, and found three animal transport crates that had been abandoned by a forwarding agent.
The stench emanating from the crates was nauseating. It is understood that some of the crates had arrived from Madagascar on 23 February 2008. The consignment was destined for the Czech Republic. A further consignment destined for Spain, which had also stood for a period of time, was returned to Madagascar on the morning of 6 March 2008.
As these animals were in sealed containers and OR Tambo was being used as a springboard to Spain and the Czech Republic, the animals had not undergone quarantine and therefore the contents of the crates was unknown at time of seizure. With the assistance of the Johannesburg Zoo, who is a registered quarantine facility, the crates were moved to this facility for opening. Staff of the NSPCA , Johannesburg Zoo as well as the Gauteng State Veterinarian worked throughout the night unpacking the hundreds of reptiles and other animals that were crammed into the three containers. Although the consignment listed lizards and frogs it was found that the first container contained a large number of snakes. Further to this species of gecko, lizard, chameleons and arthropods were unpacked. The species content is yet to be confirmed but the consignments included a vast quantity of endangered and threatened animals.
Due to the fact that these animals had been placed in cloth bags within the containers, without provision having been made for hydration and feed, a number of individuals had perished. Further mortalities are expected. Were it not for the intervention of the parties involved and veterinary treatment rendered, one can be certain that if the containers had been returned to Madagascar as was planned, all the animals would have died.
“I was appalled by the lack of compassion shown by all those involved with the importation and storage of these animals. It again proves the fact that animal welfare concerns are not adequately addressed by Airports Company South Africa, warehousing agents as well as the authorities involved in overseeing the animal trade in this country,” said Alistair Sinclair, National Inspector of the NSPCA.
Due to the mass neglect and cruelty in this incident, a case will be opened with the South African Police Services by the Kempton Park SPCA. This case is one of many that takes place on a daily basis in South Africa and around the world to feed the trade in exotic “pets”. This unscrupulous trade not only causes insurmountable welfare concerns but also depletes the indigenous populations of wild species worldwide. It is an unfortunate fact that animals are sent out of third world countries to supplement this trade on permits issued by CITES.
The NSPCA appeals to people working in the import and export business to report any suspected animal cruelty cases to the Wildlife Unit of the NSPCA or their nearest SPCA to circumvent the reoccurrence of a similar tragedy.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Angola, Luanda stray dogs
www.news24.com
Rabies kills Angolan childrenFeb 03 2009 09:11:11:530PM
Rabies has killed over 50 children in Angola's capital Luanda in the past three months, raising alarm in a city with thousands of stray dogs.
Luanda - Rabies has killed over 50 children in Angola's capital Luanda in the past three months, raising alarm in a city with thousands of stray dogs.
"This is something I have never seen in Angola before. The virus is extremely serious because it is like a death sentence to humans," said hospital director Luis Bernardino.
Rabies is an acute viral infection that is fatal when left untreated. It is usually transmitted through saliva in the bite of an infected animal, often a dog.
Children are usually the biggest victims of rabies because they cannot protect themselves from dogs.
Authorities in Luanda have struggled to contain the virus. Last month a citywide vaccination campaign was carried out, in which 100 000 animals - dogs, cats and monkeys - were inoculated.
"In most cases children die from the virus because their families do not seek medical treatment on time," Bernardino said.
Rabies kills Angolan childrenFeb 03 2009 09:11:11:530PM
Rabies has killed over 50 children in Angola's capital Luanda in the past three months, raising alarm in a city with thousands of stray dogs.
Luanda - Rabies has killed over 50 children in Angola's capital Luanda in the past three months, raising alarm in a city with thousands of stray dogs.
"This is something I have never seen in Angola before. The virus is extremely serious because it is like a death sentence to humans," said hospital director Luis Bernardino.
Rabies is an acute viral infection that is fatal when left untreated. It is usually transmitted through saliva in the bite of an infected animal, often a dog.
Children are usually the biggest victims of rabies because they cannot protect themselves from dogs.
Authorities in Luanda have struggled to contain the virus. Last month a citywide vaccination campaign was carried out, in which 100 000 animals - dogs, cats and monkeys - were inoculated.
"In most cases children die from the virus because their families do not seek medical treatment on time," Bernardino said.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Cape Town USA vets visit 2001
(Cape Town, South Africa – 5 December 2001) – A group of American and Canadian veterinary surgeons got to grips with grassroots animal welfare issues today visiting the Community Led Animal Welfare (CLAW) clinic in Kliptown shack settlement, Soweto, South Africa.As more than 300 people came with their pets, CLAW vet Dr. Nthethe Raditapole sterilized pets in a class room dressed to the hilt with Christmas decorations and traditional “gumboot” dancers and a brass band performed while helpers worked to deworm, vaccinate and dip animals at the Kliptown Franciscan convent during the visit facilitated by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW—www.ifaw.org).“The work we have viewed here today is astonishing,” said Dr. Sheri Nutter of North Carolina, leader of the group. “It’s working proof that you don’t need a whole bunch of fancy facilities to make a difference to animal welfare. As long as you have dedicated personnel and an equally dedicated community, organizations like this can really help. IFAW should be applauded for helping this organization, which receives virtually no support from elsewhere.”The visiting vets have been brought to South Africa by People to People International, which provides professionals worldwide the opportunity to interact with their peers in other countries.CLAW, a project of IFAW, began its work in 1998, as a response to the lack of animal welfare in the former black townships. The organization provides a primary healthcare service to domestic pets in 14 of Gauteng’s most destitute informal settlements and has so far spay/neutered over 6,000 dogs and cats.IFAW is hoping the vets – who represent high profile practices in America and Canada – will return home to encourage other animal professionals to lend support on a voluntary basis to primary health care initiatives in South Africa.“CLAW receives almost no funding whatsoever other than that provided by IFAW which spends much of its annual grant on paying veterinary fees for sterilizations,” said Jason Bell, IFAW’s director for the Southern African Region.“Not only would a volunteer vet program be a wonderful support to CLAW, but it would give foreign vets interested in an African experience the option of combining such a trip with acquiring hands on veterinary experience in South Africa.“Additionally it would allow the veterinary component of our budget to be used for more extensive work,” said Bell.Kliptown shanty settlement is one of South Africa’s most impoverished communities. Home to 15,000 people who live mostly in shacks built from corrugated iron and recycled material, the area is without sewage or access to a formal water supply.The domestic animal population is estimated to number just over 2,000 pets – all adult pets have been spay/neutered under CLAW’s sterilization effort.The People to People vets, led by Dr. Sheri Nutter of North Carolina, USA, are small animal specialists and specially requested the opportunity to view CLAW as one of South Africa’s only community led animal welfare projects, which provides destitute people with a completely free health service for their pets.Dr. Nutter and her group who were taken on a walking tour of the informal settlement said they would return to the U.S. to encourage other veterinarians to follow their lead in helping out with community animal welfare projects such as South Africa’s CLAW.
Interview with Dr Michelle Sauther
http://news.mongabay.com/2007/0205-interview_sauther.html
Mongabay: I understand that your are developing a project that will examine the impact of introduced species on endangered lemur populations -- can you tell me more about the project? Sauther: As I said, we currently have a crisis at our reserve. Domestic dogs are common in and around the villages in the Beza Mahafaly area, and are often used to guard domestic livestock. Domestic cats are also common in these villages, possibly to mitigate rodent populations. However, feral cats (locally "ampaha") have also been observed in the Beza Mahafaly reserve and surrounding region. This large felid represents a truly feral domestic cat, possibly the African or European wild cat (Felis silvestris, Felis lybica), or a potential hybrid. Although domestic dogs are useful in this pastoral society, feral dogs are becoming an increasing problem for local people, as they are known to attack domestic livestock (i.e., young goats and sheep). Feral cats are also known to attack poultry. The past several years have seen a population explosion among the feral dogs so the introduced predators are having an observable impact on the local economy. These introduced species are also impacting the Beza Mahafaly lemur population. In 2006, there were two eyewitness accounts of feral dog kills of ring-tailed lemurs, one an infant (less than one year old), the other a collared adult female. Two Verreaux's sifaka were also subject to dog attacks during 2006: one survived with the aide of veterinary treatment, the other died despite veterinary efforts. Since 2003, we have seen evidence of feral dog predation of lemurs in canine feces (i.e., lemur hair and bone), we have found lemur skeletal material with signs of predation and we have numerous accounts of both feral dogs and cats stalking both ring-tailed lemurs and sifaka. We need to systematically assess the threat of predation by these introduced species on the Beza Mahafaly lemur population to develop a feasible plan of action, and we are looking for donors to help. (Contact Dr. Sauther if you would like to help: ).
Mongabay: What does the future hold for lemurs? Are current conservation efforts going to be enough to save lemurs from extinction? How effective are these efforts? What needs to be done to conserve Madagascar's biodiversity?
Dr. Michelle Sauther measuring a ring-tailed lemur in Madagascar.
Sauther: One good lesson I have learned from working in Madagascar these past twenty years is that conservation has to be carried out at two levels, the national and the regional. At the national level the current president, Marc Ravalomanana has a solid plan. He is trying to make Madagascar more investor friendly, because the only long-term conservation solution requires improving the livelihood of Madagascar’s people. At the same time he has increased, three-fold, the areas to be protected. This is where the regional part comes in. There is no “one size fits all”, when it comes to conservation. In the south, where I work, the economy of the region is based on pastoralism and dry farming and we have very different conservation issues than those found in rainforest habitats. We also have to expand conservation-related research. Primarily the focus has been on habitat destruction, which is of course critical. However, there are other major threats. One of these is hunting. Eric Patel, for example, reports that in some areas lemurs are being actively hunted with guns and traps to provide upper middle class people with “picnic food” (see Laboratory Primate Newsletter, 2006, 44 (3): 8-11). At Beza there is a taboo among the local Mahafaly against killing lemurs, but further north of the reserve non-Mahafaly have been coming into the forests to hunt lemurs. Disease transfer from domestic animals is also a concern, and at Beza we have been trying to understand the effect of domestic animals on lemur health. Finally, at Beza we are facing a crisis as packs of feral dogs are now attacking and killing lemurs in the area. So conservation issues really can vary from place to place.
Mongabay: Is there anything people can do abroad to help save lemurs and Madagascar's wildlands? What role does eco-tourism have in conservation on the island? Sauther: I would really like to see people become “working tourists” in Madagascar, e.g. bringing their particular expertise, be it in business, economics, communication, etc. to help current programs and projects in Madagascar. Right now there doesn’t seem to be any way to link such people to projects, so developing this link would be an important component. I know people want to help, and this would be a great way for them to see the beauty of Madagascar’s wild places while doing something concrete to help maintain the island’s unique environment. Beza Mahafaly Lemur Biology Project
Mongabay: I understand that your are developing a project that will examine the impact of introduced species on endangered lemur populations -- can you tell me more about the project? Sauther: As I said, we currently have a crisis at our reserve. Domestic dogs are common in and around the villages in the Beza Mahafaly area, and are often used to guard domestic livestock. Domestic cats are also common in these villages, possibly to mitigate rodent populations. However, feral cats (locally "ampaha") have also been observed in the Beza Mahafaly reserve and surrounding region. This large felid represents a truly feral domestic cat, possibly the African or European wild cat (Felis silvestris, Felis lybica), or a potential hybrid. Although domestic dogs are useful in this pastoral society, feral dogs are becoming an increasing problem for local people, as they are known to attack domestic livestock (i.e., young goats and sheep). Feral cats are also known to attack poultry. The past several years have seen a population explosion among the feral dogs so the introduced predators are having an observable impact on the local economy. These introduced species are also impacting the Beza Mahafaly lemur population. In 2006, there were two eyewitness accounts of feral dog kills of ring-tailed lemurs, one an infant (less than one year old), the other a collared adult female. Two Verreaux's sifaka were also subject to dog attacks during 2006: one survived with the aide of veterinary treatment, the other died despite veterinary efforts. Since 2003, we have seen evidence of feral dog predation of lemurs in canine feces (i.e., lemur hair and bone), we have found lemur skeletal material with signs of predation and we have numerous accounts of both feral dogs and cats stalking both ring-tailed lemurs and sifaka. We need to systematically assess the threat of predation by these introduced species on the Beza Mahafaly lemur population to develop a feasible plan of action, and we are looking for donors to help. (Contact Dr. Sauther if you would like to help: ).
Mongabay: What does the future hold for lemurs? Are current conservation efforts going to be enough to save lemurs from extinction? How effective are these efforts? What needs to be done to conserve Madagascar's biodiversity?
Dr. Michelle Sauther measuring a ring-tailed lemur in Madagascar.
Sauther: One good lesson I have learned from working in Madagascar these past twenty years is that conservation has to be carried out at two levels, the national and the regional. At the national level the current president, Marc Ravalomanana has a solid plan. He is trying to make Madagascar more investor friendly, because the only long-term conservation solution requires improving the livelihood of Madagascar’s people. At the same time he has increased, three-fold, the areas to be protected. This is where the regional part comes in. There is no “one size fits all”, when it comes to conservation. In the south, where I work, the economy of the region is based on pastoralism and dry farming and we have very different conservation issues than those found in rainforest habitats. We also have to expand conservation-related research. Primarily the focus has been on habitat destruction, which is of course critical. However, there are other major threats. One of these is hunting. Eric Patel, for example, reports that in some areas lemurs are being actively hunted with guns and traps to provide upper middle class people with “picnic food” (see Laboratory Primate Newsletter, 2006, 44 (3): 8-11). At Beza there is a taboo among the local Mahafaly against killing lemurs, but further north of the reserve non-Mahafaly have been coming into the forests to hunt lemurs. Disease transfer from domestic animals is also a concern, and at Beza we have been trying to understand the effect of domestic animals on lemur health. Finally, at Beza we are facing a crisis as packs of feral dogs are now attacking and killing lemurs in the area. So conservation issues really can vary from place to place.
Mongabay: Is there anything people can do abroad to help save lemurs and Madagascar's wildlands? What role does eco-tourism have in conservation on the island? Sauther: I would really like to see people become “working tourists” in Madagascar, e.g. bringing their particular expertise, be it in business, economics, communication, etc. to help current programs and projects in Madagascar. Right now there doesn’t seem to be any way to link such people to projects, so developing this link would be an important component. I know people want to help, and this would be a great way for them to see the beauty of Madagascar’s wild places while doing something concrete to help maintain the island’s unique environment. Beza Mahafaly Lemur Biology Project
Mexico City Mobile Dog and Cat Clinic
Problems with pet overpopulation -- usually related to ecological and public health concerns -- are a major issue in many Latin American cities.
In Mexico City, there are an estimated 3.5 million dogs, two-thirds of them strays. Lack of animal welfare education, proper legislation, effective enforcement of existing laws, and veterinary care in disadvantaged and marginal areas all contribute to this severe pet overpopulation problem.
Most of the groups that have done work in the area of pet overpopulation have been small NGOs or groups based at public universities. So far, the possibility of having a major impact on the problem, rather than a short-term benefit for a few individuals, has been very limited. The Veterinary School at the University of Mexico (UNAM) received a mobile clinic for spaying and neutering dogs in Mexico City. Its work is concentrated in a few areas in Mexico City. Clearly, the mobile clinic had not yet been used to its full potential. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed in April 2002 between IFAW and the Veterinary School at UNAM. Through this MOU, IFAW supported the services given by UNAM’s Mobile Clinic in Mexico City. The project has been very successful; both the authorities and the public have been enthusiastic and participative. The Mobile Clinic staff worked from Monday to Friday in the most underprivileged areas of Mexico City. During a nine month period, a total of 7,238 animal patients were treated. Of these, 801 animals were spayed or neutered, 2,666 dogs received parasitic treatment, 3,545 animals were vaccinated, and 226 dogs and cats were treated for various clinical problems.
Problems with pet overpopulation -- usually related to ecological and public health concerns -- are a major issue in many Latin American cities.
In Mexico City, there are an estimated 3.5 million dogs, two-thirds of them strays. Lack of animal welfare education, proper legislation, effective enforcement of existing laws, and veterinary care in disadvantaged and marginal areas all contribute to this severe pet overpopulation problem.
Most of the groups that have done work in the area of pet overpopulation have been small NGOs or groups based at public universities. So far, the possibility of having a major impact on the problem, rather than a short-term benefit for a few individuals, has been very limited. The Veterinary School at the University of Mexico (UNAM) received a mobile clinic for spaying and neutering dogs in Mexico City. Its work is concentrated in a few areas in Mexico City. Clearly, the mobile clinic had not yet been used to its full potential. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed in April 2002 between IFAW and the Veterinary School at UNAM. Through this MOU, IFAW supported the services given by UNAM’s Mobile Clinic in Mexico City. The project has been very successful; both the authorities and the public have been enthusiastic and participative. The Mobile Clinic staff worked from Monday to Friday in the most underprivileged areas of Mexico City. During a nine month period, a total of 7,238 animal patients were treated. Of these, 801 animals were spayed or neutered, 2,666 dogs received parasitic treatment, 3,545 animals were vaccinated, and 226 dogs and cats were treated for various clinical problems.
Planning Guide ICTE Queensland
Discuss your research plans with Dr. Patricia Wright and the staff of ICTE. Review the Project Budgets and Costs and the Permit Requirements. Be sure that your budget to sponsors includes all items.
2. At least three months before you plan to begin your research in Madagascar, prepare a draft of your ANGAP proposal and send it to the Program Officer at the ICTE/Stony Brook office for review. Please submit your ANGAP proposals by email or on a disk. We suggest that you prepare your ANGAP proposal at the same time that you submit proposals to sponsors. At this time, also send a signed waiver and liability release for each participant on you project.
3. If you plan to collect and/or export biological samples, include in your ANGAP prposal a preliminary list of samples that you expect to collect or export. Be generous in your estimates, but as specific as possible. (See our discussion on export and collection permits from DEF).
4. Revise you ANGAP proposal and submit the final copy (by email) to the Program Officer at the ICTE/Stony Brook office. This proposal will be sent to the ICTE/Antananarivo office and Centre ValBio. ICTE/Antananarivo office will provide translation into French and submission to ANGAP and DEF
5. Prepare for your trip to Madagascar. Learn some French and Malagasy. Be sure that you have international health insurance (required for all researchers facilitated by ICTE) and medical evacuation insurance (for example, International SOS). Buy small gifts to bring to your students, assistants, Malagasy officials, and others that may help you (suggested gifts: caps, t-shirts, pens, playing cards, music tapes (few Malagasies have CD players)). Get 2 passport-sized photos (of you!).
6. At least one month before you plan to go to Madagascar, get started obtaining your visa (see Researcher Field Guide)
7. Email a copy of your flight itinerary to the ICTE/Antananarivo office, with a copy to the ICTE/Stony Brook office as soon as you purchase your tickets
8. Before you leave for Madagascar, confirm with the ICTE/Antananarivo office that your Research Permit has been approved by ANGAP and send a copy of the approval to the ICTE Program Officer at Stony Brook.
9. Once you arrive in Antananarivo, check in at the ICTE/Antananarivo office, meet the helpful staff, ask questions, and pay the ICTE/MICET Facilitation Fee.
10. Be sure to meet with traditional, government, DEF, and ANGAP officials in the local area where you will conduct research. Offer to talk to local school children, youth groups, village elders, or others about your research or related conservation issues. We suggest that you offer to give a presentation about your research to the local University (if you are working at Ranomafana National Park, you will give a presentation at the University of Fianarantsoa).
11. Do your research!
12. Before you leave Madagascar, write a brief exit report (2 pages) describing where and when your research was conducted and what was done, and outlining any results obtained so far. The ICTE/Antananarivo staff will translate the report into French and submit it to ANGAP for you. Also, meet with ANGAP officials for a debriefing. We suggest that you offer to give a presentation about your research to students and professors at the University of Antananarivo.
13. Upon returning home, send a copy of your exit report to the Program Officer at ICTE/Stony Brook.
14. Within 6-8 months of leaving Madagascar, submit a Final Report to the Program Officer at ICTE/Stony Brook. It will be sent to the ICTE/Antananarivo office for translation and then submitted to ANGAP. This final report might be a copy of a report sent to a sponsor.
15. Send 8 copies (5 for ANGAP, 3 for ICTE) of all publications to the ICTE/Stony Brook office.
Discuss your research plans with Dr. Patricia Wright and the staff of ICTE. Review the Project Budgets and Costs and the Permit Requirements. Be sure that your budget to sponsors includes all items.
2. At least three months before you plan to begin your research in Madagascar, prepare a draft of your ANGAP proposal and send it to the Program Officer at the ICTE/Stony Brook office for review. Please submit your ANGAP proposals by email or on a disk. We suggest that you prepare your ANGAP proposal at the same time that you submit proposals to sponsors. At this time, also send a signed waiver and liability release for each participant on you project.
3. If you plan to collect and/or export biological samples, include in your ANGAP prposal a preliminary list of samples that you expect to collect or export. Be generous in your estimates, but as specific as possible. (See our discussion on export and collection permits from DEF).
4. Revise you ANGAP proposal and submit the final copy (by email) to the Program Officer at the ICTE/Stony Brook office. This proposal will be sent to the ICTE/Antananarivo office and Centre ValBio. ICTE/Antananarivo office will provide translation into French and submission to ANGAP and DEF
5. Prepare for your trip to Madagascar. Learn some French and Malagasy. Be sure that you have international health insurance (required for all researchers facilitated by ICTE) and medical evacuation insurance (for example, International SOS). Buy small gifts to bring to your students, assistants, Malagasy officials, and others that may help you (suggested gifts: caps, t-shirts, pens, playing cards, music tapes (few Malagasies have CD players)). Get 2 passport-sized photos (of you!).
6. At least one month before you plan to go to Madagascar, get started obtaining your visa (see Researcher Field Guide)
7. Email a copy of your flight itinerary to the ICTE/Antananarivo office, with a copy to the ICTE/Stony Brook office as soon as you purchase your tickets
8. Before you leave for Madagascar, confirm with the ICTE/Antananarivo office that your Research Permit has been approved by ANGAP and send a copy of the approval to the ICTE Program Officer at Stony Brook.
9. Once you arrive in Antananarivo, check in at the ICTE/Antananarivo office, meet the helpful staff, ask questions, and pay the ICTE/MICET Facilitation Fee.
10. Be sure to meet with traditional, government, DEF, and ANGAP officials in the local area where you will conduct research. Offer to talk to local school children, youth groups, village elders, or others about your research or related conservation issues. We suggest that you offer to give a presentation about your research to the local University (if you are working at Ranomafana National Park, you will give a presentation at the University of Fianarantsoa).
11. Do your research!
12. Before you leave Madagascar, write a brief exit report (2 pages) describing where and when your research was conducted and what was done, and outlining any results obtained so far. The ICTE/Antananarivo staff will translate the report into French and submit it to ANGAP for you. Also, meet with ANGAP officials for a debriefing. We suggest that you offer to give a presentation about your research to students and professors at the University of Antananarivo.
13. Upon returning home, send a copy of your exit report to the Program Officer at ICTE/Stony Brook.
14. Within 6-8 months of leaving Madagascar, submit a Final Report to the Program Officer at ICTE/Stony Brook. It will be sent to the ICTE/Antananarivo office for translation and then submitted to ANGAP. This final report might be a copy of a report sent to a sponsor.
15. Send 8 copies (5 for ANGAP, 3 for ICTE) of all publications to the ICTE/Stony Brook office.
African Mobile Clinics
Mobile clinics are essential to animal welfare in Africa.
These clinics provide sterilisation and treatment for animals and advice for their owners.
PAWS Mauritius
The PAWS mobile clinic began operation in June 2002.
The clinic, with all its equipment, was donated by WSPA and The Marchig Animal Welfare Trust.
The mobile clinic covers the island with the help of volunteer veterinarians, offering free sterilisation of dogs and cats, and also treatment and advice.
The PAWS Team:
Animal Welfare Officer
The Animal Welfare Officer goes canvassing in the villages, explaining the benefits of sterilisation and taking the names of people who want to have their dogs or cats sterilised.
She distributes pamphlets outlining the precautions to be taken before and after the operation.
She also educates on animals‘ basic needs for food, water, shelter, love and attention.
Driver
The Driver responds to calls received during the day to pick up wounded, sick or abandoned animals around the island.
The driver also collects animals and their owners and takes them home after an operation.
Veterinarian
The Vet holds a surgery for owners who have called PAWS during the day.
The Vet will sterilise an average of 15 dogs and cats per day, male and female, and will also see up to 10 other owners who come to the clinic with sick or injured animals.
Vet Assistant
The Vet Assistant assists the Vet.
He or she is also responsible for cleaning the mobile clinic and the sterilization of the surgical equipment for the next day.
Mobile clinics are essential to animal welfare in Africa.
These clinics provide sterilisation and treatment for animals and advice for their owners.
PAWS Mauritius
The PAWS mobile clinic began operation in June 2002.
The clinic, with all its equipment, was donated by WSPA and The Marchig Animal Welfare Trust.
The mobile clinic covers the island with the help of volunteer veterinarians, offering free sterilisation of dogs and cats, and also treatment and advice.
The PAWS Team:
Animal Welfare Officer
The Animal Welfare Officer goes canvassing in the villages, explaining the benefits of sterilisation and taking the names of people who want to have their dogs or cats sterilised.
She distributes pamphlets outlining the precautions to be taken before and after the operation.
She also educates on animals‘ basic needs for food, water, shelter, love and attention.
Driver
The Driver responds to calls received during the day to pick up wounded, sick or abandoned animals around the island.
The driver also collects animals and their owners and takes them home after an operation.
Veterinarian
The Vet holds a surgery for owners who have called PAWS during the day.
The Vet will sterilise an average of 15 dogs and cats per day, male and female, and will also see up to 10 other owners who come to the clinic with sick or injured animals.
Vet Assistant
The Vet Assistant assists the Vet.
He or she is also responsible for cleaning the mobile clinic and the sterilization of the surgical equipment for the next day.
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