European Association of Zoos and Aquaria

EAZA Madagascar Campaign 2006/7
- 'Arovako i Madagasikara'

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

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Madagascar information

The people

The people of Madagascar arrived only in the very recent past, as little as 2000 years ago. They are believed to be of Austronesian descent, and brought with them distinctive out-rigger canoes and rice growing practices. Today some 18 geographically distinct tribes are found on the island. The predominant belief system throughout much of the island has been animist, though Christianity, Buddhism and Islam are also represented.

Each tribal grouping has slightly different interpretations of the 'vintana', the religious rules which relate to the way they live. This can be of particular interest to conservationists as taboos or 'fady' are often linked to resource use, such as which animals are allowed to be hunted and in what way.

The Malagasy Government is striving to provide environmental protection for what they clearly recognise as a unique resource; the flora and fauna or the island. The president, Marc Ravalomanana, announced at the World Parks Congress in Durban (September 2003) that his government would increase the conservation protected areas on the island from 1.7 million hectares to 6 million hectares by 2008. At this same meeting President Ravalomanana stated that, "This is not just Madagascar's biodiversity, it is the world's biodiversity".

However, the people of Madagascar require assistance to achieve their goals. Areas with high population growth rates and high numbers of threatened species, such as Madagascar, have been highlighted in a recent report from the IUCN as places where conflicts between the needs of threatened species and that of the increasing human population are anticipated to rapidly intensify. A number of competing revenue sources such as mining and oil exploration could exacerbate the current forest declines. With a rapidly expanding population, the relatively new government has a number of pressures upon them to utilise their own resources. If the developed countries wish to assist the Malagasy people to conserve what can only be considered as a 'world heritage site' then sponsoring of sustainable use projects, in addition to habitat and ultimately species protection projects, must be continued or initiated, as well as providing ongoing training opportunities for young Malagasy scientists/conservationists.