Madagascar Fauna Group

Logo of MFG featuring the Aye-Aye

The Madagascar Fauna Group or MFG is an international consortium of zoos and other conservation agencies which pool resources to help conserve animal species in Madagascar, through captive breeding programs, field research programs, training programs for rangers and wardens, and acquisition and protection of native habitat in Madagascar. It is a non-governmental organization working in conjunction with the Ministry of Water, Forests, and the Environment, Government of Madagascar. It is the organization behind the Save the Lemur campaign and is headquartered at the Saint Louis Zoo.

Origins

The organization was formed in response to a plea by the Government of Madagascar to the international zoo community in 1987 to help conserve species and habitat in Madagascar and provide training and knowhow for such activities. The plea was made at a meeting held at St. Catherines Island, Georgia, United States. Convened by the Wildlife Conservation Society and the Conservation Breeding Specialist Group of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, it was attended by the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust (then Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust) headed by Gerald Durrell, Parc Zoologique et Botanique de Mulhouse, the Strasborg consortium, the Duke Lemur Center, and several US zoos. These institutions became the founding members of the group when it was formalized in 1988. The organization now has 39 member institutions . The two logos of the organization sport two of Madagascar's oft championed species for conservation - the Ruffed lemur and the Aye-aye.

Goals

Logo for the Save the Lemur campaign, featuring a ruffed lemur

The six major goals of the MFG, as outlined in their mission statement, are:

Providing training and support at Parc Ivoloina, Madagascar's premier zoological park and resort. Support includes outreach and educational programs, and veterinary support.
Protection of National Parks and Wildlife Reserves, notably the Betampona Reserve, where the MFG have started the re-introduction of captive-bred ruffed lemurs into the wild.
Promoting and funding field work pertaining to Madagascar fauna, flora and habitat. Cases in point are the side-necked turtle, the Madagascar pond-heron and a range of lemur species.
Managing captive breeding programs for Madagascar species in and outside Madagascar, co-ordinating amongst the various member organizations.
Planning conservation goals in conjunction with the Madagascar National Parks Association
Educating zoo visitors worldwide about Madagascar's biological heritage

References

Gerald Durrell

Institutions associated with	Durrell Wildlife Park Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust EcoHealth Alliance Wildlife Preservation Canada Mauritian Wildlife Foundation Madagascar Fauna Group Programme for Belize World Land Trust World Conference on Breeding Endangered Species in Captivity as an Aid to their Survival

Species associations	Aye-aye Gorilla Mauritius kestrel Pink pigeon Pygmy hog Rockfowl St. Lucia parrot Volcano rabbit

Books written	The Overloaded Ark Three Singles to Adventure The Bafut Beagles The New Noah The Drunken Forest My Family and Other Animals Encounters with Animals A Zoo in My Luggage The Whispering Land Island Zoo A Look at Zoos Menagerie Manor Two in the Bush The Donkey Rustlers Rosy is My Relative Birds, Beasts, and Relatives Fillets of Plaice Catch Me a Colobus Beasts in My Belfry The Talking Parcel The Stationary Ark Golden Bats and Pink Pigeons The Garden of the Gods The Picnic and Suchlike Pandemonium The Mockery Bird Ark on the Move The Amateur Naturalist How to Shoot an Amateur Naturalist Durrell in Russia The Fantastic Flying Journey The Fantastic Dinosaur Adventure The Ark's Anniversary Keeper Toby the Tortoise Marrying Off Mother and Other Stories The Aye-Aye and I Puppy Tales The Best of Gerald Durrell

Illustrators	Ralph Thompson Edward Mortelmans Peter Barrett Graham Percy Keith West Cliff Wright

Famous TV series	Two in the Bush Catch Me a Colobus The Garden of the Gods The Stationary Ark Ark on the Move The Amateur Naturalist Ourselves and Other Animals Durrell in Russia

Durrell family	Lawrence Samuel Durrell (father) Louisa Dixie Durrell (mother) Lawrence Durrell Margaret Durrell Jacquie Durrell Lee McGeorge Durrell

Notable others	Theodore Stephanides Douglas Botting Achirimbi II

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