- Madagascar Fauna Group
The Madagascar Fauna Group or MFG is an international consortium of zoos and other conservation agencies which pool together resources to help conserve animal species in Madagascar, through
captive breeding programs, field research programs, training programs for rangers and wardens, and acquisition and protection of native habitat inMadagascar . It is anon-governmental organization working in conjunction with the
Ministry of Water, Forests, and the Environment,Government of Madagascar . It is the organization behind theSave the Lemur campaign.Origins
The organization was formed in response to a plea by the Government of Madagascar to the international zoo community in
1987 to help conserve species and habitat in Madagascar and provide training and knowhow for such activities. The plea was made at a meeting held atSt. Catherines Island , Georgia,USA . Convened by theWildlife Conservation Society and the Conservation Breeding Specialist Group of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, it was attended by theDurrell Wildlife Conservation Trust (then Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust) headed byGerald Durrell ,Parc Zoologique et Botanique de Mulhouse , the Strasborg consortium, theDuke University Primate Center, and several US zoos. These institutions became the founding members of the group when it was formalized in1988 . The organization now has 39 member institutions [http://www.savethelemur.org/about-members.htm] . The two logos of the organization sport two of Madagascar's oft championed species for conservation - theRuffed Lemur and theAye-Aye .Goals
The six major goals of the MFG, as outlined in their mission statement, are :
*Providing training and support at
Parc Ivoloina , Madagascar's premier zoological park and resort. Support includes outreach and educational programs, and veterinary support.
*Protection of National Parks and Wildlife Reserves, notably theBetampona Reserve , where the MFG have started the re-introduction of captive-bredRuffed Lemur s into the wild.
*Promoting and funding field work pertaining to Madagascar fauna, flora and habitat. Cases in point are theSide-necked Turtle , theMadagascar Pond Heron and a range of lemur species.
*Managing captive breeding programs for Madagascar species in and outside Madagascar, co-ordinating amongst the various member organizations.
*Planning conservation goals in conjunction with theMadagascar National Parks Association
*Educating zoo visitors worldwide about Madagascar's biological heritageReferences
* [http://www.savethelemur.org/ MFG homepage]
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