14 DAY TRIAL // News from Madagascar says that ring-tailed lemurs living in this part of the world are now one step closer to going extinct.
Thus, a new report issued by the IUCN Primate Specialist Group's Madagascar Section says that the species is no longer a near-threatened one. On the contrary, ring-tailed lemurs in said country are presently endangered.
Mongabay reports that, according to investigations carried out by wildlife researchers, these animals risk falling off the biodiversity map due to the fact that they are running out of space to “move it move it.” Otherwise put, humans have destroyed a large portion of their habitat.
The same source tells us that, apart from having their homes destroyed, ring-tailed lemurs are caught and sold as pets. Apparently, most of the baby and juvenile lemurs that fall victim to the wildlife trade are sold either to hoteliers or to tourists.
Although the species is listed as a protected one, it appears that local authorities are having a difficult time enforcing the law and protecting them from traffickers.
The only good news is that, as of recently, officials in Madagascar have started carrying out raids and confiscating the ring-tailed lemurs that some people keep as pets. The confiscated animals are sent to a local sanctuary.
Lastly, ring-tailed lemurs in Madagascar are in danger of going extinct due to bushmeat hunting. Thus, it appears that many people in the area have developed a taste for smoked lemur meat.
According to Lisa Gould, a professor of anthropology at the University of Victoria, things are so bad that lemurs might go extinct in the wild in about 10 years' time.
Conservationists say that, if the species is to escape extinction, efforts must be made to educate local communities about the need to protect them.