Role and implications of local beliefs and expertise in conservation programmes : the case of a site with sacred lemurs in the multi-use forest area of Antrema (Sakalava Land, Madagascar)

The importance of sites containing sacred lemurs has been stressed by several studies in northwestern Madagascar. These studies indicated that some places (villages, hills, islets) constitute true « natural areas of conservation » for biodiversity. Ancestral laws of great importance to the Sakalava populations traditionally protect these sites, which typically are home to a species (animal or plant) recognized as sacred by the local community. Due to these sacred attributions, both the species and the site itself remain protected. The present study concerns a previously overlooked site in the territory of Antrema where sacred lemurs (Propithecus coronatus of the Indridae family) can be found. The study highlights the complementary roles of both local tradition and international regulation in the domain of conservation