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Pictured above: Work on the Belaoka school tree nursery
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| Dear DLC conservation supporters,
I hope this email finds everyone healthy and doing as well as can be expected in these challenging times. In an effort to keep our supporters updated on our continued conservation efforts in the US and Madagascar, we will send a short update once every month or two, starting with the progress in 2020. We want everyone to know that we continue to work towards our conservation goals, both here and in Madagascar, despite the difficulties posed by the current pandemic situation. We hope you will appreciate hearing from us more often, but you can easily be removed from future communications by clicking the "unsubscribe" button at the end of this email.
AUGUST 2020 DLC CONSERVATION UPDATE
Coronavirus in Madagascar – COVID-19 cases are unfortunately on a precipitous rise, particularly in the capital, Antananarivo, just recently reaching over 10,000 confirmed cases. We are extremely concerned for the people of Madagascar. For those of you who have traveled on our Madagascar tour, I thought you might want to know that our exceptional Malagasy guide Vy Raharinosy, was sick with COVID-19. The good news is that after being hospitalized, he is now out and his condition is considerably improved. Whew!
The loss of tourism has been catastrophic for the economy locally and nationally. The circumstances have led to increased pressure on protected areas, such as poaching and illegal logging. So far, due to its isolated nature, there have been only 20 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the SAVA region, where we concentrate our conservation work. We have continued our support of the Madagascar National Park service, including a recent patrol of remote areas that revealed logging, poaching, and the destruction of park boundary signs. With the local authorities, DLC-SAVA will assist in increased protection of these vulnerable hotspots.
Proposals for conservation efforts – During the last year, we searched for and identified a number of potential funding sources that would allow our conservation efforts in SAVA to expand. We were recently awarded a research seed grant from the Triangle Center for Evolutionary Medicine to support our agroecology research and development activities. DLC-SAVA program coordinator Dr. James Herrera has been unable to return to field work since Madagascar’s borders are currently closed, so we have used this time to submit seven grants already! We are hoping to have good news in that realm in the next update!
Lanto leading activities in SAVA – DLC-SAVA project coordinator Lanto Andrianandrasana and his family are doing well in Sambava. Lanto has managed to continue our education mission by hosting a booth displaying our work in the National Environment Day festivities, and by leading an environmental education workshop with local NGOs and teachers. In May, he hosted a fish-farming workshop, having renovated our demonstration pond at our partner village in Andapa, and restocked the pond with almost 400 fish. In June, he co-hosted an agroforestry training workshop with partners at a local public school and the university. Lanto continues to coordinate family planning interventions with the NGO Marie Stopes International every month to provide consistent services to the community. While James and I are in virtual communication with Lanto every week, Lanto is a seasoned and motivated conservationist and is well prepared to run project activities on his own.
New collaborations with CURSA – For years, DLC and CURSA, the university in SAVA region, have collaborated towards our mutual goals of conservation and education. For example, students have joined DLC researchers in field missions, DLC and CURSA have held workshops together in biodiversity and genetics, and we support two graduates with scholarships to earn their Masters degrees in the capital. We have identified several areas where we can collaborate with CURSA so that our activities have a greater reach. These include reforestation campaigns and evaluation of such projects. Further, we are partnering with CURSA to conduct workshops in sustainable farming, especially focused on nutrient-dense vegetables. DLC-SAVA and CURSA teams are visiting villages all over SAVA region to teach about vegetable gardening and regenerative agriculture, reaching 50 farmers in the month of July.
Donation of masks and COVID-19 infographics – Lanto organized a DLC-SAVA sponsored donation of masks and COVID-19 posters to one of the main hospitals in Sambava, in collaboration with a local youth volunteer group. Masks, posters, hand sanitizers, washing stations, and information on the pandemic are also distributed during all our project activities, including the family planning interventions.
Elodi has returned to Mada – Malagasy veterinarian Dr. Elodi Rambeloson arrived in Durham in March to train with DLC vets Dr. Bobby Schopler and Dr. Laura Ellsaesser. Elodi was finally able to return to Mada in July, more than a month later than originally planned. Elodi joined a charter repatriation flight for Malagasy citizens in the U.S., organized by the Malagasy embassy in Washington, D.C. Elodi is a research veterinarian at Anjajavy, a combination resort/reserve that we visit with the Duke Mada tours. Elodi also supports DLC researchers Dr. Marina Blanco and Dr. Lydia Greene, who conduct projects in Anjajavy.
Andrea implements a digital release of her Lemur Care Manual – DLC conservation specialist Andrea Katz was scheduled to travel to Madagascar in April, for the release of her painstakingly produced 75- page Lemur Care and Management Manual for Madagascar zoos. The manual, produced in French, is intended to improve captive lemur husbandry and management at licensed facilities in Mada. It covers nutrition, housing, veterinary care, record-keeping, wildlife laws, and more. Unfortunately, the coronavirus meant that the formal release of the print version had to be postponed, but the digital version of the manual was sent out to the Malagasy zoos and conservation colleagues. The manual was received with much appreciation, and plans are to distribute the print version in 2021. The creation of the manual and associated capacity building activities were undertaken in collaboration with Madagascar’s Ministry of the Environment and were supported by an AZA Conservation Grant, funded by the Disney Conservation Fund.
Bevan's work with Parc Ivoloina – Lead DLC Technician Bevan Clark returned from Madagascar in March, suddenly and sooner than expected due to the COVID-19 crisis. Bevan spent 6 months living and working at Parc Ivoloina, working with Malagasy keeper staff to assist with animal care in the zoo. She provided training and technical advice to develop new care protocols. She (and all of us) were very disappointed that her time at Ivoloina was so abruptly shortened by 4 months, but she continues to offer support to Ivoloina while back at work at DLC.
James and Laura give virtual presentations through the DLC's collaboration with ‘Exploring By The Seat Of Your Pants’ – With DLC closed to on-site visitors, we are striving to get our message out through a virtual collaboration with ‘Exploring By The Seat Of Your Pants’. Missed the live stream? You can still watch the videos on YouTube: James and Laura de Ara, DLC-SAVA Conservation Liaison.
Charlie participates in panels for Seneca Park Zoo’s Party Madagascar – Seneca Park Zoo in Rochester, NY has supported aspects of DLC-SAVA environmental education activities for years, and raises funds for that support via an annual “Party Madagascar.” This year the event was held virtually, and included panel discussions with reps from conservation projects that SPZ supports, including Charlie. A video of the short presentations and discussions can be found here.
Conservation gifts news - We'd like to thank and recognize some wonderful friends of the DLC's Madagascar conservation programs who made recent and truly significant commitments: Darren D. and Julie Harkness Cooke for their generosity in supporting several of our targeted impact gift Madagascar projects, and M.J. Chapman, who recently established a plan for her legacy gift to fund a named endowment to benefit Madagascar conservation programs in perpetuity. We're deeply honored by their generosity and passion for our work!
THANK YOU - Thanks a million for your interest and support of our DLC conservation activities. And if you haven’t yet had enough, check out the links below for additional Madagascar conservation news.
With our warmest regards,
Charlie the Duke Lemur Center's conservation team
Madagascar in the news:
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| Save the date for the Duke Lemur Center's virtual gala: October 9th - Given the projected $800,000+ in lost revenues as a result of the Duke Lemur Center's temporary closure due to COVID-19, our gala this fall will be a special virtual program focused upon raising much-needed funds to support our general operations. Although unrestricted funds are a priority, we will provide the opportunity for past Madagascar donors like you to designate their gala gift to Madagascar conservation. That in mind, be on the lookout for an email from Charlie in the coming weeks that will provide you a link to support the gala while also designating to Madagascar Conservation Programs. For now, we are definitely in need of auction items (such as artwork, hand-crafted items, experiences with an expert via Zoom, social-distance friendly opportunities) for our first-ever online auction! Read about the gala here. More information will be available in the coming weeks!
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Pictured above: World Environment Day celebration in the SAVA
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Pictured above: A family planning session in collaboration with Marie Stopes International
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Madagascar Giving Opportunities - To make a one-time or monthly gift to the DLC's Madagascar Conservation Programs, click on this DONATE button! For questions around conservation and other DLC giving opportunities, please email our Development Officer, Mary Paisley, at mary.paisley@duke.edu.
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