Endangered lemurs have become a delicacy for wealthy Madagascans
Lemurs, small primates with fluffy tails and large eyes, are considered one of the most endangered mammals on the planet.
Of the 112 species, over 90 per cent are listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List. For a long time, deforestation, poaching and illegal logging were cited as major factors. But a new study has revealed another dangerous trend: lemur meat has become a delicacy for affluent urban dwellers in Madagascar.
This is the key finding of a four-year study (2022-2025) of the lemur meat market - the first such analysis in the country. Researchers interviewed 2,600 people in 17 major cities, including hunters, resellers, retailers and restaurant workers, to understand how this semi-shady industry works.
A forbidden delicacy for the rich
The results are shocking: researchers estimate that nearly 13,000 lemurs are killed and eaten each year, and that lemur dishes are available in more than a third of the cities studied.
Some 94.5 per cent of trade takes place quietly - between suppliers and 'verified' customers.
Only 5.5 per cent of sales are to restaurants, but establishments serving wild meat are noticeably more expensive than usual.
Demand is shaped not only by money, but also by taste and pseudo-medical expectations.
Customers talk about "the most delicious meat of all", and some are convinced that it "rejuvenates" and "gives strength". Suppliers repeat these myths, referring to the "secrets of the forest".
Brown lemurs and varies (ruffed lemurs) are the most common, with the target audience being the affluent urban public willing to pay for a "special" product.
"(Not) eaten to extinction": what scientists are suggesting
In an article in the journal Conservation Letters, the authors warn that conventional conservation measures are no longer enough.
They estimate that without systemic, data-driven solutions, these some of the world's most threatened mammals could simply disappear due to demand for their meat.
Among the steps needed:
tighter controls on illegal weapons used by hunters;
information campaigns that reduce the prestige and "desirability" of lemur meat - including by emphasising the health and sanitary risks;
creating alternative sources of income for hunters that would make poaching economically unprofitable.
Without intervention, scientists emphasise that in the next few years lemurs risk becoming not a symbol of Madagascar's unique nature, but an example of a species that has literally been eaten to extinction