Madagascar

Madagascar has been isolated for over 165 million years, creating a biodiversity resource of global significance. 80% of species on Madagascar are found nowhere else on earth including mouse lemurs, leaping sifaka lemurs, many reptiles and birds and a vast array of chameleons. However, since 1960, Madagascar's human population has doubled leading to increased deforestation and overgrazing which in turn has caused massive soil erosion and desertification. Only one tenth of the original forests remain and this situation is rapidly deteriorating.

Aims and Activities

The main aims of the are to trip to assess the biodiversity of this little-studied area and compare different habitat types and altitudes. This will involve compiling a species inventory, surveying mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians in the surrounding forest. In addition to scientific conservation work the team will be evaluating the impact of human population on the wildlife and will help to develop areas where communities can lead sustainable lifestyles. Members of the team go each week to the local villages to teach English to the local children, which gives the team the opportunity to let the community know what they are about and to educate them in conservation and sustainability.

This expedition is not an adventure holiday but a long-term, collaborative research and conservation programme. As a result of this programme, and others run by Frontier, important scientific papers have been published in International Journals such as Biological Conservation, Ambio and Oryx.

Frontier works with the local community with camps deep in the rainforest, and provides baseline data for monitoring populations of a vast variety of species which has helped to preserve and prevent three species from becoming extinct.

Getting there

I fly to Diego airport via Teeside, Paris and Johannesburg (I will pay for flight CO2 to be offset by ClimateCare.org) and then travel by boat to Ampompofo, followed by a four hour trek into the northern region of Babaomby. The bags and equipment will be carried by Zebu cart. Then there is a 7 km hike to get to the camp.

Brief note

Above is the information given to me by Frontier. The details are about the 2008 trip to Madagascar and outline what I'll be doing. The locations may change at the last minute (even after we've flown there) so there may be a few adjustments to this page. Details are very vague at this early time but this website will be kept up-to-date throughout.