Initial Reintroduction of the Aye-Aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis) in Anjajavy Reserve, Northwestern Madagascar
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Madagascar’s biodiversity is imperiled by habitat loss and degradation. Furthermore, species may be locally extirpated due to targeted hunting or disease. Translocating at-risk individuals to areas devoid of the species may be an effective conservation intervention. The aye-aye, Daubentonia madagascariensis, is uniquely susceptible to hunting pressure due to a cultural superstition. In June 2018, we reintroduced two aye-ayes in the Anjajavy Reserve, a dry deciduous forest in northwestern Madagascar. The translocated individuals, an adult female and juvenile offspring, were rescued from a neighboring forest that was subjected to pressure from fires and logging. We safely secured and transported the ayeayes to Anjajavy and put them in a quarantine enclosure, where they were subjected to biomedical and behavioral monitoring. After release in the adjacent, protected forest, we conducted postrelease monitoring of the adult female using radio-tracking and scan sampling to determine ranging and activity patterns. We conducted behavioral observations from October 2018 to February 2019 and collected sleeping site data from October 2018 to September 2019. The female aye-aye fed on local resources including Canarium sp. seeds. During the study period, the aye-aye used 31 nests, occupied a home range of approximately 85 ha and traveled, on average, at a pace of 320 m/h. Our findings are comparable with published data on wild aye-ayes in other regions of Madagascar and provide support for future reintroductions of adult aye-ayes, and potentially other endemic species to the natural and protected habitats of Anjajavy.
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| All Time | Past Year | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 176 | 60 | 9 |
| Full Text Views | 22 | 4 | 0 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 36 | 6 | 0 |
Initial Reintroduction of the Aye-Aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis) in Anjajavy Reserve, Northwestern Madagascar
In: Folia PrimatologicaSearch for other papers by Elodi Rambeloson in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Jean-Basile Andriambeloson in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Hoby A. Rasoanaivo in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Roger E. Ramarokoto in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Prosper in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Cédric de Foucault in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
null
Search for other papers by Lydia K. Greene in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
null
Search for other papers by Marina B. Blanco in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Madagascar’s biodiversity is imperiled by habitat loss and degradation. Furthermore, species may be locally extirpated due to targeted hunting or disease. Translocating at-risk individuals to areas devoid of the species may be an effective conservation intervention. The aye-aye, Daubentonia madagascariensis, is uniquely susceptible to hunting pressure due to a cultural superstition. In June 2018, we reintroduced two aye-ayes in the Anjajavy Reserve, a dry deciduous forest in northwestern Madagascar. The translocated individuals, an adult female and juvenile offspring, were rescued from a neighboring forest that was subjected to pressure from fires and logging. We safely secured and transported the ayeayes to Anjajavy and put them in a quarantine enclosure, where they were subjected to biomedical and behavioral monitoring. After release in the adjacent, protected forest, we conducted postrelease monitoring of the adult female using radio-tracking and scan sampling to determine ranging and activity patterns. We conducted behavioral observations from October 2018 to February 2019 and collected sleeping site data from October 2018 to September 2019. The female aye-aye fed on local resources including Canarium sp. seeds. During the study period, the aye-aye used 31 nests, occupied a home range of approximately 85 ha and traveled, on average, at a pace of 320 m/h. Our findings are comparable with published data on wild aye-ayes in other regions of Madagascar and provide support for future reintroductions of adult aye-ayes, and potentially other endemic species to the natural and protected habitats of Anjajavy.
| All Time | Past Year | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 176 | 60 | 9 |
| Full Text Views | 22 | 4 | 0 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 36 | 6 | 0 |