Black and white ruffed lemur, one of 112 species of lemur that occur exclusively in Madagascar. Photo by Mathias Appel
Madagascar is home to some incredible wildlife. Many of the animals in Madagascar occur nowhere else on Earth. Among them are lemurs– a group of primates that resemble monkeys but are in fact their own distinct group. But, unfortunately, these remarkable animals are facing enormous challenges.
Dr. Jonah Ratsimbazafy. Photo courtesy of Current Conservation.
Dr. Jonah Ratsimbazafyis a primatologist who is from Madagascar and is considered one of the world’s experts on lemurs and is helping lead the fight to protect them. He is the President of the International Primatological Society and is Co-founder and President of the Madagascar Primate Study and Research Group at the University of Antananarivo, or GERP. He is a member of the African Academy of Sciences and a National Geographic Explorer. He also works with the Houston Zoo as Director of their in-country Madagascar program.
Ring-tailed lemurs. Photo by Mathias Appel
More information about Madagascar's lemurs and the work that Jonah Ratsimbazafy is doing to protect them:
Madagascar Primate Study and Research Group
International Primatological Society
Houston Zoo’s Madagascar program
Baobab trees at sunset, Madagascar. Photo from Wikipedia Commons