2007/01/01 by Elizabeth A. Kelley, Robert W. Sussman, Kathleen M. Muldoon · 1 citation
Psychology · Environmental Science · #Primate Behavior and Ecology #Wildlife Ecology and Conservation #Amphibian and Reptile Biology #Lemur #Primate #Lemur catta #Geography #Ecology #Population #Fauna #Distance sampling #Habitat #Biology #Demography
paper · pdf · doi:10.1896/052.022.0105
openalex publication_date 2007/01/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/19
Antserananomby Forest was once a refuge of the rare deciduous flora of western Madagascar. Through primate studies that were conducted in the late 1960s and early 1970s, it was discovered that the primate density and diversity in this forest was greater than any other known in western Madagascar. Although research at Antserananomby ceased in the 1980s, satellite images from 2000 indicated that the forests were still intact. In August 2004, we returned to Antserananomby to determine whether this site could feasibly become a location for long-term primate research and to assess whether efforts should be initiated to establish Antserananomby Forest as a national reserve. In addition to general assessments, we conducted diurnal primate surveys using the line transect sampling method. We found that the 8.6 ha of Antserananomby Forest have since been cleared. Due to recent demographic and attitudinal changes in the local human population, the surrounding forests are regularly burned, and at least some of the lemur species are hunted with lemur traps, dogs, and sling shots. In addition, the population densities of especially Eulemur fulvus rufus and Lemur catta, but also of Propithecus verreauxi verreauxi, Phaner furcifer, and Lepilemur ruficaudatus, have declined appreciably. We conclude that although all of the primate fauna appear to be present, the current rate of deforestation at Antserananomby is unsustainable. If no action is taken to conserve what is left and restore what has been lost, then the forests in this region and their inhabitants are likely to soon disappear.