News and Stories

A light rain fell as we walked beneath the canopy in the Andasibe–Mantadia National Parks. Then the forest filled with the resonant call of an indri. 

The indri is Madagascar’s largest living lemur. Known in Malagasy as babakoto, often translated as “Father of Man,” it has a special place in the island’s natural and cultural story. Hearing its call in the wild and watching the lemurs move acrobatically through the trees was an unforgettable reminder of what is at stake—and why protecting Madagascar’s future requires people and wildlife to thrive together. 

Thane Maynard and I, along with a small group of Zoo leaders and supporters, came to Madagascar to experience its extraordinary biodiversity, learn from conservation partners, and imagine how we can bring the island’s wonder and conservation story home to Cincinnati. 

That learning has reinforced our vision for a new Madagascar Habitat at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. Lemurs will be at the heart of the experience, but the story will extend far beyond a single species. The habitat will introduce visitors to multiple species of lemur sharing one space and the story of other remarkable animals and plants found across Madagascar while highlighting the people and communities whose knowledge, leadership, and daily choices are shaping the island’s future. 

We saw that connection through the work of our partners at Madagasikara Voakajy (MV). Their team is developing conservation approaches that support both healthy ecosystems and sustainable livelihoods. Fetra Arivony Rakotondrazanany, a Hoffman Coexistence Fellow, is exploring responsible ways to harvest baobab fruit, with the goal of strengthening local livelihoods which in turn gets people more invested in protecting the forests around them.

The MV team also shared encouraging results from its work with communities in Ambatondrazaka to protect flying fox roosts and surrounding habitat. In the most recent season, communities completed 131 patrols, supported restoration through 26 community nurseries, and maintained 160 hectares of community woodlots that help reduce pressure on natural forests. 

The Madagascan flying fox remains Vulnerable, and much work lies ahead. But these results show what becomes possible when research, habitat restoration, sustainable livelihoods, and community leadership move forward together. 

I keep returning to the sound of the indri calling through the rainforest. We cannot recreate Madagascar in Cincinnati, but we can create a doorway into its wonder, a place where families make memories, come close enough to care, hear the voices of people shaping a more hopeful future, and discover that each of us has a role in building A Wilder Tomorrow.