When Dinasoa Tahirinirainy got a phone call in early October telling him there was a fire at a Missouri Botanical Garden conservation area in Madagascar, he wasn’t too worried. Tahirinirainy is the park manager of Ankafobe Forest, an area of rare highland forest where fires are common. He deals with three to four fires a…
Tag: Madagascar
Making the Mark
Earlier this year, Missouri Botanical Garden Botanist Patrice Antilahimena embarked on a field trip to a protected area managed by the Garden in southern Madagascar. The dry forest, thick with spiny plants was unlike anywhere he had collected before. But the trip was exciting for another reason: Patrice knew it was likely he would make…
Protecting Precious Woods in Madagascar
At the ports of Madagascar, enormous piles of logs cut from rosewoods and ebonies sit waiting. They can’t be exported because these threatened precious woods were harvested illegally and their sale on the international market is forbidden. Of course, those who don’t play by the rules still manage to export them illegally and make a…
Lemurs of Madagascar
Lemurs are amazing animals—a diverse group of primates found only on the island of Madagascar. There are about 100 living species of lemur ranging in size from the tiny mouse lemur to the large and vocal indri. Nearly all of those species are threatened with extinction, mainly due to habitat loss and hunting, according to…
Fighting Fire to Save Threatened Trees in Madagascar
On the night of August 7, 2021, a large fire swept over the landscape and approached the 88-acre Ankafobe forest—one of those remaining sanctuaries for the Sohisika trees.
Trees for Lemurs and Lemurs for Trees
The Missouri Botanical Garden: the clue is in the name, really! We love plants – everything about them: we love unpacking their evolutionary relationships, we love to investigate how they mold themselves to their environments, we love discovering how best to propagate and grow them. But, most of all, we love simply reveling in their life-enhancing…
Spotlight on Science: Tariq Stevart
Tariq StevartAssociate Scientist, Africa and Madagascar Program When Tariq Stevart was around 10 years old, his grandfather took him on a trip to Switzerland, where they climbed mountains and discovered alpine flora, in particular orchids. It sparked a lifelong interest for Stevart, who grew up in Belgium and always admired the beautiful orchids of Europe….
National Geographic Honors Garden Researcher for Conservation Work in Madagascar
Jeannie Raharimampionona has dedicated her life to conserving the flora of her native Madagascar. With more than half of plant species facing extinction in Madagascar, some may find the never-ending work to save them to be too daunting. But Raharimampionona can’t imagine doing anything else. “Sometimes I think of each plant species as a gorgeous,…
Racing the Clock for Rediscovery
Just before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down travel, Jim Miller, Senior Vice President of Science & Research at the Missouri Botanical Garden, was in Madagascar, searching for a plant that scientists had not seen in the wild since 1965. Bourreria angustifolia is a small tree or shrub with “willow-like” leaves and orange fruits the size and…
Spider Sundew Discovered in Madagascar
A discovery by Missouri Botanical Garden staff in Madagascar has resulted in the description of a new species of carnivorous plant, the spider sundew.
Spotlight on Science: Armand Randrianasolo
Dr. Armand RandrianasoloCurator at the William L. Brown Center Many botanists’ careers are the realization of a lifelong goal, born in a childhood exploring the natural world and followed by a series of carefully-planned steps to attain that goal. Armand Randrianasolo did spend much of his time outdoors during his childhood in Vatomandry, Madagascar, but…
Remote Research: Missed Connections
Throughout the world, closures and lockdowns aimed to stop the spread of COVID-19 have disrupted many people’s lives and work. As a global institution, the Missouri Botanical Garden does research around the world, making travel restrictions a major hindrance. The “stay at home” order means staff has lost access to the Garden’s herbarium and labs,…