SAVING WILDLIFE STARTS WITH SAVING PEOPLE

THE SUCCESS OF OUR MISSION TO SAVE SPECIES FROM EXTINCTION IS DEPENDENT ON ENGAGING LOCAL COMMUNITIES IN THE PLACES WE WORK. A VITAL PART OF THIS IS TO ENSURE WE UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS OF THESE COMMUNITIES AND TO HELP OUT WHERE WE CAN DURING DIFFICULT TIMES.

On Monday 9th December 2019, Cyclone Belna hit northwestern Madagascar bringing winds of up to 100 mph. The cyclone caused landfall near Soalala, a district where Durrell has worked since 1990 to protect the ploughshare tortoise, one of the world’s most endangered tortoises. With the majority of resources distributed among the capital of Soalala, many villages in isolated areas could not benefit from this support.

To assist these communities and to meet their urgent needs, Durrell conservationists in Madagascar stepped in to distribute emergency provisions to villages in some of the worst affected areas. To do this, the team received significant financial support from Jersey Overseas Aid (JOA). JOA has already been supporting Durrell’s community work in Madagascar as part of the Enabling Change project. This five-year programme aims to improve household nutrition, financial independence and reproductive health, among other initiatives.

The cyclone caused widespread damage to houses and community buildings, including schools. With the help of Fokontany chiefs and village notables, the team identified and prioritised areas most affected by the cyclone. In total, 830 households from seven villages in three districts were recognised as the most in need of urgent support.

The team spoke with victims and local authorities to identify the primary needs requested by the affected villages. These essentials included food, blankets, sheets for roof repairs and other necessities such as oils, candles and various kitchen utensils.

The emergency aid response provided by Durrell, with the generous support of Jersey Overseas Aid, was much appreciated by the local authorities. The villages welcomed the team and sang and danced as they received the muchneeded supplies. The provisions greatly relieved the suffering and loss of inhabitants after the destruction caused by the cyclone.

This response is the first time that Durrell has made a humanitarian assistance intervention following a cyclone. Local and regional authorities have recognised how well this fast and well-coordinated response demonstrates Durrell’s commitment to rural development and the protection of natural resources and biodiversity in the region. Through the emergency response effort, our team was able to show their commitment to many of the villages they have been working with for some time. We hope this will improve the level of engagement and overall success of our work with local communities in the Soalala region in the future.

Richard Lewis, Madagascar Programme Director, helping distribute much-needed emergency provisions.