New population of world’s rarest lemur discovered in Madagascar

09/10/2009 09:56:49 Major discovery as less than 100 Greater Bamboo Lemur were thought to exist
October 2009. A scientific survey has found that the world's rarest lemur, the Greater Bamboo Lemur (Prolemur simus), now exists in more locations than was previously thought.

A scientific expedition into Madagascar's rainforest has found evidence showing that the Greater Bamboo Lemur - one of the most threatened primates with less than 100 thought to exist in the wild - exists in twice as many locations than was previously known. Some 30-40 Greater bamboo lemurs have been discovered at eleven new sites in the rainforests of Madagascar by a collaborative scientific expedition, doubling the number of locations from which it is known to occur. The new population of lemurs was discovered more than 400 kilometres (240 miles) from the only other place where the Critically Endangered species is known to live, raising hopes for its survival.

The discovery of the distinctive lemurs with jaws powerful enough to crack giant bamboo, their favourite food, occurred in 2007 in the Torotorofotsy wetlands of east central Madagascar, which is designated a Ramsar site of international importance under the 1971 Convention on Wetlands.

Population contains 30-40 animals
The researchers believe there are 30-40 greater bamboo lemurs in the Torotorofotsy wetland, which is far to the north of the isolated pockets of bamboo forest where the rest of the known populations of the species live. Habitat destruction from slash-and-burn agriculture and illegal logging threatens the previously known populations that total about 100 individuals, making the existence of the newly found lemurs in a distinct region especially valuable.

Thought to be extinct until 1980s
The Greater Bamboo Lemur was thought to be extinct until rediscovered in the early 1980s. It is in the only species within the Prolemur group, and current scientific knowledge indicates that it is the most endangered of all lemurs.

"Searching for the world's rarest and most elusive lemur in this remote forest was a big gamble" said Damian Aspinall of The Aspinall Foundation, "but sometimes that's what it takes to help save a species from the brink of extinction".

The research was undertaken by The Aspinall Foundation, Conservation International, Association Mitsinjo and GEPR.

Critically endangered Greater bamboo lemurs - Photo credit Tony King/Aspinall Foundation