Short-term action plan for endemic tortoises protection in the Ala Maiky ecoregion

1. WWF Madagascar/
West Indian Ocean
Programme Office
B.P. 738
(101) Antananarivo
Madagascar
Tel: +261 20 22 348 85
+261 20 22 304 20
+261 33 02 888 05/06
+261 32 07 888 05/06
Fax: +261 20 22 348 88
wwfrep@wanadoo.mg
www.panda.org
WWF– World Wide Fund For Nature
(also known as World Wildlife Fund)
Short-term action plan for endemic tortoises protection in the Ala Maiky ecoregion
September 2010
Intervention sites
Harvesting areas : 1. Mahafaly plateau coastal area: Itampolo (especially the southern part of it) and Androka - 2. Coastal area of Androy (Tsihombe, Cap Sainte-Marie) and
inland Androy
Consumption areas: East of Mahafaly plateau : Fotadrevo (via Gogogogo) - Toliara ( Vezo quartier) - Antananarivo
Actions Details Lead Partners When? Cost (USD)
1. Integrate villages with significant
tortoises population in existing
communication network
Tap in the active communication network established on marine
resources management among fisher communities and integrate
tortoises protection in its mandate. This network will be reinforced
with the implication of civil society members (e.g; Voahary Gasy
association) as well as through its extension to inland villages with
significant tortoises populations (Ambalatsimiviky, Ankilibory etc).
WWF (Nosy, Vola) Comité National
Anti-Acridien,
Brigades de
Gendarmerie,
Association Voahary
Gasy
2010-
2011
12,000
2. Integrate tortoises protection in
the contract of CBNRM
1
within
Many of the CBNRM within Mahafaly Plateau will go through their
renewal phase of their contracts and this constitutes an opportunity
WWF (Olivier, Nosy),
MNP
DREF, TGRN 2010-
2011
COGESFOR
1
Community-Based Natural Resources Management

2. harvesting and transit zones to integrate clauses on communities’ role on tortoises conservation,
tools and equipment they need to be equipped with to fulfill their
mission.
3. Develop the ToR of the joint
Commission with clauses
stipulating the role of each actor
and outcomes
Instill a culture of transparency within the Joint commission by clear
mandates and procedures for actions among stakeholders.
Alignment with the Joint commission dedicated for stemming the
deforestation in PK32 Ranobe and Amoron’i Onilahy protected areas
need to be established.
WWF (Bernardin) ,
DREF
Gendarmes, justice,
OPCI
2010 2,100
4. Lobby for the establishment of
success in the fight against
tortoises trafficking as a criteria
for carrier promotion among
gendarmes working in Ala Maiky
Work closely with the national command of the gendarmerie to
ensure that arrests and seizures linked to tortoises trafficking are
among criteria for carrier promotion. (The fact that the minister of
environment is a gendarme might facilitate this move)
WWF (Nanie,
Ndranto)
Commandement
Gendarmerie,
minister MEF
2010 --
5. Support the intervention of the
marine brigade in undercover
and unexpected actions against
tortoises trafficking
Though expensive, the intervention of this unit will stimulate the
local brigades. It will conduct sudden raid and thanks to its
independence from local authorities, it is shielded from any local
influence. It is proposed the marine brigade intervenes once a year.
WWF(Tiana, Nanie),
commandement
gendarmerie, MEF
Commandement
Gendarmerie,
Ministre MEF
2010-
2011-
2012
2,400
2
6. Motivate local communities to
get involved in monitoring
tortoises trafficking
Establish a contest between villages on their effectiveness (i) to
detect and stop tortoises threats within the areas they are
managing, (ii) to inform the joint commission on the harvesting or
any transit, (iii) to maintain healthy populations of tortoises.
One way to do this would be to establish a formal contract (Contrat
de conservation) where the mission of the communities, the
equipment to conduct it and the prize for getting the mission done
are clearly stipulated. Baseline data on the tortoises populations in
each community’s territory will be collected as a reference.
Initiatives with communities on tortoises can be enhanced by using
social marketing approaches already tested in other countries on
highly threatened species. The Rare Pride
(www.rareconservation.org) concept will be applied using mascots,
theatrical tours, stickers etc. It is also proposed to inspire from the
WWF (Bernardin,
Nosy)
Villages Verts, RARE 2010-
2011-
2012
14,100
2
3 interventions a year

3. existing Green Villages that were set up across the Mahafaly
Plateau. For these, prizes like water pumps, water transportation
system etc are used to encourage communities to manage their
territories with environmentally-sound measures.
7. Update and finalize WWF’s
strategy on endemic tortoises
This document along with the present priority action plan were
presented to national and regional authorities on September 10 in
Toliary (during the official hand over of the 300 tortoises seized in
Singapore to the Village of Tortue at Ifaty). We consider that they
constitute background document for the drafting of future national
strategy on endemic tortoises.
WWF (Tiana) 2010 --
8. Publish an article on WWF’s
decade experience to combat
tortoises harvesting and
poaching in the southern and
southwestern regions of
Madagascar: successes, failure
and lessons learned.
During the last 8
th
Symposium on Turtle and tortoises in Orlando,
the IUCN committed to relase a book focused on tortoises in
Madagascar. This is a unique opportunity for WWF and its partners
to show what has been done on tortoises since the establishment of
Ala Maiky ecoregion and what WWF is planning for the next 5 year
from now to stem the decline of tortoises populations in its
intervention zones.
WWF (Tiana) MNP 2010 --
9. Develop a partnership document
with TSA
This document will outline WWF’s strategy and priority action for
the next 5 years and highlight areas where partnership is
recommended.
WWF (Tiana) 2010 --
10. Establish a linkage with Omaha
Zoo projects and see how WWF
can test and scale up what is
done in Lavavolo area in terms of
development actions
Omaha Zoo’ development initiatives in Lavavolo (Itampolo
commune) are worth to be tested in villages and CBNRM
established in the southwest especially in Androka region. These
initiatives consist of promoting fuel-economic stoves, testing of
briquette made with Opuntia stricta (invasive), handy water
transportation device and desalination system.
WWF (Malika,
Bernardin)
Omaha zoo, GTZ and
others to be
identified
2010 --
11. Support MEF in prosecuting
tortoises traffickers and
following up legal cases on
tortoises at the tribunal
Environmental and low officers, representatives from communities,
NGOs will be trained by a lawyer on legal procedures (development
of statement of offence, judicial circuits etc.) and informed on the
mechanism of the judicial system. Meeting with justice officers will
be organized to ensure that all stakeholders have the same
understanding of the laws and an agreed monitoring system
established
WWF (Bernardin) Justice 2010 6,100

4. 12. Reinforce and accelerate
development initiatives in
collaboration with development
specialists
Development activities should bring tangible benefits to gain
communities’ heart for conservation. Alternatives to tortoises meat
(e.g. short-cycle farming) need to be promoted quickly. Nonetheless
these actions have to be based on sound understanding of social,
cultural and economical drivers behind tortoises harvesting to
ensure the initiatives are appropriate to stem the trafficking.
Linkages with development specialists will be sought and
partnership established whenever and wherever possible
WWF (Malika,
Bernardin)
CARE, UNDP, WFP,
Ministère agriculture
etc
2010-
2011-
2012
6,500
13. Reinforce the role of the
Research Group of Ala Maiky
(GRAM) as the coordinator of
research initiatives within the
ecoregion by using tortoises as a
test case
The GRAM was established in March 2010 and is led by the
University of Toliary. The GRAM will play a key role in maintaining a
database on tortoises, coordinating and facilitating field research
and ensuring fluid communication among research community
working in the ecoregion.
GRAM GRAM, Université
Toliary, TSA
2010 2,600