Archived press release

Madagascar mine threatens new lemur species

7 May 1996

Friends of the Earth has renewed calls on giant mining conglomerate RTZ to withdraw from a proposed mining project in south-eastern Madagascar as the true costs of the project become clearer following the discovery that a possible new' species of lemur could be hastened towards extinction [1]. Should RTZ's mining project go ahead, around 6,280 hectares of irreplaceable forest will be lost taking with it the habitat of the already threatened Collared Brown Lemur (Eulemur fulvus collaris) [2].

The Collared Brown Lemur is found in the remaining coastal and rainforests of southeastern Madagascar and ranges from the Mananara River south to Fort Dauphin which will be at the heart of the proposed mining area. The European Endangered Species Panel has named the Collared Brown Lemur as the highest priority species to breed in captivity and, according to current research being carried out at the University of Strasbourg, there is a possibility that the Collared Brown Lemur could be a newly identified species in its own right.

According to John Buchan, a lemur expert at London Zoo, the mine, if it went ahead, could lead to the extinction of the lemur.

The removal of the coastal forests near Fort Dauphin will have severe implications for the future of this sub-species of lemur which is only found in South-eastern Madagascar. A proper census of the population of Collared Brown Lemur hasn't even been carried out and I am very concerned about the conservation status of this animal.'

Madagascar is renowned for its thousands of endemic species of plants and animals and has been hailed as a living laboratory with its unique plant life and 34 endemic species of chameleon. However, the country is best known for its lemurs and is the world's highest major primate conservation priority with dozens of endemic species and sub-species of lemur.

Sarah Tyack of Friends of the Earth said:

Destroying these unique forests for the sake of a quick profit is madness. The international community should mobilise resources for developments that will help and not wreck the local economy and irreplaceable wildlife'.

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS:

[1] RTZ's wholly owned Canadian subsidiary, QIT Fer et Titane, is developing plans to mine mineral sands deposits on the south-eastern coast of Madagascar in a joint venture with the Malagasy Government. The mineral sands deposits contain ilmenite, a major source of titanium dioxide (TiO2) which is used to produce white pigment. The ilmenite will be extracted by surface wet dredge over an area of about 6300 hectares which includes unique coastal littoral forests.

[2] The natural habitat of the E. f collaris is the coastal forests and rainforests of South-eastern Madagascar and the primary threat to its survival is habitat destruction. The only protected area in which it is known to occur naturally is Parcel 1 of the Andohahela Special Reserve. There are no population figures for this lemur available and using the latest IUCN Red List criteria, this species has been placed in the Vulnerable category.

For a print of the Collared Brown Lemur please call Sarah Tyack

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust