Leaping with Lemurs Through Madagascar

We are excited to share Juliette Nye’s experience below, funded by Dr. Tom Mack

Once we arrived in Ranomafana National Park, we unloaded all of our gear at Centre ValBio, our “home away from home” in Madagascar where we sorted through our research materials and prepared ourselves for the trip to Mangevo, the research site where there is a long-standing study on a large group of Black and White Ruffed Lemurs (Varecia variegata), a lemur species classified as critically endangered by the IUCN. But before the hike to Mangevo, we had other important business to attend to: there were two small, malnourished lemurs being housed at Centre ValBio that were victims of the pet trade and part of a recent confiscation. The team and I got to evaluate these little lemurs with general physical exams. I learned that lemurs (like many animals) tend to get cold while sedated or under anesthesia, so while they were waking up we had to hold them inside of our coats to keep them warm! What a shame!

I am so grateful that I was able to have this unforgettable experience. I have the utmost admiration for the Malagasy field team, Dr. Junge, and Dr. Baden. Their dedication to conservation of the Black and White Ruffed Lemur and furthering lemur health is truly extraordinary.