12
2012 - AMBATOVY SUSTAINABILITY REPORT
At the end of 2012, just over 700 hectares
of forest had been cleared at the mine site. Monitoring
shows that the method has been successful for the
lemur populations.
Species Conservation
Ambatovy works with reputable international organiza-
tions to promote biodiversity conservation in its areas of
operation. For example, Ambatovy works with experts
from the Duke Lemur Centre in North Carolina to monitor
the health of the lemur populations in our operation
areas using radio-collar technology. As part of our
commitment to conservation and advancing scientific
knowledge, Ambatovy co-sponsored and participated in
the 2012 workshop called the Species Survival Commis-
sion/Primate Specialist Group, organized by the Interna-
tional Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
in Antananarivo, Madagascar.
Through its biodiversity program, Ambatovy also
monitors reptiles, amphibians, fish and birds. In 2012,
Ambatovy, along with its national and international
partners, supported its new Mantella Captive Breeding
Program, which involves collecting and relocating
endangered Mantella golden frogs from mining areas
to natural receptor sites and establishing an assurance
population in an IUCN-approved captive breeding
centre in nearby Andasibe, Madagascar. The fish
populations of the mine impact zone have been regularly
monitored and regional surveys and genetic studies have
been conducted to determine their distribution, allowing
the project to focus conservation efforts on the rarer
species.
Ambatovy is also working with Asity, the Malagasy
BirdLife International partner, and other organizations to
minimize further degradation of the adjacent
Torotorofotsy Ramsar
1
Wetland through a number of
initiatives, including mapping, biological and hydrological
studies and public awareness campaigns.
Madagascar is also home to many rare or unique
species of plants. Working with experts from the
Missouri Botanical Garden (MBG), Ambatovy
systematically salvages rare plants (including orchids)
impacted by mine operations, which are relocated to
nurseries, an orchidarium and orchid park. Ambatovy
also supports surveys of the regional flora in order to
gain vital information, enabling conservation efforts to
be focused on the rarer species.
1 The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, called the Ramsar Convention, is an intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework
for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. For more information, visit:
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