21 July 2016
Madagascar is an island in the Indian Ocean, located off south-east Africa. It broke away from the mainland 165 million years ago and has since developed its own unique flora and fauna. 70 % of the species found on Madagascar are endemic to the island, i.e. they are found nowhere else in the world except here. This includes lemurs, among others. Unfortunately, much of Madagascar's wildlife is under threat, partly because it is one of the poorest countries in the world. Animal habitats are being destroyed in search of new farmland, forests are being cut down for firewood and timber to build houses, etc.
The zoo is a member of AEECL, which stands for Association Européenne pour l Étude et la Conservation des Lémuriens. In English they are called The lemur conservation association. Their mission is to gain a better understanding of Madagascar's lemurs and work on conservation, research and breeding, as well as protecting their natural habitats.
Since the late 1980s, AEECL has been involved in and funded research. In 2004, a research station was set up in Sahamalaza-an area of Madagascar that AEECL focuses on. It wants to learn more about lemur ecology and behaviour and is working with zoos and others to gather information. This research helps conservation efforts both in-situ (in the field) and ex-situ (in zoos, for example), as it optimises animal welfare and ensures proper breeding.
At Parken Zoo we have three species of lemurs: the red-bellied lemur, the ring-tailed lemur and the alaotral lemur.