Destruction worsens in Madagascar - Lemur carnage & large-scale illegal deforestation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXVBb87wnkQ

Armed bands are decimating rain-forest reserves in northeastern Madagascar, killing lemurs and intimidating conservation workers, despite widespread condemnation by international environmental groups.

Several local sources report large-scale logging of valuable hardwoods in Mananara-Nord Biosphere Reserve, Masoala National Park, and Makira.

"The terrestrial part of Mananara biosphere has been devastated," a Malagasy source told mongabay.com. "[Villagers] have been threatened with beheading if they continue to embarrass the bolabolists [illegal timber-cutters]. The message came from the timber barons of Antalaha.

Several hundreds of cutters are now in the Biosphere of Mananara carrying official forms with all necessary signatures."

The timber mafia is also threatening and intimidating park authorities. According to National Radio Maroantsetra a park ranger from ANGAP (Madagascar's protected areas agency) had both of his feet broken by representatives of timber barons of Mananara.

Loggers are reportedly hunting lemurs and birds for immediate consumption as well as for sale in commercial markets in towns. The news comes just hours after Conservation International released troubling pictures showing piles of lemurs killed for the restaurant trade in northeastern Madagascar.

*The critically endangered lemurs are being poached have an approximate 'value' of $0.50 each... FIFTY-CENTS FOR EACH LEMUR SLAUGHTERED. http://news.mongabay.com/2009/0820-lemurs.html

THESE SMALLL & DEFENCELESS CREATURES ARE BEING 'SMOKED' & SOLD AS A "LUXURY" IN RESTURANTS.

http://ecoworldly.com/2009/08/21/endangered-lemurs-slaughtered-smoked-and-sold-t...

Besides hunting, threats include logging, gold mining, slash-and-burn agriculture and uncontrolled fires.

According to a recent press release, Dr. Russ Mittermeier, president of CI, said, “What is happening to the biodiversity of Madagascar is truly appalling, and the slaughter for these delightful, gentle, and unique animals is simply unacceptable.

This brutal slaughter is not for subsistence, but rather to serve what is certainly a “luxury” market in restaurants of larger towns in the region.” Mittermeier went on to say that an entire population could be destroyed within weeks!

The killing of these amazing creatures threatens their very existence. The lemurs are on the IUCN Red List http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/8199/0

http://www.wildmadagascar.org/wildlife/lemurs.html

The problems are worsening. "New people are arriving every day," said a source. "There are no gendarme [police] in the area."

"Things are very bad inside the Masoala, around Maroantsetra and Mananara. The rosewood cutters are more numerous than ever, the logging area is spreading toward the South.

Sources say the situation has improved in Marojejy National Park, where logging first broke out during the turmoil following the March coup. Widespread reporting of problems in Marojejy apparently persuaded the government to send police to patrol the area.