Makay Nature 2010 n°1

With the main objective to get a first glimpse of the rich fauna and flora, as well as the archaeology, of this region, this expedition in January 2010 was the very first scientific mission to be carried out in the Makay massif, combining sport, exploration and science.

Funded by the Petzl Foundation and the EOCA Foundation, and organised and led by Evrard Wendenbaum, explorer, photographer and film-maker, it brought together 25 people, including 11 researchers from several French and Madagascan institutions, associations and universities. It also required a team of climbers and a paramotor pilot. They were tasked with developing innovative techniques to provide safe access to the most difficult areas, ranging from cliff equipment to zip-line systems suspended over forests…

The very promising results, as well as the confirmation by all the researchers on the mission of the advanced state of degradation of the Makay forests and the urgent need to implement conservation measures, prompted us to organise two further missions in November-December 2010 and January 2011.