Madagascar’s forests are home to many amazing unique plants and animals, including the lemurs and radiated tortoises featured along the Minnesota Zoo’s Tropics Trail. These forests are also disappearing and many of their animals are among the most endangered in the world. Environmental education is key to reducing these threats, so we supported the Azafady Conservation Programme’s (ACP) environmental education activities in Sainte Luce, Madagascar to help children 1) become aware of the unique environment around them, 2) understand the importance of and processes necessary for the ongoing maintenance of healthy forest ecosystems, 3) have a sense of ownership and pride in relation to local forest fragments and species and 4) respect the local forest ecosystem and encourage resource sustainability.
Using funds from the Ulysses S. Seal Conservation grant, ACP helped Sainte Luce school children produce conservation storybooks and artwork featuring the adventures of “Vony the Variky” (Vony the Red-Collared Brown Lemur), establish the conservation “Club Atsatsaky” (Gecko Club) featuring the local endemic and Critically Endangered (IUCN) Phelsuma antanosy gecko as its logo, and provide Club Atsatsaky with two popular field trips to the Nahampoana Lemur Reserve where about 100 children were able to see crocodiles, radiated tortoises, eggs of the now extinct “Elephant Bird”, unique plants, and five species of lemur.
This grant was championed by Tropics Trail Zookeeper Cathy Schlegel.
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