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Quarterly
Report from the Field: Betampona Reserve
April to June 2003
Charlie Welch,
Betampona Project Director, prepared this section in English,
to summarize the highlights of the report written in French by
Bernard Iambana and the agents.
THE
RELEASED VARECIA
-
The radio collars on individuals of the third (2001) release group
had all expired, so the Betampona agents replaced them with new
collars. Hale, Tany, and Masoandro were each captured by using
an animal transport box baited with banana.
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All individual weights are good, with Tany and Masoandro (born
2000 in the US) now outweighing Hale, their mother -- see chart
in French version (Section I. Remarques 3.)
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The fourth group member, male Kintana, is still missing.
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Hale's offspring of last year are doing well and still stay near
to her. Hale and company have formed two subgroups. Subgroup "A"
consists of Hale, her wild male mate, Ravaly, and the two offspring
of last year. Subgroup "B" includes Tany and Masoandro
and wild male Kiaka. In this trimester the two subgroups have
peacefully merged to form one large group.
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Sarph is doing well, but his radio collar has stopped functioning,
which makes him difficult to find. When observed in this trimester,
he was always with his family -- the wild female and one offspring.
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Fara is still in the same area with his group. Many thanks to
the darting team of researcher Ed Louis, including Richard and
his crew, for darting Fara so that we could replace his expired
collar.
WILD VARECIA
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The beginning of the cool rainy season weather made the wild Varecia
difficult to find -- the Varecia call much less frequently in
that season. Note in the French version the much smaller variety
of food resources utilized by the wild Varecia (Table 7). Fewer
hours of observation would account for some of this difference,
but still the difference is remarkable.
INDRI
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The female in the southern Sahakoho group gave birth this trimester.
OTHER
LEMUR OBSERVATIONS
-
Notable sighting of an Aye-aye during one of the nocturnal inventories.
AMPHIBIANS
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Two species of Plethodontohyla were found this trimester which
were not found last year.
- For each species of frog found, young, tadpoles, and eggs were
also found, especially near streams.
- Some species that are normally observed during this season were
not sighted during this trimester.
REPTILES
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Many young individuals found during this trimester.
- Compared to the first trimester of this year, the number of
species observed this trimester were fewer.
- Tentative identification of 2 new species of reptiles not seen
in 2002 (Ithycyphus sp. and Stenophis sp.)
OTHER
MAMMALS
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A first observation of Roussettus madagascariensis; unfortunately
the individual had been captured by a cat at the base village,
Rendrirendry.
SPECIAL
ACTIVITIES
-
On World Environment Day in June, in collaboration with the youth
of the nearby village of Andratambe, 388 native tree seedlings
were planted out in an area adjoining the southwestern boundary
of the reserve. The project's tree nursery worker will assure
care of the young trees. The day included a ceremony with speeches,
a tour of Rendrirendry (with a focus on nearby reforestation plots
and the tree nursery), the donation by the MFG of a soccer ball
to the youth, a cocktail (of soft drinks), and the tree planting.
We hope that by showing our successes with native tree plantings,
villagers will be encouraged to themselves set aside some land
and plant trees.
METEOROLOGY
Although
April and May rainfall amounts were not excessive, the year to
date total (at the Rendrirendry rain gauge) is still high. With
2295.9mm already in the first six months 0f 2003, we are certainly
in for another above-normal rainfall year.
STUDENTS
-
University of Madagascar student Lalatahiana Randriatavy (Lala)
is still doing field work for his DEA degree in the Plant Ecology
Department. His professor, M. Roger Edmond, visited Lala at site
during this trimester.
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American PhD student Kellie Glasscock Glessner (Univ.of Illinois)
arrived in June to do a short preliminary study on Indri in preparation
for a year-long research period for her doctorate research. She
was accompanied by field assistant Carl of the St Louis Zoo, and
student Eleanor of the University of Madagascar, Tana.
End
of English summary
The
above is an English summary of Bernard
Iambana's full report in French by Charlie
Welch.
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