SpringerLink
Log in

Habitat Suitability and Population Size Estimates for the Mongoose Lemurs (Eulemur mongoz) of Madagascar and the Comoro Islands, and Implications for Their Conservation

  • Published:
International Journal of Primatology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Tropical forests face an alarming rate of loss driven by anthropogenic pressures, exposing forest-dwelling species such as primates to extinction risks. Assessing population density and habitat selection by these species can provide insights into how they respond to habitat fragmentation and inform effective conservation. We investigated the population density and size of the mongoose lemur (Eulemur mongoz), a Critically Endangered primate species from Madagascar and the Comoro Islands using (1) conventional distance sampling, and (2) density surface modeling. We also used species distribution modeling to assess the habitat suitability and geographic distribution of the species in the two regions. We conducted surveys in Anjouan and Moheli, Comoros Islands (October–December 2017, February–April 2018 and May–July 2019), and Northwest Madagascar (October and December 2012). We estimated a mean population density of 23.49 individuals/km2 along 89.90 km of line transects for the Comoros population, and 15.23 individuals/km2 along 65 km of transects for the Madagascar population. We estimated a population size of 9128 individuals in Comoros and 7270 individuals in Madagascar. According to our species distribution model, mongoose lemurs have a relatively large geographic range in Comoros (336 km2, ~47% of the total area of Anjouan and Moheli, which is 714 km2) extending over low-elevation farmlands and in forests, while the Madagascar population is restricted to the remaining natural forests (3160 km2, ~17.5% of the total area studied, which is 18,000 km2). However, high levels of hunting (Madagascar only), habitat disturbance, and conversion of natural forest into agricultural lands render the species critically endangered to extinction. As population density and the distribution of primates are highly related to the habitat quality and vegetation availability and since the high level of habitat disturbance and lemur hunting (in Madagascar) are associated with high levels of poverty, we suggest (1) enhancing livelihoods and well-being of rural communities, which will allow them to be less dependent on natural resources and reduce unsustainable natural resource use, (2) involving a broad community of local individuals and entities in conservation and management, and (3) restoring forests and avoiding the conversion of secondary forest into agricultural lands. Our findings highlight how population density and distribution patterns are related to environmental factors. They also emphasize how species distribution modeling approaches are useful for primate conservation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
EUR 32.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or Ebook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Baden, A. L., Brenneman, R. A., & Louis Jr., E. E. (2008). Morphometrics of wild black-and-white ruffed lemurs [Varecia variegata; Kerr, 1792]. American Journal of Primatology, 70, 913–926.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Barbet-Massin, M., Jiguet, F., Albert, C. H., & Thuiller, W. (2012). Selecting pseudo-absences for species distribution models: how, where and how many? Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 3, 327–338.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Breiner, F. T., Guisan, A., Bergamini, A., & Nobis, M. P. (2015). Overcoming limitations of modelling rare species by using ensembles of small models. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 6, 1210–1218. https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.12403.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brook, B. W., Sodhi, N. S., & Bradshaw, C. J. A. (2008). Synergies among extinction drivers under global change. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 23, 453–460. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2008.03.011.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buckland, S. T., Anderson, D. R., Laake, J. L., et al (2004). Advances in distance sampling. Ecology, 89, 416. https://doi.org/10.1890/0012-9658-89.12.3550.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chapman, C. A., Bonnell, T. R., Gogarten, J. F., Lambert, J. E., Omeja, P. A., & Twinomugisha, D. (2013). Are primates ecosystem engineers? International Journal of Primatology, 34, 1–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crawford, P.,H., C., Hoagland, B.,W. (2012). Using species distribution models to guide conservation at the state level: the endangered American burying beetle (Nicrophorus americanus) in Oklahoma. Journal of Insect Conservation, 14, 511–521. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-010-9280-8

  • Curtis, D. J. (2004). Diet and nutrition in wild mongoose lemurs (Eulemur mongoz) and their implications for the evolution of female dominance and small group size in lemurs. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 124, 234–247.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Curtis, D. J., & Zaramody, A. (1998). Group size, home range use, and seasonal variation in the ecology of Eulemur mongoz. International Journal of Primatology, 19, 811–835.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Curtis, D., & Zaramody, A. (1999). Social structure and seasonal variation in the behaviour of Eulemur mongoz. Folia Primatologica, 70, 79–96.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Donati, G., Campera, M., Balestri, M., Serra, V., Barresi, M., Schwitzer, C., Curtis, D. J., & Santini, L. (2015). Ecological and anthropogenic correlates of activity patterns in Eulemur. International Journal of Primatology, 37, 2946. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10764-015-9876-7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Elith, J., Graham, C. H., Anderson, R., et al (2006). Novel methods improve prediction of species’ distributions from occurrence data. Ecography (Cop), 29, 129–151. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2006.0906-7590.04596.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eppley, T. M., Santini, L., Tinsman, J. C., & Donati, G. (2020). Do functional traits offset the effects of fragmentation? The case of large-bodied diurnal large species. American Journal of Primatology, 82(4), e23104. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajp.23104.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Estrada, A., Garber, P. A., Mittermeier, R. A., Wich, S., Gouveia, S., Dobrovolski, R., Nekaris, K. A. I., Nijman, V., Rylands, A. B., Maisels, F., Williamson, E. A., Bicca-Marques, J., Fuentes, A., Jerusalinsky, L., Johnson, S., de Melo Rodrigues, F., Oliveira, L., Schwitzer, C., Roos, C., et al (2018). Primates in peril: the significance of Brazil, Madagascar, Indonesia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo for global primate conservation. Peer J, 6, e4869. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.4869.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Fang, H., Baret, F., Plummer, S., & Schaepman-Strub, G. (2019). An overview of global leaf area index (LAI): methods, products, validation, and applications. Reviews of Geophysics, 57, 739–799. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018RG000608.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • FAO (2010). Évaluation des ressources forestières mondiales 2010. Rapport national: Comores. Report #FRA2010/044. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ganzhorn, J. U., Wilmé, L., & Mercier, J.-L. (2014). Explaining Madagascar’s biodiversity. In I. R. Scales (Ed.), Conservation and environmental management in Madagascar (pp. 17–43). Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Giam, X. (2017). Global biodiversity loss from tropical deforestation. Panas, 114(23), 5775–5777. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1706264114.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Glennie, R., Buckland, S. T., Langrock, R., Gerrodette, T., Ballance, L. T., Chivers, S. J., & Scott, M. D. (2021). Incorporating animal movement into distance sampling. Journal of the American Statistical Association, 116(533), 107–115. https://doi.org/10.1080/01621459.2020.1764362.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Goodman, S. M., & Ganzhorn, J. U. (2004). Elevational ranges of lemurs in the humid forests of Madagascar. International Journal of Primatology, 25(2), 331–350. https://doi.org/10.1023/B:IJOP.0000019155.33815.bf.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goodman, S. M., Weyeneth, N., Ibrahim, Y., et al (2010). A review of the bat fauna of the Comoro archipelago. Acta Chiropterologica, 12, 117–141. https://doi.org/10.3161/150811010X504635.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guisan, A., & Thuiller, W. (2005). Predicting species distribution: offering more than simple habitat models. Ecological Letters, 8, 993–1009. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2005.00792.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guisan, A., Edwards Jr., T. C., & Hastie, T. (2002). Generalized linear and generalized additive models in studies of species distributions: setting the scene. Ecological Modelling, 157, 89–100.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hedley, S. L., Buckland, S. T., & Borchers, D. L. (2004). Spatial distance sampling models. In S. T. Buckland, D. R. Anderson, K. P. Burnham, J. L. Laake, D. L. Borchers, et al (Eds.), Advanced distance sampling. Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hijmans, R. J., Etten, J. V., et al (2019). The package raster. https://cran.rproject.org/web/packages/raster/raster.pdf. Accessed 20 May 2020.

  • Ibouroi, M. T., Schwitzer, C., & Rabarivola, J. C. (2013). Population density estimates of two endangered nocturnal and sympatric lemur species from the Mariarano Forest, northern Madagascar, using multiple approaches. Lemur News, 17, 49–54. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.1.2320.4961.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ibouroi, M. T., Cheha, A., Astruc, G., et al (2018a). A habitat suitability analysis at multi-spatial scale of two sympatric flying fox species reveals the urgent need for conservation action. Biodiversity and Conservation, 27, 2395–2423. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-018-1544-8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ibouroi, M. T., Cheha, A., Arnal, V., et al (2018b). The contrasting genetic patterns of two sympatric flying fox species from the Comoros and the implications for conservation. Conservation Genetics, 19(6), 1425–1437. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-018-1111-6.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ibouroi, M. T., Hassane, N. A., Moindjié, S., Ombade, M., Mohamed, N., Saidou, M. H., Abderemane, K., Cheha, A., & Chiffard, J. (2019). The first comprehensive survey of habitat suitability and population size for the endangered Grande Comoro Scops Owl (Otus pauliani): Implications for its conservation. Journal of Ornithology, 160(4), 1121–1132. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-019-01689-0.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ibouroi, M. T., Arnal, V., Cheha, A., Dhurham, S. A. O., Montgelard, C., & Besnard, A. (2021a). Noninvasive genetic sampling for flying foxes: a valuable method for monitoring demographic parameters. Ecosphere, 12(7), e03327. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.3327.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ibouroi, M. T., Dhurham, S. A. O., Besnard, A., & Lescureux, N. (2021b). Understanding Drivers of Unsustainable Natural Resource Use in the Comoro Islands. Tropical Conservation Science, 0, 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1177/19400829211032585.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Joiner, J., Yoshida, Y., Zhang, Y., Duveiller, G., Jung, M., Lyapustin, A., Wang, Y., & Tucker, C. J. (2018). Estimation of terrestrial global gross primary production (GPP) with satellite data-driven models and eddy covariance flux data. Remote Sensing, 10, 1346. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10091346.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kamilar, J. M., & Tecot, S. R. (2015). Anthropogenic and climatic effects on the distribution of Eulemur species: an ecological niche modeling approach. International Journal of Primatolology, 37, 47–68. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10764-015-9875-8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Köndgen, S., Kühl, H., N'Goran, P. K., Walsh, P. D., Schenk, S., Ernst, N., Biek, R., Formenty, P., Mätz- Rensing, K., Schweiger, B., Junglen, S., Ellerbrok, H., Nitsche, A., Briese, T., Lipkin, W. I., Pauli, G., Boesch, C., & Leendertz, F. H. (2008). Pandemic human viruses cause decline of endangered great apes. Current Biology, 18, 260–264.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kun-Rodrigues, C., Salmona, J., Besolo, A., Rasolondraibe, E., Rabarivola, C., Marques, T. A., & Chikhi, L. (2014). New density estimates of a threatened sifaka species (Propithecus coquereli) in Ankarafantsika National Park. American Journal of Primatology, 76(6), 515–528.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Liu, C., Berry, P. M., Dawson, T. P., & Pearson, R. G. (2005). Selecting thresholds of occurrence in the prediction of species distributions. Ecography, 28, 385–393.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Long, P., Rabenandrasana, M., Rabenoro, M., Darlington, A., McCann, R., Gandola, R., Morrison, R., Graham, S., Evans, C., Washington, H., Evans, B., Palfrey, R., Raveloson, B., Rakontondravony, F., Jocque, M., Andriambelo, H. (2012). Biodiversity surveys of Mariarano and Matsedroy tropical dry forests and associated wetlands, Western Madagascar, 2010–2012 Status report, Unpublished report to the Ministry of Forests and Environment, Antananarivo, Madagascar, 2012.

  • Louette, M., Meitre, D., & Locque, R. (Eds.). (2004). La faune terrestre de l’archipel des Comores. Musée Royal de l’Afrique Centrale.

  • Matsushita, B., Yang, W., Chen, J., Onda, Y., & Qiu, G. (2007). Sensitivity of the enhanced vegetation index (EVI) and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) to topographic effects: a case study in high-density cypress forest. Sensors, 7, 2636–2651.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Meyler, S. V., Salmona, J., Ibouroi, M. T., et al (2012). Density estimates of two endangered nocturnal lemur species from northern Madagascar: new results and a comparison of commonly used methods. American Journal of Primatology, 74, 414–422. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajp.21997.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Miller, D. L., Rexstad, E., Burt, L., Bravington, M. V., Hedley, S. L. (2019a). The package dsm. https://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/dsm/dsm.pdf. Accessed 20 May 2020.

  • Miller, D. L., Rexstad, E., Thomas, L., Marshall, L., & Laake, J. L. (2019b). Distance sampling in R. Journal of Statistical Software, 89(1), 1–28. https://doi.org/10.18637/jss.v089.i01.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mittermeier, R. A., Ganzhorn, J. U., Konstant, W. R., Glander, K., Tattersall, I., Groves, C. P., Rasoloarison, R., et al (2008). Lemur Diversity in Madagascar. International Journal of Primatology, 29(6), 1607–1656. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10764-008-9317-y.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mittermeier, R. A., Louis Jr., E. E., Richardson, M., Schwitzer, C., Langrand, O., Rylands, A. B., Hawkins, F., Rajaobelina, S., Ratsimbazafy, J., Rasoloarison, R., Roos, C., Kappeler, P. M., & MacKinnon, J. (2010). Lemurs of Madagascar (3rd ed.). Conservation International.

    Google Scholar 

  • Müller, P., Velo, A., Raheliarisoa, E.-O., Zaramody, A., & Curtis, D. J. (2000). Surveys of sympatric lemurs at Anjamena, north-west Madagascar. African Journal of Ecology, 38, 248–257.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Muscarella, R., Galante, P. J., Soley-Guardia, M., Boria, R. A., Kass, J. M., Uriarte, M., & Anderson, R. P. (2014). ENMeval: An R package for conducting spatially independent evaluations and estimating optimal model complexity for Maxent ecological niche models. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 5(11), 1198–1205. https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.12261.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Myers, N., Mittermeier, R. A., Mittermeier, C. G., da Fonseca, G. A. B., & Kent, J. (2000). Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities. Nature, 403(6772), 853–858. https://doi.org/10.1038/35002501.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nadhurou, B., Righini, R., Gamba, M., Laiolo, P., Ouledi, A., & Giacoma, C. (2017). Effects of human disturbance on the mongoose lemur Eulemur mongoz in Comoros: implications and potential for the conservation of a Critically Endangered species. Oryx, 51, 60–67. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0030605315000897.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nichols, J. D. (1992). Capture–recapture models: using marked animals to study population dynamics. BioScience, 42, 94–102.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ormsby, L. (2019). Distribution, abundance and habitat use of the mongoose lemur, Eulemur mongoz, on Anjouan, Comoros (electronic thesis). Britsol, UK: University of Bristol. http://research-information.bristol.ac.uk. Accessed 11 May 2021.

  • Palfrey, R. H., Baddams, J., Raveloson, B. A., Rasamison, S. Ó., Marcaigh, F., Neaves, J., et al (2019). The avifauna of the forest mosaic habitats of the Mariarano region, Mahajanga II district, north-west Madagascar. Bothalia, 49(1), a2416. https://doi.org/10.4102/abc.v49i1.2416.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pastorini, J., Thalmann, U., & Martin, R. D. (2003). A molecular approach to comparative phylogeography of extant Malagasy lemurs. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 100, 5879–5884.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Phillips, S. J., Anderson, R. P., & Schapire, R. E. (2006). Maximum entropy modeling of species geographic distributions. Ecological Modelling, 190, 231–259. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2005.03.026.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • R Development Core Team (2016). R: a language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.hdy.6800737.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Radosavljevic, A., & Anderson, R. P. (2014). Making better MAXENT models of species distributions: complexity, overfitting and evaluation. Journal of Biogeography, 41, 629–643. https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.12227.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rakotondrabe, M., & Girard, F. (2021). Protecting traditional knowledge through biocultural community protocols in Madagascar: do not forget the “B” in BCP. Sustainability, 13, 10255. https://doi.org/10.3390/su131810255.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rakotondrabe, R. A., & Razafindramanana, J. (2019). Community management of natural resources for lemurs and forest in Ankirihitra, Madagascar. African Primatological Society.

    Google Scholar 

  • Razafindramanana, J., Eppley, T. M., Rakotondrabe, R., Roullet, D., Irwin, M. & King, T. (2020). Eulemur mongoz. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, e.T8202A115561431. https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T8202A115561431.en

  • Ripple, W. J., Abernethy, K., Betts, M. G., et al (2016). Bushmeat hunting and extinction risk to the world’s mammals. Subject category: subject areas. Open Science, 3, 160498. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.160498.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rocliffe, S., Peabody, S., Samoilys, M., & Hawkins, J. P. (2014). Towards a network of locally managed marine areas (LMMAs) in the Western Indian Ocean. PLoS One, 9(7), e103000.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Safford, R., & Hawkins, F. (Eds.) (2013). The birds of Africa: the Malagasy region (Vol. 8). Christopher Helm.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sagar, R., Mondragon-Botero, A., Dolins, F., Morgan, B., Vu, T. P., McCrae, J., & Winchester, V. (2021). Forest restoration at Berenty Reserve, Southern Madagascar: a pilot study of tree growth following the framework species method. Land, 10, 1041. https://doi.org/10.3390/land10101041.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schmidt, J. H., & Deacy, W. W. (2021). Using spatial distance sampling models to optimize survey effort and address violations of the design assumption. Ecological Solutions and Evidence, 2, e12091. https://doi.org/10.1002/2688-8319.12091.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schüßler, D., Radespiel, U., Ratsimbazafy, J. H., & Mantilla-Contreras, J. (2018). Lemurs in a dying forest: Factors influencing lemur diversity and distribution in forest remnants of north-eastern Madagascar. Biological Conservation, 228, 17–26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2018.10.008.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schwitzer, C., Mittermeier, R. A., Davies, N., Johnson, S. E., Ratsimbazafy, J., Razafindramanana, J., Louis, E. E., & Rajaobelina, S. (2013). Lemurs of Madagascar: a strategy for their conservation 2013–2016. IUCN SSC Primate Specialist Group Report. Bristol Conservation and Science Foundation, and Conservation International.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwitzer, C., Mittermeier, R. A., Johnson, S. E., Donati, G., Irwin, M., Peacock, H., Ratsimbazafy, J., Razafindramanana, J., Louis Jr., E. E., Chikhi, L., Colquhoun, I. C., Tinsman, J., Dolch, R., LaFleur, M., Nash, S., Patel, E., Randrianambinina, B., Rasolofoharivelo, T., & Wright, P. C. (2014). Averting lemur extinctions amid Madagascar's political crisis. Science, 343, 842–843.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sergio, F., Blas, J., Baos, R., Forero, M. G., Donázar, J. A., & Hiraldo, F. (2009). Short- and long-term consequences of individual and territory quality in a long-lived bird. Oecologia, 160, 507–514.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Shrum, M. (2008). A preliminary study of the lemur diversity in the Mahavavy–Kinkony Wetland Complex and Ankarafantsika National Park in northwest Madagascar: with emphasis on the reassessment of the status of the mongoose lemur (Eulemur mongoz) and its habitat. Oxford Brookes University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tattersall, I. (1976). Group structure and activity rhythm in Lemur mongoz (Primates, Lemuriformes) on Anjouan and Moheli Islands, Comoro Archipelago. Anthropological papers of the American Museum of Natural History, 53, 4.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tattersall, I. (1998). Lemurs of the Comoro Archipelago: status of Eulemur mongoz on Moheli and Anjouan, and of Eulemur fulvus on Mayotte. Lemur News, 3, 15–17.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thuiller, A.W., Georges, D., Engler, R., Georges, M.D., Thuiller, C.W. (2016). The Biomod2 Package: The Updated Object-Oriented Version of BIOMOD Package. Available online: https://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/biomod2/biomod2.pdf. Accessed 12 May 2020.

  • Tonnabel, J., Tattersall, I., Simmen, B., & Tarnaud, L. (2011). Decline and demographic changes in the population of the Near Threatened brown lemur Eulemur fulvus on Mayotte. Oryx, 45(4), 608–614. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0030605310001341.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • US Geological Survey, (2004). Shuttle radar topography mission. http://srtm.usgs.gov/. Accessed 10 Nov 2015

  • Valière, N., Fumagalli, L., Gielly, L., Miquel, C., Lequette, B., Poulle, M. L., Weber, J. M., Arlettaz, R., & Taberlet, P. (2003). Long-distance wolf recolonization of France and Switzerland inferred from non-invasive genetic sampling over a period of 10 years. Animal Conservation, 6, 83–92.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Warren, D. L., & Seifert, S. N. (2011). Ecological niche modeling in Maxent: the importance of model complexity and the performance of model selection criteria. Ecological Applications, 21, 335–342.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wearn, O. R., Reuman, D. C., & Ewers, R. M. (2012). Extinction debt and windows of conservation opportunity in the Brazilian Amazon. Science, 337, 228–232.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Witczuk, J., & Pagacz, S. (2021). Evaluating alternative flight plans in thermal drone wildlife surveys—simulation study. Remote Sensing, 13, 1102. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs13061102.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We would like to acknowledge the Direction of Environment and Forest of Comoros and the “Direction Générale des Forêts” of Madagascar for giving permissions to carry out our field work. The fieldwork was funded by the Rufford Foundation through Research Support Grants (Grant N°21803–1 to S.A. O. D. and N°26731–2 to M. T. I.) and the “Association Européenne pour l’Etude et la Conservation des Lémuriens (A.E.E.C.L.)”. Many thanks to the four anonymous reviewers of this manuscript; they provided extensive and critical corrections and comments for the improvement. We lastly would like to thank Ali Hassani Anziza and our local guides from Anjouan and Moheli (Comoros), and those from Mariarano (Madagascar) for their assistance during field work, as well as everyone who assisted in the study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Groupe d’Intervention pour le Développement Durable, GIDD Moroni, Hamramba, Comoros

    Mohamed Thani Ibouroi & Said Ali Ousseni Dhurham

  2. Faculté des Sciences, Université de Mahajanga, Campus Universitaire Ambondrona, BP 652 401, Mahajanga, Madagascar

    Mohamed Thani Ibouroi, Said Ali Ousseni Dhurham & Clément Rabarivola

Authors
  1. Mohamed Thani Ibouroi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Said Ali Ousseni Dhurham
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Clément Rabarivola
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mohamed Thani Ibouroi.

Additional information

Handling Editor: Joanna M. Setchell

Supplementary Information

ESM 1

(DOCX 113 kb)

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Ibouroi, M.T., Dhurham, S.A.O. & Rabarivola, C. Habitat Suitability and Population Size Estimates for the Mongoose Lemurs (Eulemur mongoz) of Madagascar and the Comoro Islands, and Implications for Their Conservation. Int J Primatol 44, 21–44 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10764-022-00318-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10764-022-00318-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation