Our Partners and Friends

Imagine, just after daybreak, the enchanting call of an indri, Madagascar's largest lemur, echoing across peaks and valleys, and streams and rivers, cloaked in a blanket of primary rainforest, punctuated only by clouds rising from the forest itself. To take a walk through the rainforest paradise of Betampona Strict Nature Reserve is an almost spiritual experience. Rarely can you experience the richness of life that nature can provide, when not hamstrung by human activities. From the tiny beetles recycling nutrients in decaying leaves to breathtaking lemurs and  their sleek arboreal predator the fossa, life seems to abound from every branch and leaf. Amongst the palms, lianas, ferns, orchids and trees 80 species of frogs can be found (24 species found nowhere else in the world) along with 62 species of reptile, while colourful mixed flocks of small birds flitter into and out of sight. There are larger birds in the lower canopy too; perhaps none more stunning than the blue coua, while vasa parrots and broad-billed rollers are amongst the avian life of the upper canopy and Madagascar buzzards and cuckoo rollers soar in the skies above. During daylight hours 9 species of lemur are active, including indri, black and white ruffed lemur and diademed sifakas, while at night their place is taken by mouse lemurs, sportive lemurs and the seemingly bizarre aye-ayes, which extract invertebrate prey from within rotting wood with a single, elongated finger, while the din of frogs and insects reverberates all around. A team of MFG conservation agents regularly patrols the forest, carrying out research and looking for signs of poaching or illegal logging. International and Malagasy students study Betampona's incredible biodiversity, building up knowledge of the individual species, the rainforest ecosystem and impacts of factors such as invasive species and climate change.

But Betampona stands alone as an island in a sea of deforestation due to subsistence farming and logging, saved only by its extreme topography and the work of the Madagascar Fauna & Flora Group (MFG). The villages around Betampona are extremely poor, are often struck by cyclones and face increasing threats of fire and flood due to increasing temperatures, dry periods and extreme rainfall events caused by climate change. These pressures can force villagers into Betampona in search of food and building materials leading to illegal logging and poaching. The MFG conservation agents work with these communities to establish agro-forestry and forest restoration projects and to increase understanding of the value of the forest and the benefits it brings to the villages, such as clean water, flood reduction, carbon storage and cooling through evapotranspiration, with the aim of reducing poverty and dependence on the forest.

30km south-west of Betampona, down a dirt road, lies Parc Ivoloina, a centre of conservation run by MFG. Visitors to the park can see a range of lemurs, tortoises and chameleons, many saved from the illegal animal trade, while learning about the conservation issues facing these and other species. The secondary forest around the animal collection is used by MFG staff to propagate endangered plant species and as a site for forest restoration projects. Nestled amongst this forest is an environmental education and training centre allowing Malagasy students the opportunity to conduct conservation research projects in and around Parc Ivoloina.

MFG is a consortium of zoos and botanical gardens from around the world with an interest in conserving Madagascar's incredible, biodiversity. In recent years Covid-19 has seriously impacted the finances of many of these zoos and botanical gardens with the result that funding for MFG has dropped significantly. This has been worsened by a reduction in visitors to Parc Ivoloina due to Covid-19, putting MFG under serious financial pressure, putting jobs at risk and reducing MFG's ability to protect Betampona and its incredible wildlife.

At Kestrel Wildlife Safaris we understand that conservation is a global issue and that the welfare of people as well as wildlife is tied to nature and climate change. One of our aims is to support conservation. While there are many amazing conservation projects locally and overseas, we have chosen to support MFG by donating £1 from each of our safari experiences sold and all tips to the organisation, so by taking one of our safaris Kestrel Wildlife Safari customers are contributing to wildlife conservation in Madagascar.