size: 5036KB - Crocodile Specialist Group

46
qocodile farmers as w€ll as officials ftom the Departrnent of Water and Forests.
At the same time suitable areas for crocodile egg collection were investigated as
well as the initiation of a programme for the development of fatming management
techniques.
Given the international constraints and the intention to work towards a programme
concerning the conseryation of crocodiles, it was decided to concentrate on
developing a ranching-biased programme which involved rural communities. A
training programme for potential farmers on the subject of farming techniques
(stressing the importance of having quality goods at the etrd of the day to market)
was organised as well as set up surveys to locate areas suitable for nest collection.
The surveys were carried out continuing the work of Behra and then Behra and
Huttol in very precise areas following a detailed analysis of the biogeography ofthe
western region, considered to be the most interesting. The surveys revealed three
zones of particular interest for the development of an egg collectiotr system. Out
of the dozen or so interested farrners, four finally embarked on farming projects
and began building the infrastructure required.
Egg collection occurred in rnany different zones (also hatchling collection) but this
report concentrates on the one specific area called Besalampy where special
attention focussed on a study of local response to their possible involvement in egg
collection.
In the three zones specified, the response from the locals was quite good with
regard to their interest in the subsequent sale of crocodile eggs but Besalampy had
the added advantage of being already designated a collection area by the
Department of Eaux and Forets, crocodile farrning havirg been established there
since the start of the projec! and thus presented the most value technically to this
repoft. The farm manager, in one year, had succeeded in building a brick-housed
farm with an incubator temperature conholled to half a degree and ponds heated
with similar accuracy.
BASAT.AMFT AREA
Basalampy is situated in the extreme west of Madagascar in a relatively isolated
area such that the road into the town is impassable for six months of the year.
Being close to the sea (16"44' S,44'29' E), the town is by the Maningoza River
which comes from ttre south east and is then joined by the Sambao River before
emptying into the ocean. These two rivers are surrounded by small lakes which
have, without a doubt, made the region such good crocodile habitat. If the road
is impassable for 6 months of the year it is in particular due to the major floods
occurring during the wet season, although during the dry season these dvers
become very shallow. The associated lakes therefore provide a good refuge for
crocodiles during these extreme pe ods.
The small villages that occur around the dvers are for the most part small hamlets
and the area is sparsely populated except for itinerant travellerc. The climatic