Day Seventeen - a live tenrec at last!

Today’s meeting (day two of three) was again very interesting and informative. Ingrid gave an overview of current MFG research. Research topics across the two sites include ecoagriculture, invasive plant mapping and control methods, forest restoration, amphibian husbandry and disease monitoring, flora and fauna surveys and primate studies.

A particularly fascinating presentation was that of research partner Chris Golden, from Harvard University. He has been investigating bushmeat use in the communities around Betampona. He found that human consumption of wildlife was lower here than in his other study areas, although lemurs and other animal species were still hunted for food (an average of five animals per household per year).
MFG staff members Lala and Mamy told us about their work on invasive guava control methods (Lala) and propagation by cuttings of ebony and rosewood (Mamy). Lala’s research will contribute to his PhD thesis.
During the lunch break Martin Bauer from Zoo Zurich asked if I would show him where the giraffe-necked weevils were because he wanted to get some photographs. A couple of others also decided to come so we all went to the potager, where Martin (whose photographic equipment was seriously impressive!) spent quite some time getting the shots he wanted.

Just as the afternoon session of the meeting was about to start a tiny baby lowland streaked tenrec suddenly emerged from the flowerbed near the training centre. It was very determined to cross the courtyard to the edge of the forest and ran across the grass as fast as its little legs would carry it. At last I had seen a live tenrec!

Part of the conservation training centre is a laboratory which is managed by Veronique. After lunch Veronique took us for a tour of the lab and explained how it is used to support research (e.g. soil analysis) but how it is also a valuable resource for local secondary schools, few of which have lab facilities of their own. Veronique had developed several taught sessions which she delivers to students from these schools. Sometimes the students stay overnight at the dormitory and combine their lab lessons with fieldwork. Veronique also runs special ‘girls days’ which encourage girls to follow scientific career pathways.

We were due to go meet up in the evening for dinner but unfortunately I started to feel unwell again. I decided not to go into town and Britt and Christof also decided to stay back with me. We took a gentle stroll down in to the zoo once it was dark to visit the aye aye and to look for night creatures. We saw a number of frogs and snakes.

Britt brought a couple of bottles of beer to share over supper but by now my stomach was protesting quite a lot so I left them to their meal and retired to my room early.