The Conservation Management of Coquerel's Sifaka in Madagascar - Essay Example

There are natural and artificial threats that continue to affect these primates to date. The Coquerel's Sifaka is not an exception; it had listed an IUCN endangered animal. It has been known to have dramatically decreased in numbers for the last 30 years (Nowak, 1999). This has been attributed to depreciation in its natural habitat due to the invasion of man in the forests.

Fires caused by nature and man are a menace to the animal since it derives its upkeep from the very vegetation and forest that is destroyed in the process. Hunting is another threat that is posed to the species as the human populations continue to rise.

Conservation

The government on the island has several Nature Reserves and special reserves in place so as to conserve the most endangered ecological habitats. The two significant National Parks where these primates can be found are the Ankarafantsika National Park and the Bora Special Reserve (Wallis, 1997).

Communities have also been involved in the task of trying to protect the lemurs. They have been educated on the special needs and behaviors of Coquerel's Sifaka and how to coexist peacefully with them. There are various proposals by the Malagasy government that are aimed at putting structures in place to help identify the most viable and practical ways of conservation. This has led to the establishment of data pools containing information on various species, their habitats, and behaviors. In addition, the public is made aware of various development strategies instigated for those animals that may be caught.

Key collaborations have been instrumental in ensuring that conservation efforts are sustained on a long-term basis. This was evident in the the1986 Government Conference that focused on the conservation of the diverse ecosystems present in Madagascar by devising new and effective management systems. In addition, there was a project plan in 1986 to investigate the protected areas and come up with ways of better enhancing their rich biodiversity (Richard, 1978).

Conclusion

The Coquerel's Sifaka can be said to survive longer with the passing of generations if the above efforts continue. However, it has been reported that hunting has been in the extreme in Ankarafantsika for this particular species while the Bora forest is dying at an alarming rate. The species, also found in other areas, face danger from the human population that is encroaching fast. Environment conservation should be the concern of every person. It poses the greatest threat to both humans and animals. The threat posed to lemurs is an indication of the extent to which destructive activities can harm the environment (Mittermeier, 1992). The ecological setup should be maintained at the optimum to ensure the survival of all species.