Giant mouse lemur seen in Madagascar threatened forest

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A new population of rare giant mouse lemurs was discovered in southwestern Madagascar's Ranobe forest, in an area threatened by mining concessions, WWF said today.

"Last year during a night survey monitoring biodiversity along the gallery forest of Ranobe near Toliara...Charlie Gardner and Louise Jasper came across a giant mouse lemur (Mirza) foraging within fruiting ficus" trees, WWF said in information released with this photograph.



Two species of giant mouse lemurs are known: Mirza coquereli and Mirza zaza.

Mirza coquereli (Coquerel's mouse lemur) is found in the southwestern spiny forest eco-region, but has never been seen in the Toliara area before, WWF said.

Coquerel's mouse lemurs are Near Threatened according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which means that they might qualify for vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered in the near future.

"Their population trend is decreasing. The discovery of a new population is exciting as it raises hopes for the species' survival," said WWF, which is a Switzerland-based conservation organization.

http://blogs.nationalgeographic.com/blogs/news/chiefeditor/2010/03/giant-mouse-lemurs-seen-in-madagascar.html

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1. Hello, hello! I don't know why you say goodbye, I say hello.

Though maybe I should be saying "hello! goodbye! It was nice knowing you!"