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Efforts like
these and many

others are

only possible
because of to purchase emergency supplies
our visitors, and timber to rebuild a village
bordering the reserve following
members, and a devastating fire. The mayor

donors. thanked us for our work on
their behalf.
On the botanical front,
the MFG received a Darwin
Initiative grant from the British government to secure
plants not currently found in protected areas as a hedge
against their extinction. We were honored to be there for
the dedication of the new facilities as part of the meetings
we attended. It was Madagascar’s rosy periwinkle plant that
provided the crucial alkaloids that have saved countless
cancer patients over recent decades.
Two 11-hour drives away, we found ourselves in the dry
forest of Ankaranfantsika National Park in the northwest.
This season, the zoo helped fund National Geographic
Explorer Dr. Luke Dollar and his team and also provided
three GPS collars to better understand the needs of island’s
top carnivore: the fosa – pronounced foose-uh and formerly
spelled fossa. This species is often persecuted by locals, but
it’s a key species in controlling some of the wild pigs and rats
that destroy rice fields and stored grains. A critical issue as
rice is life itself for the Malagasy people.
Harmon and I were with Dr. Luke Dollar and his team as
they caught the last fosa of the season as part of this research.
Efforts like these and many others are only possible because
of our visitors, members, and donors.
So what can you do to help Madagascar? Visiting and
supporting an accredited zoo is an easy first step. Because of
our supporters, Naples Zoo is able to fund everything from
discovering new species to patrolling rainforests. We support
a village school, distribute conservation education resources,
and reduce deforestation by funding Rocket Stoves that both
reduce the use of firewood and cooking time by 50 percent.
But the needs and opportunities surpass current resources.
We need your help to take what we’ve learned to expand
the good we can do. Madagascar simply cannot wait. Please
contact me at tim@napleszoo.org to bring hope to this
wondrous island. Learn more about the MFG and our other
programs at www.napleszoo.org/conserve.