A paradise in distress : Lemur Island

It is common knowledge that lemurs are endemic to Madagascar. However, little is known about their numbers (108 species), and even less about what makes them special: they are the smallest in the world, the only ones to live above water, eat bamboo and overwinter, all unique among primates. The island is home to 21% of the world’s primates, a heavy burden indeed. The latest IUCN red list reveals that 36% of primates considered ‘critically endangered’ are lemurs. Since 2007, I have photographed 75 species to show this exceptional diversity. Some nocturnal, some isolated in almost inaccessible places, from the most famous, recognisable among a thousand thanks to its ringed tail, to the rarest, numbering only a few dozen individuals. Here they are all together.