Since 2014, the population of greater bamboo lemurs in Madagascar has increased by a factor of 2.5.
Helpsimus is a French association whose mission is to save the greater bamboo lemur (Prolemur simus) in Madagascar by implementing a conservation programme called “Bamboo lemur” that combines scientific monitoring of the species, protection of its habitat, development aid for villages near groups of greater bamboo lemurs and funding for children’s education.
When the association was founded in 2009, the greater bamboo lemur was on the brink of extinction, with the species numbering only some one hundred individuals, making it the most endangered lemur in Madagascar. The Bamboo lemur programme was launched following the discovery of new groups in an unprotected area. Although the species is still critically endangered, its population has increased by a factor of 2.5 since 2014; it is the only lemur species whose numbers are increasing thanks to conservation efforts.
The Audemars Piguet Foundation for Trees has been providing support for the Bamboo lemur conservation programme started in 2019, with the funding of two initial phases. The third phase, which was supported by the Foundation until 2023, focuses on strengthening the protection of the largest wild population of the species (more than 650 specimens out of a total of around 1,500), which lives in an unprotected area and in an environment that has been extremely degraded by slash-and-burn farming.
The inhabitants of the region are very poor farmers who depend entirely on the land they cultivate. Although the greater bamboo lemur feeds almost exclusively on bamboo, it can opportunistically supplement its diet with cultivated plants, causing conflict with local farmers.
The aim of the third phase of the conservation programme is to strike a balance between the needs of humans and those of lemurs, so that local communities and wildlife can live together harmoniously, while guaranteeing the sustainable management of natural resources and the sustainable development of communities. To achieve this goal, the project aims to resolve conflicts between lemurs and local farmers; provide local communities with sufficient resources to limit their impact on the lemurs’ habitat; and support children’s education to raise their awareness of the importance of preserving their environment and empower them to protect their remarkable biodiversity in adulthood.
