WTM’s World Responsible Tourism Day is taking place on 14 November 2007. The day is dedicated to raising awareness of the significance of minimising negative impacts of tourism and to encourage the protection of tourism destinations and host cultures. The event will attempt to equip people with the knowledge on how to improve the outlook for the local people and the environment in tourism destinations, and to help businesses understand the importance and benefits of responsible tourism. Blue Ventures is supporting the cause and is also short listed for an award in the Marine category. For more information click here.

IUCN and the International Primatological Society have recently released a report in collaboration with Conservation International, highlighting the need for further conservation efforts of endangered primates. The report states that 29% of all the worlds primates are on the verge of becoming extinct, due to the demolition of tropical rainforests, hunting, and illegal wildlife trade. The Greater bamboo lemur, White-collared lemur, Sahamalaza Peninsula sportive lemur, and Silky sifaka – all found only in Madagascar, are mentioned in the report. To find out more click here.

We are now three weeks into expedition 33, and I think it would be safe to say that the time has been largely devoted to one thing: fish. And I don’t mean eating fish. So much of our work on the coral reefs is based on the correct identification of fish species, and for this we must learn to recognize over 150 species. The manic studying which followed our arrival on sight slightly enveloped our lives. And yet, studying at Coco Beach is no dry act, pardon the pun. Underwater fish point-outs on the reef occurred almost daily, and our hours on land saw most people revising in hammocks, the sun beating down from above. We taught each other as well. Each individual was assigned a different fish family, and following meals we would put on a lively presentation for the others. We played fisharades. We heard of the antics of the wrasse family at their Christmas gatherings.

What follows is an excerpt from one such presentation, detailing the six species of angelfish known to hang out around Andavadoaka.

Enjoy, and be enlightened.

The three-spot angelfish is yellow

With blue lips like blueberry jell-o.

He has three spots around his face

And a black-tipped fin at his base.

The semicircle has a greenish hue

And is covered with spots the colour blue.

His juvenile form is quite dark

With blue and white curving marks.

The many-spined angelfish is known

For bright blue tips on his ventral zone.

He has a dark patch behind hi eyes.

At only four inches he is small in size.

The ear-spot has a funky dace

And an ear spot in an obvious place.

His body is black with thin white lines

And a yellow tail that is quite fine.

I’ve finally done my first science dive after taking up the post of expedition manager at the beginning of October, and it was fantastic! The boat (along with Marcellin, the boat driver) took me, two staff members and four volunteers out to a site that we haven’t dived very much. I was the ‘boat marshal’ for the first dive. This means sitting on the boat, taking GPS readings (with a depth sounder) periodically while the divers are under, and of course being the first point of contact for them in case of any problems. For safety reasons, each diving group carries an SMB (surface marker buoy – basically, an inflatable attached to a string which they hold onto whilst underwater) which floats on the surface while they’re diving.

There were two groups on this dive so they had two SMBs altogether. Of course, on the surface, you have no idea of the topography and life underneath you so it’s quite surreal seeing two yellow inflatable balloons dance around on the sea seemingly randomly, coming together and meeting up for a while, and then going off in opposite directions again. As well as taking the GPS points, I spent my time wisely – looking on the horizon, trying not to feel seasick, and also doing short stints of meditation. It was so peaceful. All divers came up safely (phew) and after a surface interval, during which I felt very seasick, it was time for the second dive.

This was in a similar spot, but one where the scientists seemed to think had some good reef. And they were right. It did. There was some really big coral colonies, and quite good diversity of coral species. It’s the best dive site I’ve seen since diving here, and we got to see a turtle too, swimming away from us speedily. After a bit of a swim around during which I wrote down the names of all the fish I saw and recognised it was time for the ‘science’. My buddy (who has only been diving for three weeks!) and I laid out a transect (a badly behaved tape measure), tying it to a rock at one end, and swimming out with it for 20 metres, tying it up again at the other end. We then had to give the fish a couple of minutes to settle down, and my buddy’s job was to count them along the 20 metres, while my job was to swim along the tape for ten metres and write down the name of what was living underneath it every 20cm. It’s the first ‘proper’ one of these that I’ve done on this expedition (though actually I’ve done it before with Operation Wallacea, and for the marine conservation society), and I really enjoyed it.

There were quite a few different varieties of coral along the tape, as well as some algae and soft coral. We got to have a bit more of a swim after this, admiring the coral, fish and invertebrates, and then surfaced after our allotted dive time. I always love diving, but I especially like diving sites with good coral coverage and plenty of fish to look at. On top of that, I just really enjoy the gathering of data so I’m pretty happy today and it’s good to finally feel useful underwater. Hopefully I’ll get many more dives like that before the year is up.

Madagascar is currently undergoing the biggest campaign in the country’s history against malaria and measles. According to BBC News Malagasy people are receiving 1.5 million mosquito nets and almost 3 million children will be vaccinated against measles. The campaign is taking place during a mother and child health week. Unicef reports that over 60 000 children in Madagascar die each year from preventable diseases, however the number has been significantly decreasing in the past decade.

For more information see an article by the BBC here.