Protecting Biodiversity (continued)
The Biodiversity Management Plan in Detail
Ambatovy has designed and is implementing specific conservation programs as part of its biodiversity
management plan for targeted flora and fauna, including lemurs, critically endangered frogs and fish.
These programs are based on an adaptive management approach, integrating any lessons learned during
the Construction phase, to improve efforts and further reduce impacts.
Lemur Management Program
The goal of this program is to maintain lemur population viability in the Mine conservation forests.
Malagasy technicians, using radio-tracking methodology, monitor lemur behavior both during and after
forest clearing to determine whether the lemurs are able to migrate out of impacted areas and establish
new viable home ranges over time. In 2007 and 2008, 209 individual lemurs of 11 species have been
equipped with radio collars and continue to be monitored. State-of-the-art biomedical monitoring systems
have been implemented to assess trends in animal health. Tree-top lemur bridges were installed over trails
and roads cut for mining activities, thereby promoting habitat connectivity and allowing lemurs to move
safely between these areas. A community-level bush meat assessment has helped evaluate local hunting
pressures on wildlife and design suitable wildlife refuge areas.
Since 2009, a total of 35 newborn lemurs have been observed within Ambatovy’s conservation areas: six
Indri indri
(local name: babakoto), 14
Propithecus diadema
(simpona), 11
Avahi laniger
(fotsifé) and four
Eulemur fulvus
(varika mavo). Sixteen of these newborn lemurs came from groups that were displaced to
the special refuge areas due to activities that affected their original habitat.
Amphibian and Reptile Management Program
This program ensures the continued viability of populations of amphibian and reptile species affected by
Ambatovy. The main activities include carrying out pre-clearance species inventories and salvaging live
animals to conservation forest refuge areas. Between 2007 and 2010, the program salvaged more than
14,000 reptiles (54 species) and amphibians (55 species). This program will continue until forest clearing
operations have been completed.
In addition, Ambatovy has developed a specific conservation program for the Golden Mantella,
Mantella
aurantiaca
(IUCN CR), which aims to ensure the continued viability of populations of this critically
endangered frog. Ambatovy has supported regional surveys to identify the distribution of the frog and its
critical habitats (in particular, breeding ponds and surrounding forest slopes) and is working with experts
to identify the steps required to maintain viable populations in the Mine area.
Mantella aurantiaca
is a
flagship species for Ambatovy’s conservation efforts.
Fish Management Program
The goal of the fish management program is to maintain the viability of populations of endemic fish within
the Mine region and in water courses affected by construction of the Pipeline. Endemic fish species tend
to be located in streams draining from catchments with intact forest and where barriers, such as waterfalls,
prevent invasion by exotic species. The isolated and fragmented distribution of these endemic fishes makes
them especially vulnerable to extirpation (local extinction), requiring careful conservation of even the smallest
streams. Pre-Construction surveys were conducted on the habitat of targeted fish species and aquatic
systems in watercourses located at both the Mine site and along the route of the Pipeline. These surveys
helped determine baseline conditions and outline environmental procedures for Construction. To minimize
the impacts on aquatic systems, stringent mitigation measures were imposed on contractors during
Construction. Endemic fish and their habitats continue to be monitored regularly in the Mine area and in
water courses crossing the sections of the Pipeline where endemic fish species still occur.
Flora Management Program
Excavating the ore at the Mine Site requires forest clearing. Based on an extended botanical inventory,
Ambatovy, with the help of the Missouri Botanical Garden, identified all plant species known only to exist
on the Mine footprint and one or two other sites in Madagascar and categorized such plants as Species of
Concern (SOC).
For these SOCs, as a precautionary measure, Ambatovy developed a comprehensive
ex-situ
conservation
program, including whole-plant salvaging, seed collection, plant propagation, and the development of
living collections for progressive rehabilitation of the Mine footprint. In parallel, Ambatovy supported
searches for viable SOC populations in Mine conservation forests. This search effort has resulted in the
progressive reduction in the number of SOC species requiring
ex-situ
conservation. From an initial list of
173 SOCs, the number still requiring special salvaging has been reduced to 8 species and is anticipated
to descend to zero as the offsite surveys continue.
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AMBATOVY – SUPPORTING GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
