New research uncovers disturbing hidden trade with affluent clientele: 'No one wants to stop'

Lemurs are the world's most endangered group of mammals, according to the Lemur Conservation Network. With 98% of lemur species threatened with extinction, they should be left alone to recuperate and rebuild.

Instead, people in Madagascar are still hunting for their meat.

What's happening?

A study published in Conservation Letters titled "Madagascar's Urban Lemur Meat Trade" interviewed 2,600 participants across 17 cities in the country over four years to perform a full-scale evaluation of the lemur meat industry. The trade is mostly concealed, with 95% of its sales happening between suppliers and trusted clients.

With a bit more than 100 known lemur species, three of the original eight families are already extinct due to hunting or habitat loss. Despite over 60 years of legal protections against hunting, lemurs remain in high demand in restaurants and for home consumption, as they're considered a luxury meat in one of the world's least food-secure countries.

Lemur meat can still be found both in public markets and through hidden supply chains — and in one-third of the 17 cities in the study, with one in every 200 restaurants serving it. But since suppliers and traders said only 5.5% of their sales went to restaurants, it is estimated that the total trade is roughly 13,000 lemurs sold each year.

"It's the most delicious of any food I've eaten," one buyer said, per Conservation Letters. "I would know it even with my eyes closed. Once you eat it, no one wants to stop."

Why is the lemur trade important?

As trade occurs faster than the animals can repopulate, hunting sites shift rapidly, impacting protected areas. Lemurs are also targeted during the times when they are fattest, which are the winter and birthing periods, which ultimately prevents the babies from maturing.

While many people assume pollinators are only bees and hummingbirds, lemurs are important for forest diversity because they help disperse seeds throughout their forests. The more lemurs become endangered, the more flowering plants can meet the same fate.

Worst of all, Madagascar is the only habitat for lemurs. If they go extinct in this country, they will be gone everywhere except in sanctuaries.

What's being done about lemur hunting?

Since the illegal trade is fueled mainly by affluent clientele, reducing hunting will require enforcing licenses, increasing hunting fees substantially, and imposing a penalty of weapons confiscation. 

Conservationists can also catch more hunters by installing more trail cameras, investing in sanctuaries, and exploring new scientific methods to preserve the lemur population.

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