Vol. 15 - Deutsches Primatenzentrum

Lemur News Vol. 15, 2010 Page 23
countered in such "virgin" internodes support this hypothesis.Reasons
for this might either be a search for drinking water,
or the search and detection of insect larvae which develop
inside these internodes and which have not yet made a
hole to emerge.
(4) As a fourth and highly speculative hypothesis, the aye-aye
may gnaw holes into "virgin" bamboo segments (or increase
the size of pre-existing holes) as part of a long-term feeding
strategy in which such holes are produced to make the bamboo
segment suitable for colonization by arthropods and
frogs. This would enable the aye-aye to "harvest" its food
during a subsequent visit to the site several days later. Obviously,
such a foresighted feeding strategy in a basal primate
would be of extreme interest,but we are aware that alternative
and more probable explanations exist.
Detailed testing of these hypotheses will require long-term
observations in an area of dense growth of large bamboo,
probably including the deployment of a large number of camera
traps and possibly hair traps to obtain evidence of aye-aye
activity. Carrying out such studies at the site in Matsabory
Maiky is difficult. It should be noted that the Tsaratanana
massif is difficult to access. However, alternative sites, e.g. at
Marojejy (Duckworth, 1993) might contain a large population
of Platypelis (albeit other species) as well, and could be
surveyed more systematically.
Acknowledgements
A warm thanks to the Directorate of Waters and Forests
and the Head of the Offices of Madagascar National Parks at
Mangindrano and Ambanja for the research permits on
Tsaratanana. We are also indebted to the many people who
have logistically assisted in our expedition, especially to the
local guides (Faly and Levaovao) from Mangindrano.
References
Delobel, A.; Tran, M. 1993. Les coléoptères des denrées alimentaires
entreposées dans les regions chaudes. Faune
tropical XXXII: 98-99.
Duckworth,J.W.1992.Feeding damage left in bamboos,probably
by aye-ayes (Daubentonia madagascariensis).International
Journal of Primatology 14: 927-931.
Erickson, C.J. 1994. Tap-scanning and extractive foraging in
aye-ayes, Daubentonia madagascariensis. Folia Primatologica
62: 125-135.
Erickson, C.J. 1995a. Feeding sites for extractive foraging by
the aye-aye,Daubentonia madagascariensis.American Journal
of Primatology 35: 235-240.
Goix,E.1993.L’utilisation de la main chez le aye-aye en captivité
(Daubentonia madagascariensis) (Prosimiens, Daubentoniidés).
Mammalia 57: 171-188.
Milliken,G.W.;Ward,J.P.;Erickson,C.J.1991.Independent digit
control in foraging by the aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis).
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Simon,E.L.;Meyer,D.,2001.Folklore and beliefs about the aye
aye (Daubentonia madagascarienis) Lemur News 6:11-16.
Discovery of crowned sifaka (Propithecus
coronatus) in Dabolava, Miandrivazo, Menabe
Region
Josia Razafindramanana 1*, Rija Rasamimanana 2
1Groupe d’Etude et de Recherche sur les Primates de Madagascar
(GERP), Lot 34 Cité des Professeurs Fort Duchesne,
Ankatso, Antananarivo 101, Madagascar.
2Pan African Mining Madagascar (PAMM), Lot 137 II AN
Analamahitsy, Antananarivo 101, Madagascar.
*Corresponding author: r_josia@hotmail.com
Key words: Propithecus coronatus, Dabolava, distribution,
lemurs, Indridae
The crowned sifaka Propithecus coronatus was until recently
regarded as one of four subspecies of P. verreauxi, family
Indridae, which occur throughout western and southern
Madagascar (Muller et al., 2000; Mittermeier et al., 1994; Tattersall,
1986; Wilmé and Callmander, 2006). Recent taxonomic
revisions (Mittermeier et al., 2008) have promoted all
four subspecies to full species status (Mittermeier et al.,
2006). However, there is considerable debate about the validity
of P. coronatus, and especially its relationship with P.
deckeni (Mittermeier et al.,2008),due to the physical similarities
and close geographical distributions of these taxa,including
apparent sympatry at some sites (e.g. Tattersall, 1986;
Curtis et al.,1998;Muller et al.,2000;Groves,2001;Thalmann
et al., 2002).
P. coronatus was previously assigned to the IUCN conservation
rating "Critically Endangered",but has since been moved
into the "Endangered" category; nevertheless, the distribution
range and the ecology of this species are not yet well
understood (IUCN, 2008). Crowned sifakas are diurnal, and
their habitat is characterised by dry deciduous forests and
mangroves (Petter and Andriatsarafara, 1987). They live in
groups of two to eight individuals, with home ranges from
1.2–1.5 ha.They feed mainly on buds,green fruits and mature
leaves (Muller,1997).It is known that they reproduce seasonally,
with females giving birth every 2-3 years (Curtis et al.,
1998; Mittermeier et al., 2006). Compared to other lemurs,
their reproduction rate is very slow, making recovery of
small populations even more problematic.
The newly discovered crowned sifaka population is situated
at Amboloando (UTM WGS 84,N 7822351 E 580189) in the
Commune of Dabolava in central Madagascar,and is the most
southerly record of the species.Amboloando lies about 4 km
from Dabolava village, and 40 km to the southeast of Miandrivazo.Amboloando
comprises 7 ha of dry semi-deciduous,
secondary forest that exhibits the characteristics of riverine
forests, consisting of deciduous as well as evergreen trees
such as Acacia sp.,Nastus sp.and Macaranga sp.The altitude is
about 600 m above sea level,and the area is characterized by
a clearly defined wet and dry season.The sifaka population is
composed of a single group,which constituted six adults and
one juvenile when first discovered in June 2009 (Razafindramanana,
2009). One of the adult males disappeared later in
the year, presumed dead, leaving six individuals remaining.
The animals appear to be classic P.coronatus (Fig.1),but some
individuals show pelage colour variation, with dark fur on
their back and arms (Fig.2).Behavioural studies of the group
are underway,and a preliminary community-based conservation
program has been established at the site, involving several
organisations including GERP, The Aspinall Foundation,
SAHA and Pan-African Mining Madagascar.Forests in Amboloando
and the surrounding area are heavily degraded. Different
factors threaten the survival of this species in Madagascar:in
contrast to the other sites such as Anjamena (Muller,2000),hunting
does not occur in Amboloando,partly due
to the sifaka being regarded as holy by the local people.
Therefore,other threats such as habitat destruction through
slash-and-burn agriculture to make way for pasture for livestock,charcoal
production,and mining exploitation affect the
sifaka group.
Surveys in the vicinity of Dabolava suggest that this is the
only group of P.coronatus remaining in that area,despite local
people claiming that other groups were present between 5
and 10 years ago. Therefore, it appears that habitat destruc-