Madagascar's Bamboo Lemurs Fight For Survival

The tiny bamboo lemur—so-named because its powerful jaws can chew through tough bamboo—is found in Madagascar, the African island that is home to more endangered species per mile than any other country in the world. The bamboo lemur was actually believed to be extinct for nearly 50 years before it was rediscovered in 1972. But it’s revival may be temporary—the lemur’s rainforest habitat is being slash and burnt for agriculture.

On current evidence, this species may have the smallest population size of any lemur on the island. Only about 12 groups, totaling less than 100 individuals, have been documented in over 20 years of regional surveys. During 400 days of IUCN census work in Ranomafana, only three groups in total have been detected (with a maximum of 20 individuals confirmed) , and they continue to be threatened by illegal hunting as well as habitat loss due to logging and the burning of forests for agricultural purposes.