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Last chance for Madagascar’s biodiversity

Nature Sustainability volume 2, pages 350–352 (2019)Cite this article

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Madagascar’s recently elected president ran on a platform of improving the economy and raising people out of poverty. We suggest that addressing the precipitous decline of biodiversity will help to deliver this commitment, and we lay out ways in which President Rajoelina could firmly put the country on a trajectory towards sustainable growth.

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Fig. 1: Madagascar’s protected area network showing forest cover1 and pressing threats.

Chris Scarffe Film & Photography Ltd (a,g), Tahina Roland Frédéric (b,c), Madagasiakara Voakajy (d), Ricardo Rocha (e) and Rosey Perkins (f).

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Acknowledgements

Thanks to J. Rehebein for help with the figure and to R. Rocha, R. Perkins, T. Roland Frederic, C. Scarffe and Madagasikara Voakajy who provided images. J.P.G.J. acknowledges NE/K010220-1.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Bangor University, Bangor, UK

    Julia P. G. Jones

  2. Department of Anthropology and Durable Development, University of Antananarivo, Antananarivo, Madagascar

    Jonah Ratsimbazafy

  3. World Wide Fund for Nature Madagascar, Antananarivo, Madagascar

    Anitry N. Ratsifandrihamanana

  4. School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia

    James E. M. Watson

  5. Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust Madagascar Programme, Antananarivo, Madagascar

    Herizo T. Andrianandrasana

  6. Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

    Mar Cabeza

  7. ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia

    Joshua E. Cinner

  8. Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL, USA

    Steven M. Goodman

  9. IUCN North America Office, Washington, DC, USA

    Frank Hawkins

  10. Global Wildlife Conservation, Austin, TX, USA

    Russell A. Mittermeier

  11. Conservation International Madagascar, Antananarivo, Madagascar

    Ando L. Rabearisoa

  12. Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK

    O. Sarobidy Rakotonarivo

  13. Madagasikara Voakajy, Antananarivo, Madagascar

    Julie H. Razafimanahaka

  14. Wildlife Conservation Society Madagascar Program, Antananarivo, Madagascar

    Andriamandimbisoa R. Razafimpahanana

  15. World Resources Institute, Antananarivo, Madagascar

    Lucienne Wilmé

  16. Department of Anthropology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA

    Patricia C. Wright

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  1. Julia P. G. Jones
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  5. Herizo T. Andrianandrasana
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  6. Mar Cabeza
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  7. Joshua E. Cinner
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  8. Steven M. Goodman
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  10. Russell A. Mittermeier
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  11. Ando L. Rabearisoa
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  12. O. Sarobidy Rakotonarivo
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  13. Julie H. Razafimanahaka
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  14. Andriamandimbisoa R. Razafimpahanana
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  15. Lucienne Wilmé
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  16. Patricia C. Wright
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Julia P. G. Jones.

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Jones, J.P.G., Ratsimbazafy, J., Ratsifandrihamanana, A.N. et al. Last chance for Madagascar’s biodiversity. Nat Sustain 2, 350–352 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-019-0288-0

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