Lemurs are a family of primate found only on the African island of Madagascar. Most species of lemur are in danger of going extinct, as indicated by a report from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Of the 103 species of lemur in Madagascar, 94 species are at risk, which is double the number of lemurs at risk of extinction on the 2005 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
23 species are assessed as “Critically Endangered”, the highest risk category for species still found in the wild
52 species were classified at “Endangered”, which is the second highest risk category for threatened species
19 species were classified as “Vulnerable”, the third highest risk category
Christoph Schwitzer, the Head of Research at Bristol Zoo Gardens and a member of the IUCN Species Survival Commission’s Primate Specialist Group, says that the numbers indicate that “Madagascar has, by far, the highest proportion of threatened species of any primate habitat region or any one country in the world…we now believe that lemurs are probably the most endangered of any group of vertebrates.”
Lemur extinction is a threat to Madagascar’s biodiversity and to the Malagasy people
Recent political instability in Madagascar has played a large role in losing important lemur conservation projects and an increase in detrimental activities such as hunting lemurs and illegal logging
Ecotourism and conservation funds are returning to Madagascar as people become aware of the country’s plentiful and unique biodiversity, including the richest primate diversity on the planet
New species of lemurs continue to be discovered in Madagascar, including a species of mouse lemur
Centre Valbio, a new, cutting edge research station in Ranomafana National Park recently opened and will help study Madagascar’s wildlife, including the several species of lemur that live within the park
Want to learn more? Read the full story: 91% of Madagascar’s lemurs threatened with extinction
For more information on Centre Valbio, click here: http://news.mongabay.com/2012/0702-centre-valbio.html