Sighting of the western gentle lemur Hapalemur griseus occidentalis in north-west Madagascar

Abstract

The grey gentle lemur Hapalemur griseus is currently divided into three subspecies. Of these, very little is known about the western gentle lemur H. g. occidentalis and survey work to assess its distribution and numbers is urgently needed. The sighting of this species approximately 200 km to the south and 200 km to the north of the previously recorded populations further highlights this need. The Tsiombikibo Forest, where Hapalemur was sighted, may harbour further surprises and should be investigated more extensively in order to assess habitat condition and the species present.

Surveys of sympatric lemurs at Anjamena, north‐west Madagascar

“…Extended primate surveys in north‐western Madagascar have been conducted in the Baly Bay area (Hawkins, Durbin & Reid, 1998) and Curtis, Zaramody & Rabetsimialona (1995) noted the presence of Hapalemur griseus occidentalis near Mitsinjo to the north of Lake Kinkony. The distribution of lemurs in central western Madagascar in the Bemaraha region is reported by Thalman & Rakotoarison (1994).…”

The Primates of the Baly Bay Area, North-Western Madagascar

“…within the general area under consideration), but Tattersall [16] could not find the species during his fieldwork in the Soalala region and considered that it had been eliminated from the area. Thalmann and Rakotoarison [18] suggest that this subspecies occurs in their Sub-Region 2, which includes the Baly Bay area, but these data are not sourced, nor is a specific site indicated; no publication of which we are aware, other than Curtis et al [23], suggests that this form occurs in Sub-Region 2. This subspecies otherwise occurs in Bemaraha, 300 km to the south, the Sambirano, 460 km to the north-west, and probably in Ankarana, 540 km to the north-west [2,17,18,29,30].…”

“…The Ankarafantsika Strict Nature Reserve, 180 km to the east, was also the subject of some ecological and behavioural research [19][20][21][22]. Curtis et al [23] worked on Eulemur mongoz near Lake Kinkony, 60 km east of Soalala, and noted the presence of Hapalemur griseus occidentalis there. …”

Husbandry and breeding of the Alaotran gentle lemur: Hapalemur griseus alaotrensis at Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust

“…The Alaotran gentle lemur Hapalemur griseus alaotrensis is found in the papyrus and reed beds of Lac Alaotra, the largest lake in Madagascar. The subspecies has the most restricted distribution of the Hapalemur griseus group, which includes the Grey gentle or Eastern lesser bamboo lemur Hapalemur griseus griseus, which is widely distributed throughout the eastern rain forest (Haring & Davis, this volume), and the Western gentle lemur Hapalemur griseus occidentalis, which occurs in at least two isolated populations in western Madagascar (Tattersall, 1982;Curtis et al, 1995). A fourth subspecies, Hapalemur griseus meridionalis, has been named based on a cytogenetic study (Warter et al, 1987) but because of limited information the taxon has not yet been widely accepted (Mittermeier et al, 1994).…”