Lemurs' Park

Lemurs' Park
18°57′S 47°21′E
Location	Ambatomirahavavy, Madagascar
Land area	5 ha (12 acres)
No. of species	9 lemurs
Website	www.lemurspark.com

Lemurs' Park (known locally as Parc de lémuriens à Madagascar) is a small botanical park of about 5 hectares with a tourist shop and restaurant, 22 km (14 mi) west of Antananarivo, Madagascar, midway between Antananarivo and the international airport on national road NB1. Visitors can get close to the wild lemurs (although touching and feeding is not permitted).

The park is located near the town of Ambatomirahavavy and lies between the main road and the Andromba river (a tributary of the Ikopa River). Most of the lemurs are free to roam, although there is also a caged quarantine area for the new arrivals and the nocturnal species. The lemurs are kept in the park by the regular supply of fresh fruit and food. There about 9 species of lemur (listed below).

The supervised/guided tour takes approximately one hour.

History

Established around 2000, Lemurs' Park is a private, 5 ha (12 acres) botanical park situated next to the Katsaoka River and between the villages of Fenoarivo and Imerintsiatosika, 22 km (14 mi) southwest of Antananarivo along RN1 (in the direction of Ampefy). It functions as a lemur reserve that gradually reintroduces captive-born lemurs back into nature. The park was founded by Laurent Amouric and Maxime Allorge, the grandson of Pierre Boiteau, Founding Director of the Tsimbazaza Zoo (Parc Botanique et Zoologique de Tsimbazaza) in Antananarivo.

Attractions

The park, which primarily consists of pine forest and bamboo vegetation, contains nearly 6,000 trees and more than 70 plant species endemic to Madagascar, all of which are segregated into separate climatic zones throughout the park. Lemurs' Park also has a vivarium which houses chameleons, radiated tortoises, iguanas and other lizards.

Lemurs' Park houses at least two species of cheirogaleid lemurs, which are small and nocturnal.

The main attraction, for which the park is named, are its free-ranging lemurs. There are nine species, seven of which are active during the day (diurnal) and two are active at night (nocturnal). Many of the lemurs are confiscated pets, and the staff work towards rehabilitating them for reintroduction into the wild.

Some of the lemurs found at Lemurs' Park as of 2013

Common name	Scientific name	Conservation status	Images
Black-and-white ruffed lemur	Varecia variegata	Critically endangered
Common brown lemur	Eulemur fulvus	Near threatened
Coquerel's sifaka	Propithecus coquereli	Endangered
Crowned sifaka	Propithecus coronatus	Endangered
Eastern lesser bamboo lemur	Hapalemur griseus	Vulnerable
Mongoose lemur	Eulemur mongoz	Critically endangered
Ring-tailed lemur	Lemur catta	Endangered

References

Literature cited

• Bradt, Hilary (2011). Madagascar: the Bradt Travel Guide (10th ed.). Bradt Travel Guides Ltd. ISBN 978-1-84162-341-2. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
• Mittermeier, R.A.; Louis, E.E.; Richardson, M.; Schwitzer, C.; et al. (2010). Lemurs of Madagascar. Illustrated by S.D. Nash (3rd ed.). Conservation International. ISBN 978-1-934151-23-5. OCLC 670545286.