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Countries Appendix MADAGASCAR (11.0%) [Pictures from Madagascar] Madagascar, due to its isolation from the rest of the world, has tremendous biodiversity and high rates of endemic species: of over 200,000 known species found on Madagascar, about 150,000 exist nowhere else. Unique to the island are 32 species of lemurs [pictures] (there were once 48), 168 out of 170 species of frogs [pictures], and 33 species of tenrec, miniature hedgehog-like animals. However, it is one of the most threatened ecosystems on the planet. More than 80% of the forests are gone, half of them since the late 1950's, along with numerous unique species. The forests are disappearing primarily as a result of slash-and-burn agriculture ("tavy") for rice and cattle which form the backbone of the Malagasy economy. Each year, 772 square miles (2000 sq. km) are lost, a staggering amount considering the remaining forests (rainforest loss is estimated at 1.5% per year). The agricultural livelihood of the impoverished Malagasy people is further endangered by massive soil erosion which exceeds 400 tons of topsoil per hectare in some areas. Madagascar has become the focus of the international conservation community and the government has adopted a progressive conservation policy in the last few years that has resulted in the creation of six new protected parks. The newest of these, Masoala Park, set aside in 1996, is unique in that it has missed much of the destruction that has befallen Madagascar. Set on the Masoala Peninsula, the park protects part of Madagascar's largest remaining rainforest. However, this park, along with virtually every other park in Madagascar is disappearing. Local people hunt the protected lemurs and tenrics, cut fuelwood, and clear land within the reserves for agriculture. Ranomafana National Park, created to protected the golden bamboo lemur discovered in 1986, has declined by 33% (20,000 ha) in the four years creation in 1990, while the Ankarafantsika Reserve lost more than 10,000 hectares between 1989 and 1994. Wealthy entrepreneurs (often foreigners) pay local people to collect endangered reptiles and amphibians from the reserves, while development firms bribe the government so they can carry out logging and mining operations in the protected areas. Still, all these reserves are dependent on the cooperation of the Malagasy people, who do not understand why the state has moved to protect these precious forests. The Malagasy people resent the fact that conservation decisions are made in the capital city, Antananarivo, and the laws are passed on without any of their input. Because deforestation has been illegal for so long (forest conservation was even a priority back in the 1700s under native rulers), that some locals destroy forests as an act of disapproval of the actions of the always unpopular government. The locals would like to continue their slash-and-burn agriculture, hunting and trading of endangered species, and collection of fuelwood since it is the only way they know how to make a living. In order for conservation to be successful in Madagascar, the forests have to prove their worth in economic terms to the native people or else they will continue to exploit reserve lands. At this time, the government is trying to develop industries, like eco-tourism, that will make preservation worthwhile to the locals. Eco-tourism has tremendous potential for Madagascar if enough forest can be salvaged. With its varied landscape, bizarre and diverse plant and animal species, rich anthropological history, and some beautiful beaches, Madagascar could well become an eco-tourist hotspot in Africa before the end of the century. The greatest hindrance to the development of the industry is the poor infrastructure and lack of tourist development. Eco-tourism can directly fund conservation efforts, while providing a living for the impoverished Malagasy people. However the Malagasy government appears to be targeting beach tourists and not environmentally sensitive ecotourists, and is permitting explosive hotel expansion without giving consideration to the social and environmental impact. Corruption is also plaguing the collection of park fees and money that should return to the communities around reserves, is getting "lost" as it is sent to park headquarters in the capital. A second potential source of income for local peoples is the breeding and export of Malagasy plants and animals, notably reptiles and amphibians. Right now the export of reptiles and amphibians is poorly managed and directly leads to over-exploitation and probable extinction of some species. Many reptiles are illegally collected from reserves where they are becoming quite rare. Authorities know about the collectors, but corruption is rampant, and laws go unenforced. Currently, locals are paid about US$0.01 for each gecko [Gecko pictures] captured, while the exporter sells the animal for US$9-13 to US importers, where it retails for US$75. This system cannot be sustainable if villagers must catch 110 geckos to earn US$1: overharvesting is imminent. Instead, the implementation breeding programs and/or farms for the exotic pet trade could employ Malagasy peoples while satisfying market demand in a sustainable manner. The exportation of Malagasy reptiles and amphibians alone is estimated to have an economic potential over $US 1 million annually, or about equivalent to the foreign currency generated by clearing 39,500 acres (16,000 ha). In order to help he government pay off its debts, several debt-exchange programs have been arranged by conservation organizations with some success. The government appears eager to enact environmental protection as current environmental degradation drains the country's GDP by $290 million. However, the economic future for Madagascar is not bright and the country has been in economic decline despite the growth of other Sub Sahara African economies in recent years. USAID is supporting Madagascar's new Environmental Action Plan, a plan to save some 3.6 million hectares of land by conserving biodiversity, improving forest national park management, and increasing economic opportunities for locals who reside around the parks. The program encourages locals to work as park rangers, guides, and park guards. In addition, half of the park entrance fees go, theoretically, to the local community as do revenues from souvenir sales. Even though Madagascar has been accorded with the highest conservation priority in Africa by the WWF, forest still continues to fall, lemurs are hunted for food, and as much of one-third of the country burns every year. The economic, political, social, and environmental future looks as bleak as the barren, red, eroded desert [pictures of deforestation in Madagascar] that covers most of the country today. Those in control seem to be exporting anything and everything, whether it be sea cucumbers, shark fin, minerals, timber, or endangered species, that can be harvested from the country. Meanwhile local people continue to clear forest on more and more marginal lands for rice cultivation, zebu (cattle) pasture, sugar cane, bananas, and coconut. Others burn rainforest and the unique spiny forest of the Southwest for charcoal. Without making local people beneficiaries of conservation, they will continue to destroy the country's magnificent diversity. However, there are no guarantees that teaching villagers how to earn income without destroying the forest will have an effect; Ranomafana National Park was supposedly a well engineered, multiple-use reserve that would benefit local people. Today, much of the park has disappeared. With every patch of forest that falls, endemic species are extinguished. It is already too late for many of Madagascar's unique species, but with a great effort many can be saved. [The Death of Lac Alaotra] |
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