On July 13th the group went to the University of Antanarivo for several lectures from prominent individuals. The first lecture was from Joelisoa Ratirarson, PH.D about the protected area systems of Madagascar. Considering that the Madagascar is a biological hotspot there is some interest in conserving the natural ecosystems that are left. Some notable examples include the largest moth, Comet Moth, and an unique example of butterfly called the Dead Wing Butterfly, looks like a dead leaf. The Durban Vision in 2003 promised 6 million Hectares in protected areas but this goal was not reached, or protected by law, until 2015. The second lecture was by Willian Jungers and was called “The Evolution and Recent Extinction of “Giant Lemurs” on Madagascar.” There was many different types of extinct lemurs such as the “Koala Lemurs” Megaladapis, “Monkey Lemurs” Archaeo sp. And “Sloth Lemurs” sp. Babakotia sp. Palaeopropithicus sp. Archaeoindris sp. William Juggers suggest that a combination of climate changes and negative human interaction caused the extinction of these species based on the credible facts from carbon dating the “sub” fossils that were found and the relative times that people first arrived on the island.
The university has many cool specimens stored like the Latimeria chalumnae (above) and jars full of snakes (below). Fun fact, there is no poisonous land snake in Madagascar.
