Durrell's conservation work in Madagascar

Madagascar, situated off the coast of Mozambique in the Indian Ocean, is believed to be the oldest island on the planet.

The country is home to more than 200,000 species, and it's estimated that 90% are found nowhere else on Earth. Since 1986, Durrell has been working to protect Madagascar's most endangered wildlife and secure the future of nature-dependent communities.

Alongside the local government, NGOs and community partners, the team works across several important wetland and dry forest areas, all home to highly threatened native species, such as the ploughshare tortoise, Alaotran gentle lemur, and Madagascar pochard.

target species

programme sites

121,768+

hectares protected

What we're doing to help in Madagascar

Protecting the forests

Clearing forests for agriculture and charcoal burning are decimating important dry forest habitats across the country.

What we're doing to help

We work with local communities to improve the detection of illegal activities and facilitate the rapid response of authorities. We are also supporting replanting of lost forest through community-led reforestation and monitoring.
Promoting climate-smart agriculture

Slash and burn agriculture is a cyclic process where the forest is cut down, burnt and replanted. Crops are harvested and the land is left for four years before this process is repeated again and again.

What we're doing to help

We work with communities to promote the uptake of sustainable, climate smart agricultural practices that reduce the need to clear additional land and increase food security for the local communities.
Working with law enforcement

Demand from the international illegal pet trade is rapidly driving the ploughshare tortoise to extinction in the wild.

What we're doing to help

By working to improve the effectiveness of local law enforcement, and improving the financial security of local communities through savings groups, we aim to reduce the poaching and smuggling of tortoises.
Protecting freshwater turtles

The Madagascar big-headed turtle, known locally as "rere", declined rapidly in numbers due to habitat loss and hunting of the turtles and their eggs.

What we're doing to help

We work with local people to promote alternative food sources and coordinate a community-based nest protection programme to stop eggs from being taken during the nesting season.
Saving lemur habitat

Alaotran gentle lemurs are under threat from the illegal burning of their habitat for conversion to rice plantations and invasive species preventing the regeneration of remaining marshlands.

What we're doing to help

We work with communities in Alaotra to clear invasive plants from the marshes, promote alternative income generation activities that respect the environment, and restore degraded marsh habitats through planting.
Saving the world's rarest duck

Once thought extinct, the Madagascar pochard was rediscovered in 2006. Its population was so small that it would not be self-sustaining, and the species would have faced extinction without immediate conservation action.

What we're doing to help

A captive breeding programme was set up and Lake Sofia was identified as the best location to reintroduce the species. The team have been releasing ducks onto the lake since 2018, and are working to restore the marsh and aquatic plants.
Enabling good governance

Local associations are responsible for the management of the natural resources that are directly used by communities. A mixture of traditional (dina) and legal rules are used to govern these resources. But there are many cases where community members are unaware of the regulations, associations have limited power, and their members are increasingly dis-engaging. This is opening the way for external bodies, political interests, and wealthy people to abuse access to natural resources and exploit the communities.

What we're doing to help

Improving local governance through increased transparency increases community participation in development initiatives and local associations. We are supporting local associations through training in good governance, raising their profile within the community and supporting local associations’ capacity to advocate for protection of local resources.

Our partners

Our team in Madagascar are working to protect the Alaotran gentle lemur, bokiboky, Durrell's vontsira, giant jumping rat, Madagascar flat-tailed tortoise, Madagascar pochard, Madagascar pond heron, Madagascar big-headed turtle, Madagascar teal, Meller's duck and the ploughshare tortoise.

Watch the Durrell Lecture: The Magic of Madagascar to find out how our team is rising to meet the challenges of protecting some of the rarest animals on the planet.

Watch now

Enabling Change: Improving wellbeing for nature-dependent communities in Madagascar

Saving species from extinction in their natural habitat almost always means securing the futures of people whose lives depend on those habitats. Growing populations and global interests are rapidly using up our natural resources faster than they can be replenished, and this loss is felt most by local and indigenous peoples who rely on natural resources for their daily survival. Enabling Change, supported by Jersey Overseas Aid, aims to enhance the wellbeing of over 2,000 nature-dependent households in 20 communities through improved food security, reproductive health, local governance, and better access to community finance schemes.

Watch the films Read more

Madagascar

Madagascar, situated off the coast of Mozambique in the Indian Ocean, is believed to be the oldest island on the planet.

What we're doing to help in Madagascar

Protecting the forests

Clearing forests for agriculture and charcoal burning are decimating important dry forest habitats across the country.

What we're doing to help

We work with local communities to improve the detection of illegal activities and facilitate the rapid response of authorities. We are also supporting replanting of lost forest through community-led reforestation and monitoring.

Promoting climate-smart agriculture

Slash and burn agriculture is a cyclic process where the forest is cut down, burnt and replanted. Crops are harvested and the land is left for four years before this process is repeated again and again.

What we're doing to help

We work with communities to promote the uptake of sustainable, climate smart agricultural practices that reduce the need to clear additional land and increase food security for the local communities.

Working with law enforcement

Demand from the international illegal pet trade is rapidly driving the ploughshare tortoise to extinction in the wild.

What we're doing to help

By working to improve the effectiveness of local law enforcement, and improving the financial security of local communities through savings groups, we aim to reduce the poaching and smuggling of tortoises.

Protecting freshwater turtles

The Madagascar big-headed turtle, known locally as "rere", declined rapidly in numbers due to habitat loss and hunting of the turtles and their eggs.

What we're doing to help

We work with local people to promote alternative food sources and coordinate a community-based nest protection programme to stop eggs from being taken during the nesting season.

Saving lemur habitat

Alaotran gentle lemurs are under threat from the illegal burning of their habitat for conversion to rice plantations and invasive species preventing the regeneration of remaining marshlands.

What we're doing to help

We work with communities in Alaotra to clear invasive plants from the marshes, promote alternative income generation activities that respect the environment, and restore degraded marsh habitats through planting.

Saving the world's rarest duck

Once thought extinct, the Madagascar pochard was rediscovered in 2006. Its population was so small that it would not be self-sustaining, and the species would have faced extinction without immediate conservation action.

What we're doing to help

A captive breeding programme was set up and Lake Sofia was identified as the best location to reintroduce the species. The team have been releasing ducks onto the lake since 2018, and are working to restore the marsh and aquatic plants.

Enabling good governance

What we're doing to help

Our partners

Enabling Change: Improving wellbeing for nature-dependent communities in Madagascar

Where we work

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