Who is eating all the lemurs? As the above article suggests…someone is! New studies have shown that bushmeat is a significant factor in the lemur’s survival.
Cortni Borgerson says, “Madagascar ranks nearly last in global food security [even though it’s] one of the most biodiverse countries in the world.” Madagascar is country that is full of natural wealth and resources, however many of its people live on $1 a day. Furthermore, malnutrition has been shown to affect more than a third of the population.
In her research, Borgerson states that 97% of households in the Masoala peninsula claimed to have eaten forest mammals in the past year and 26% of hunters actively sought out lemurs even though they were aware of hunting laws.
It would make sense if it were only the poor eating lemurs out of necessity for food. However, there have been recent studies suggesting that wealthier and middle class citizens indulge in lemur meat as well. Without poverty as a driving force, John R Platt says these trends are simply preference, and the upper class prefers “wild caught met over more commercially grown livestock.” Furthermore Temple University researcher Kim Reuter learned that “urban consumers eat twice the amount of bushmeat as people living in rural areas. They’re also willing to pay more for it.”
This is definitely hard on the lemur population. Over 90% of lemur species are considered endangered. Deforestation and bushmeat are human factors that can have devastating effects on the lemurs in Madagascar. They are things that we have control over- we can choose not to eat these creatures and help ensure their future survival. It’s time we look for long term solutions that’ll fight the decline in lemur populations.
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