LEEP

04/24/2026

RANDRIANASOLO Laurent started working as a research technician at Centre ValBio since its founding in 2003. Before Centre ValBio, Laurent conducted research in Talatakely since 1999. He talks about his work as a research technician and what his responsibilities entail.

This video series is titled:
“Preserving knowledge of endemic species in Madagascar through storytelling.”
Watch on YouTube

The series was produced in 2020 during the
COVID-19 pandemic.

Funded by: School of Anthropology and WISE Tropics
Edited by:
Produced by:

04/24/2026

VONJY HARY TIANA Sabine has been a guide at the
Association of Guides in Ranomafana since 2000.
She enjoys informing people about how important it is to protect animals and plants. She speaks Malagasy, French and English.

Because of her training, she likes to introduce visitors to the existence of natural species and explain more about them, such as how birds have different sounds and plants have different powers. She shares the history of Ranomafana National Park and the many ways one can protect the environment.

She teaches visitors about birds, crocodiles, lemurs, plants, butterflies, snakes, lizards, spiders, and insects. She also tells visitors where all of the species live in the forest.

This video series is titled:
“Preserving knowledge of endemic species in Madagascar through storytelling”

Watch on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/srrzWQDIldI?si=GGXmTZ1djD9JBLi9

The series was produced in 2020 during the
COVID-19 pandemic.

Funded by: , School of
Anthropology and WISE Tropics
Edited by:
Produced by:
Full credits in video.

~

«Firaketana Ireo Firaketana ireo fahalalana mahakasika ny karazam-biby sy zava-maniry andemika eto Madagasikara miainga avy amin’ny fitantarana tantara»

Izy dia mpitari-dia ao amin’ny AGR na ny Association des Guides Ranomafana, efa hatramin’ny taona 2000 izany. Anisany sehatra tena tiako ny mampahalala sy mitandrina ny biby sy ny zava-maniry. Miteny ny teny
Malagasy sy Frantsay ary Anglisy koa izy.
Noho ny fioafana nataony dia tiany ny mamapahafantatra ny vahiny mpitsidika ny fisian’ny karazan-javaboahary sy ny manazava azy ireo bebe kokoa toy ny fananan’ny biby iray karazam-peo samihafa ohatra ny vorona izay manana feo efatra (4) samihafa, ary koa ny zava-maniry izay manana ny hery samy hafa. Mbola ao koa ny tantara sy ny fomba maro hoentina iarovana ny tontolo ¡ainana izay mbola mitoetra mandraka ankehitriny.
Voafehy ao anatin’izany ny fahaizana manazava toy ireo vorona, varika, tanalahy, zava-maniry, lolo, bibilava, androngo, tanapisaka, bibikely toy ny famakiloha ary ireo toerana misy tanantara maro ao anaty ala.

(Rest in comments)

03/30/2026

🎉 LEEPers Amit Hanadari-Levy and Katie King presented their research last week at the annual American Association of Biological Anthropologists meeting in Denver! They presented on their research on red-bellied in National Park, Madagascar.

Amit Hanadari-Levy presented her Master's thesis project, entitled: Behavioral correlates of climate and habitat degradation in wild, red-bellied lemurs (Eulemur rubriventer). She found that temperature effects on behavior were stronger in the disturbed, secondary forest compared with the primary forest.

Katie King presented a chapter of her PhD dissertation research, entitled: What is the relationship between allomaternal and maternal care in red-bellied lemurs (Eulemur rubriventer)? Katie found that infant care by non-mothers (siblings, fathers) increases as maternal care decreases, suggesting that shared infant care provides some energetic relief to mothers.

UA School of Anthropology
UArizona College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
The University of Arizona
Centre ValBio - CVB

03/06/2026

RANDRIANARISOA Herindranto “Herina” has been a tour guide in Ranomafana National Park in
Madagascar since 2000. She lives in Andalambao
Ranomafana. She spent two years studying various plants and animals found in Ranomafana National Park.
She enjoys sharing information about the Park because it makes her happy to see visitors fascinated about the biodiversity that is present. Some of them even start their day in Ranomafana.

In her free time, she enjoys listening to music after playing basketball because one of her favorite things to do is exercise. She also likes to connect with friends on Facebook.

This video series is titled:
“Preserving knowledge of endemic species in
Madagascar through storytelling”

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Bes6HPaKpCQ?si=iEfoDk1fvDGYvbJd

The series was produced in 2020 during the
COVID-19 pandemic.

Funded by: , School of
Anthropology and WISE Tropics
Edited by:
Produced by:
Full credits in video.

~

“Firaketana Ireo Firaketana ireo fahalalana mahakasika ny karazam-biby sy zava-maniry andemika eto Madagasikara miainga avy amin’ny fitantarana tantara”
Herina dia mpitari-dia ao amin’ny alan-java-boaharin’i Ranomafana eto Madagasikara nanomboka ny taona 2000 ka hatramin’izao fotoana izao. Mipetraka ao Andalambao Ranomafana izy. Nandany roa taona izy nianarana ny zava-maniry sy biby isan-karazany izay hita ao amin’io valan-javaboaharin’i Ranomafana io.
Tapa-kevitra ary izy fa hitantara sy hampiseho ireo mpitsidika tonga mandalo, satria anisany ny mahafaly azy ny mahita ireo mpitsidika talanjona sy variana ary misy amin’izy ireo mintsy aza no manantombo ny andro izay ijanonany eto Ranomafana rehefa mahita ny hankanton’ireo Biodiversité misy aty an-toerana.
Amin’ny fotoana tsy iasany kosa dia mahafinaritr’azy ny miheno mozika rehefa avy milalao Basket baolina satria anisany zavatra tiany ny manao fanatanjahan-tena, izy koa dia tia miserasera amin’ny namana amin’ny facebook.

03/06/2026

RAFIDISON Stephenson worked with a butterfly researcher in the Vatovavy Forest in KIANJAVATO in 1986-1987. The researcher he worked with was from New York, and they discovered many species of butterflies as well as other animals. The researcher shared some English skills with Stephenson.

Stephenson loves nature and learned a lot with the researcher, which is why he chose to be a guide. He went through many trainings before becoming a guide from 1996-2016. He became the president of the Association of Tour Guides in Ranomafana in 2018-2019 and returned to work as a guide.

His hobbies include football and volleyball. He is the leader of the football club in Ranomafana.

This video series is titled:
“Preserving knowledge of endemic species in Madagascar through storytelling”

Watch on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/cvWuyK4l2KQ?si=to9s2DRXEeM__DhB

The series was produced in 2020 during the
COVID-19 pandemic.

Funded by: , School of Anthropology and WISE Tropics
Edited by:
Produced by:
Full credits in video.

~

“Firaketana Ireo Firaketana ireo fahalalana mahakasika ny karazam-biby sy zava-maniry andemika eto Madagasikara miainga avy amin’ny fitantarana tantara”

Ny taona 1986 - 1987 dia niara-niasa tamin’ny mpikaroka momba ny Lolo (Papillon) tao amin’ny alan’ny Vatovavy tao KIANJAVATO izaho Rafidison Jean Stephenson.
Izy dia mpikaroka avy any New York. Tsy dia naharitra loatra ny fotoana nanaovana io fikarohana io dia lasa izy nahita karazana lolo maro izahay sy biby hafa. Izy dia nanome fahaizana sy nampianatra ny teny Anglisy kelikely ahy ary nianatra teny Gasy kely koa izy.

Teto Ranomafana izahay no mipetraka asa no natao tany Kianjavato. Nahazo vokatsoa izy teo amin’ny fikarohana izay natao.

Tiako ny natiora fa nahafantarako zavatra maro ary izay no nahatonga ahy nisafidy ny asa ho mpitari-dia.
Nandalo fiofanana maro ny tenako vao tonga tamin’ny toerana mpitari-dia ny taona 1996 - 2016.

Manana fialamboly ny tenako ohatra ny Football, Volley-ball satria izaho no mpitarika ny fikambanana Football eto Ranomafana.’

(Rest of translation in comments)

02/19/2026

Happy world day! Please enjoy this masterpiece created by LEEPer Amit Hanadari-Levy.

10/02/2025

We join the global chorus in mourning the loss of one of the most powerful voices for conservation, research, and education. Jane Goodall inspired the majority of us in primatology to pursue our dreams and make them a reality. Her messages of hope and wonder for the natural world, and her unwavering energy and determination, reached people well beyond our field. There will never be another Jane but her legacy lives on in all of the people she touched, the animals she sought to understand and protect, and the groundbreaking insights that she shared with the world.

05/17/2025

Congratulations, Paige Wagstaff! In addition to one of college’s highest honors for undergraduate students, Paige was also awarded the School of Anthropology’s Scholar Award. She’s been an integral part of our research in LEEP and we’re excited that our collaboration will continue in Madagascar this summer!

Congrats to Paige Wagstaff, winner of the SBS Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award!
An UA School of Anthropology major with a human biology emphasis and a minor in nutritional sciences, Paige’s groundbreaking research on the link between maternal oxytocin levels and childhood adversity is truly inspiring. She’s now headed to Madagascar to co-present at an international primatology conference!
https://bit.ly/3SyQWmq

The University of Arizona UArizona Research, Innovation & Impact

04/09/2025

🛼🐐 OMG the MVP jammer is a LEEPer! Unistorm AKA Amit Hanadari-Levy was awarded MVP in her first derby! (She’s the one with a star on her helmet)