Threatened biodiversity and ecosystems in Madagascar

Nearly 20% of known animal species and 60% of known plant species in Madagascar are already threatened with extinction, and ecosystems are continuing to decline at alarming rates, with 44% decline in forest cover since the 1950s. Reaching almost 2,000 hectares, the littoral forests of Sainte Luce are considered to be amongst the largest and most intact examples of this threatened habitat type remaining in Madagascar. The area has high levels of biodiversity, and locally endemic species are still being discovered. This diversity is set against a backdrop of continuing forest fragmentation, pressure on natural resources and the constant threat of planned large-scale mining. Nearly 80% of the human population lives below the international poverty line and communities in rural Madagascar are often dependent on declining forest resources.

Our Solutions

The mission of SEED’s Conservation Programme is to conserve the biodiversity, and sustainably manage natural resources, of the Sainte Luce ecosystem in a way that engages and benefits local communities. Our current projects are: Project Ala (protecting habitat for Endangered lemurs); Project Rufus (increasing awareness for long-term survival of flying fox bats); Project Palms (protect conservation of 6 Red List palm species in Sainte Luce); Research on the potential new species of leaf chameleon; and Project Oratsimba (protection of lobsters from overfishing). To learn more about these projects, please visit our conservation pages.

Long-term sustainable conservation

SEED Madagascar has been conducting conservation research and community-based conservation actions in the littoral forest fragments of the Anosy region for 20 years. Each of our projects is designed to fit into our long-term conservation, bringing greater stability and long-term focus. This year has seen many challenges, with the COVID-19 pandemic interrupting long-term population monitoring, reducing staff capacity, and suspending the short-term volunteer programme that builds capacity within the research programme. Your support for this appeal will go to our range of conservation-based projects supporting biodiversity where it's needed most.

We thank you kindly for considering this appeal that aims to conserve and improve the threatened biodiversity and ecosystems within Madagascar. Your generosity will be felt by many.