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Tour Guides | Preserving knowledge of endemic species in Madagascar through storytelling This video series is titled: "Preserving knowledge of endemic species in Madagascar through storytelling" The series was produced in 2020 during the COVID-19...

🏞️ 🌿 🌍 🎤 On , we are proud to share a digital storytelling project, Preserving Knowledge of Endemic Species in Madagascar through Storytelling, featuring the voices of the tour and research guides who work in and around National Park, .

The guides of Ranomafana have dedicated their careers to understanding and protecting the park's extraordinary wildlife while sharing their knowledge with visitors, students, researchers, and local communities. They have also been critical partners in our own research over the past 25 years. In these videos, they reflect on their experiences, discoveries, and hopes for the future of Madagascar's unique biodiversity.

The videos are published open access as part of a special issue of Perspectives Collective Journal, together with an introduction to the project and cross-cutting themes:

https://www.perspectivescollectivejournal.com/thejournal/centrevalbio

You can also find playlists on YouTube:

🎥 Tour guide stories:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvPpatSG5Hj5Ff66UcAkKA6lSi0TMZJrI&si=l7Ls-4UdTuxUplwT

🎥 Research guide stories:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvPpatSG5Hj7xHKml5aTNl870LfFiTWO1&si=6wAXyPC_359vaMuR



Centre ValBio - CVB
UA School of Anthropology
The University of Arizona
Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy
UArizona College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Madagascar National Parks
ExplorerHome Madagascar

Tour Guides | Preserving knowledge of endemic species in Madagascar through storytelling This video series is titled: "Preserving knowledge of endemic species in Madagascar through storytelling" The series was produced in 2020 during the COVID-19...

LEEP and the UA School of Anthropology were excited to welcome Nagarathna Balakrishna to the lab! Nagarathna is a Phd candidate in the Department of Anthropology at The Ohio State University. For her dissertation she is studying the impacts of ecotourism and habitat quality on the behavior, stress levels, and parasitism of a critically , indri across two sites in eastern . At LEEP, she learned how to conduct hormone extractions and assays and validate her methods to estimate cortisol levels in indri f***l samples collected during her pilot study in 2024, and her first long term field season in 2025. This research will be the first assessment of cortisol in indri, providing critical insight into the species’ physiology and its potential adaptive capacity in increasingly landscapes.

RAJERIARISON Emile worked in the forest long before Ranomafana became a national park, initially earning a living through timber work, collecting fern roots, and hunting wildlife to support his family.

When researchers arrived in the mid-1980s, his detailed knowledge of birds, lemurs, and forest life allowed him to transition into research assistance and guiding, a role he has held for over three decades.

Emile describes the forest as both his school and his office, where he learned languages, science, and how to work with people from around the world. He places strong emphasis on environmental education, particularly introducing primary school children to the forest so they learn not to fear animals such as snakes and chameleons.

In his spare time, he plants fruit trees and flowers, reflecting his belief in long-term thinking. Emile dreams of establishing a reference collection of insects and a local DNA lab, convinced that many species in Ranomafana remain undiscovered.

This video series is titled:
“Preserving knowledge of endemic species in Madagascar through storytelling”

Watch video on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uSFyllbx7U&list=PLvPpatSG5Hj5Ff66UcAkKA6lSi0TMZJrI

The series was produced in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Funded by: The University of Arizona , School of Anthropology and WISE Tropics
Edited by: ExplorerHome Madagascar
Produced by: Stacey Tecot

Full credits in video.
Videos cannot be shared without permission.

~

“Firaketana Ireo Firaketana ireo fahalalana mahakasika ny karazam-biby sy zava-maniry andemika eto Madagasikara miainga avy amin’ny fitantarana tantara”

Izaho dia mpitarika anala, niaraka tamin’ny Dr Patricia Wright nanao fikarohana, momban’ny varika tamin’ny taona 1986. Anisan’ireo mpitarika anala voalohany teto amin’ny ala voajanahary ny Ranomafana sy nitondra ity mpikaroka malaza ity.

Niaraka niasa tamin’ny Pr Simon Malcomber ( Misserie Botanical Gardien na MBG ) aho, nanao inventaire ny alan’ny Ranomafana. Nijery ny karazana – fahabetsahana – faune et flore.

RAHARIVOLOLOMORASATA Suzanne Emile “Loul” has been working as a tour guide since 2000. Loul lives in Ranomafana. Loul is fluent in speaking and writing in French and enjoys telling stories about the lives of animals, such as birds, monkeys, and reptiles, or plants.

This video series is titled:

“Preserving knowledge of endemic species in Madagascar through storytelling”

Watch video here:
https://youtu.be/o5FdhuVjKtg?si=sLOF60DbgNIpYMNs

The series was produced in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Funded by: The University of Arizona , School of Anthropology and WISE Tropics
Edited by: ExplorerHome Madagascar
Produced by: Stacey Tecot

Full credits in video.
Videos cannot be shared without permission.

~

“Firaketana Ireo Firaketana ireo fahalalana mahakasika ny karazam-biby sy zava-maniry andemika eto Madagasikara miainga avy amin’ny fitantarana tantara”

Izy dia nanao ny asa mpitari-dia (guide touristique) hatramin’ny taona 2000 ka hatramin’izao. Rehefa nahalala ny momba ny Parka Ranomafana sy ny zava-misy ao anaty Parka. Izy dia monina eto Ranomafana ka izany no nahatonga azy handalina sy hizara ireo fahalalany amin’ireo vahiny izay sendra azy.

Manavanana azy ny miteny sy manoratra amin’ny fiteny Frantsay ary tena tiany ny mitantara ireo fiainan’ireo biby na zava-maniry izay sendra azy (vorona, tanalahy, varika, zava-maniry...)

RAVONIMBOAHIRANTSOA Marie Antonine
“Voahirana” is a tourist guide in Ranomafana National Park. She has been a guide since 1998 and lives and works in Antsaha Jirama, a village in Ranomafana, which is 6 km from where she works.

The work of a tourist guide is not easy, and she needs to constantly do research to learn about lemurs and medicinal plants. She feels strongly about protecting nature and the environment because this is the hope of the future of the next generations and needs to be studied carefully.

She also raised awareness about environmental protection in the surrounding area, especially among visiting students. She enjoys the work of a tour guide because she loves the environment and interacting with strangers because it increases her knowledge.
Her love for the environment is what made her enjoy this job, so that she can inspire and protect nature among her fellow human beings. In her free time, she enjoys taking care of her animals and playing basketball for fun.

This video series is titled:
“Preserving knowledge of endemic species in Madagascar through storytelling”

The series was produced in 2020 during the
COVID-19 pandemic.

Funded by: , School of Anthropology and WISE Tropics
Edited by:
Produced by:

Videos cannot be shared without permission.

~

«Firaketana Ireo Firaketana ireo fahalalana mahakasika ny karazam-biby sy zava-maniry andemika eto Madagasikara miainga avy amin’ny fitantarana tantara»

Izy dia mpitari-dia ara-pizahan-tany ao amin’ny valanjaboahary izay ala mando ao Ranomafana.
Hatramin’ny taona 1998 izy no nanao io asa io ka hatramin’izao fotoana izao, mipetraka sy monina Antsaha Jirama izay Fokontany ao Ranomafana ihany, 6 km miala ny toerana iasany ny trano fonenany.
Mandeha fiara karetsaka ny fomba iekarany eny, rehefa tsy misy ny mpizahatany avy aty ambany.

RANDRIANASOLO Laurent started working as a research technician at Centre ValBio since its founding in 2003. Before Centre ValBio, Laurent conducted research in Talatakely since 1999. He talks about his work as a research technician and what his responsibilities entail.

This video series is titled:
“Preserving knowledge of endemic species in Madagascar through storytelling.”
Watch on YouTube

The series was produced in 2020 during the
COVID-19 pandemic.

Funded by: School of Anthropology and WISE Tropics
Edited by:
Produced by:

VONJY HARY TIANA Sabine has been a guide at the
Association of Guides in Ranomafana since 2000.
She enjoys informing people about how important it is to protect animals and plants. She speaks Malagasy, French and English.

Because of her training, she likes to introduce visitors to the existence of natural species and explain more about them, such as how birds have different sounds and plants have different powers. She shares the history of Ranomafana National Park and the many ways one can protect the environment.

She teaches visitors about birds, crocodiles, lemurs, plants, butterflies, snakes, lizards, spiders, and insects. She also tells visitors where all of the species live in the forest.

This video series is titled:
“Preserving knowledge of endemic species in Madagascar through storytelling”

Watch on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/srrzWQDIldI?si=GGXmTZ1djD9JBLi9

The series was produced in 2020 during the
COVID-19 pandemic.

Funded by: , School of
Anthropology and WISE Tropics
Edited by:
Produced by:
Full credits in video.

~

«Firaketana Ireo Firaketana ireo fahalalana mahakasika ny karazam-biby sy zava-maniry andemika eto Madagasikara miainga avy amin’ny fitantarana tantara»

Izy dia mpitari-dia ao amin’ny AGR na ny Association des Guides Ranomafana, efa hatramin’ny taona 2000 izany. Anisany sehatra tena tiako ny mampahalala sy mitandrina ny biby sy ny zava-maniry. Miteny ny teny
Malagasy sy Frantsay ary Anglisy koa izy.
Noho ny fioafana nataony dia tiany ny mamapahafantatra ny vahiny mpitsidika ny fisian’ny karazan-javaboahary sy ny manazava azy ireo bebe kokoa toy ny fananan’ny biby iray karazam-peo samihafa ohatra ny vorona izay manana feo efatra (4) samihafa, ary koa ny zava-maniry izay manana ny hery samy hafa. Mbola ao koa ny tantara sy ny fomba maro hoentina iarovana ny tontolo ¡ainana izay mbola mitoetra mandraka ankehitriny.
Voafehy ao anatin’izany ny fahaizana manazava toy ireo vorona, varika, tanalahy, zava-maniry, lolo, bibilava, androngo, tanapisaka, bibikely toy ny famakiloha ary ireo toerana misy tanantara maro ao anaty ala.

(Rest in comments)

🎉 LEEPers Amit Hanadari-Levy and Katie King presented their research last week at the annual American Association of Biological Anthropologists meeting in Denver! They presented on their research on red-bellied in National Park, Madagascar.

Amit Hanadari-Levy presented her Master's thesis project, entitled: Behavioral correlates of climate and habitat degradation in wild, red-bellied lemurs (Eulemur rubriventer). She found that temperature effects on behavior were stronger in the disturbed, secondary forest compared with the primary forest.

Katie King presented a chapter of her PhD dissertation research, entitled: What is the relationship between allomaternal and maternal care in red-bellied lemurs (Eulemur rubriventer)? Katie found that infant care by non-mothers (siblings, fathers) increases as maternal care decreases, suggesting that shared infant care provides some energetic relief to mothers.

UA School of Anthropology
UArizona College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
The University of Arizona
Centre ValBio - CVB

RANDRIANARISOA Herindranto “Herina” has been a tour guide in Ranomafana National Park in
Madagascar since 2000. She lives in Andalambao
Ranomafana. She spent two years studying various plants and animals found in Ranomafana National Park.
She enjoys sharing information about the Park because it makes her happy to see visitors fascinated about the biodiversity that is present. Some of them even start their day in Ranomafana.

In her free time, she enjoys listening to music after playing basketball because one of her favorite things to do is exercise. She also likes to connect with friends on Facebook.

This video series is titled:
“Preserving knowledge of endemic species in
Madagascar through storytelling”

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Bes6HPaKpCQ?si=iEfoDk1fvDGYvbJd

The series was produced in 2020 during the
COVID-19 pandemic.

Funded by: , School of
Anthropology and WISE Tropics
Edited by:
Produced by:
Full credits in video.

~

“Firaketana Ireo Firaketana ireo fahalalana mahakasika ny karazam-biby sy zava-maniry andemika eto Madagasikara miainga avy amin’ny fitantarana tantara”
Herina dia mpitari-dia ao amin’ny alan-java-boaharin’i Ranomafana eto Madagasikara nanomboka ny taona 2000 ka hatramin’izao fotoana izao. Mipetraka ao Andalambao Ranomafana izy. Nandany roa taona izy nianarana ny zava-maniry sy biby isan-karazany izay hita ao amin’io valan-javaboaharin’i Ranomafana io.
Tapa-kevitra ary izy fa hitantara sy hampiseho ireo mpitsidika tonga mandalo, satria anisany ny mahafaly azy ny mahita ireo mpitsidika talanjona sy variana ary misy amin’izy ireo mintsy aza no manantombo ny andro izay ijanonany eto Ranomafana rehefa mahita ny hankanton’ireo Biodiversité misy aty an-toerana.
Amin’ny fotoana tsy iasany kosa dia mahafinaritr’azy ny miheno mozika rehefa avy milalao Basket baolina satria anisany zavatra tiany ny manao fanatanjahan-tena, izy koa dia tia miserasera amin’ny namana amin’ny facebook.