Madagascar is the world’s fourth largest island and home to a rare variety of animals, plants, insects, and basically everything alive on the island. With my favorite animal, the lemur, growing more and more endangered due to deforestation and poaching. With over 90 percent of the original forests destroyed and illegal poaching and hunting to sell the bushmeat to restaurants as delicacies, six species have been put on critical status on the endangered species list. In one year along it was estimated that over $100million worth of hardwood was harvested. Strangely enough China seems to have links to both these problems. Richard Branson is trying to give bring some lemurs to one of his islands in the Caribbean and creating a questionable debate. On one hand he would be preserving a species but possible endangering an ecosystem on the other. I think it’s a great idea, they would all come from zoos and it’s not like the lizards and plants on that Caribbean island only exist there. Madagascar is the only place lemurs live not to mention that I’m sure his $30million project involves scientists as well as veterinarians. This is fantastic and I hope his ideas spread more awareness of the overwhelming need to preserve prehistoric Madagascar. I can’t imagine anyone wanting to eat smoked lemur, come on! On a side note it is legal to have a pet lemur in most states, and it only sets you back $1000-$5000. Wow, still not sure if that’s a good idea. . . I hope little Madagascar is a success!
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