Who's
Who on the Field Team?
Project Betampona is directed by Charlie Welch, one of the MFG's
technical advisors in Madagascar. Charlie lives in Tamatave; the
rest of the Betampona team live in the village
of Rendrirendry.
Bernard
Ianbana is the project's botanist and research assistant. Bernard
is conducting a long term phenology (seasonal change) study of
350 trees in the reserve. This work is important in understanding
the ecology of the forest and the food choices of lemurs. Bernard
will soon complete his master's degree based on the tree study.
When Adam Britt, for years the project's chief scientist, returned
to the UK, Bernard assumed many of his duties. Bernard doesn't
ask anyone to do something he wouldn't do himself - and often
does it himself.
The
project's five conservation agents also live at Rendrirendry.
The conservation agents, Celestin, Jean Noel, Tsirindahy, Arsene
and George (many Malagasy have only one name), are local men with
extensive knowledge of the forest. They are responsible for patrolling
the reserve and for collecting data. Along with Bernard, they
track the radio-collared released lemurs and their wild compatriots,
observing and recording their location, behavior, and food choices.
Celestin
is in charge when Bernard is absent. In addition to working in
the forest, Celestin handles all the accounting and pays everyone.
Celestin's son, Cel, is in high school and also works for the
project as a trainee. Jean-Noel is nicknamed Zo. He is extremely
responsible, and is always concerned with the international news,
although the majority of it does not influence his life a bit.
Tsirindahy
has the role of village elder. In the forest, he knows the trees
and plants like no one else. Arsene was hired after the first
release. Like Jean Noel, he is a very responsible young man. George
is the most recently hired agent. He came to the project's attention
when he was hired as an assistant and guide by an American researcher
studying indri (Indri indri) in Betampona.
|
|
