Δημοσιεύτηκε στις April, 09 2010

The aim of the workshop was to take account of recent scientific data on species and ecosystems, and information on threats posed by future climate change region, to update the conservation plan for this region of unique biodiversity. “The Ala Maiky region has extremely high levels of endemism and is unique in terms of the animals and plants that are found there” stated Tiana Ramahaleo, Program Coordinator of WWF’s Conservation Science and Species Program.

The workshop heard recent projections from the Direction Generale de la Meteorologie that minimum and maximum temperatures are set to increase in coming decades as the effects of climate change become more intense. Importantly for this arid region, the workshop also heard that the length of the rainy season is likely to shorten with some areas experiencing drastically reduced annual rainy periods.

“We know that this region is already suffering from the effects of climate change” said Alison Clausen WWF’s Climate Change Programme Officer. “The climate in this region has always been dynamic. In the past, many plants and animals in this region have been able to adapt to extreme climate conditions, but the pace and unpredictability of current climate change is different. Much of the unique biodiversity in this region is increasingly at risk not only from the direct impacts of a changing climate, but increased exploitation by local communities in response to tougher climate conditions” she said.

The workshop identified a number of species and ecosystems that will be the focus of concerted conservation efforts in years to come and identified the main existing threats. These include the Radiated Tortoise, a species which is only found in this region nan which is highly threatened by illegal collection, the locally endemic plant, Aloe helenae, of which only a small number of individuals exist in the wild and the spiny forest ecosystems which are unique to the south west of Madagascar. “We need to ensure a holistic approach is adopted: we need to focus our conservation efforts not only directly on species and ecosystems, but also on the local human communities that are so reliant on these resources” added Bernardin Rasolonandrasana, WWF’s Ala Maiky Ecoregion Leader. “Only in this way can we ensure that this region is protected now and in the future under a changing climate”.