Meet the Monitoring Team

Elahavelo Efitroarane

Elahavelo was born and raised in the village of Analafaly, 04 km from the Reserve. He completed the 8th grade in school. Elahavelo’s encyclopedic knowledge of and interest in plants made him an obvious member of the Monitoring Team from the outset, and a clear choice to lead the plant monitoring effort. Since 1995, Elahavelo has steadily expanded our knowledge of plant diversity in the Bezà Mahafaly Special Reserve and monitored cycles of leaf, flower and fruit production. He has also been the driving force behind the creation of the Museum’s herbarium and botanical garden.

Enafa

Enafa was born and raised in Analafaly. Today he lives in Mahazoarivo, a village located at 2 km north of the Reserve. He has no formal schooling but has learned to read and write since joining the Monitoring Team in 1995. Enafa leads the lemur monitoring and censusing program, and he is also an expert with the blow gun. He is responsible for all the darting in the capture/release program for the two diurnal lemur populations. His prowess is well known throughout Madagascar, and he has traveled widely, helping other research teams.

Efitiria

Efitiria was born in Mahazoarivo. He is well respected by villagers in Mahazoarivo as he used to be the Head of the Fokontany of the Mahazoarivo village, although he has not had any formal school education. He is responsible for monitoring reptiles and birds in the Reserve. Efitiria easily recognizes and imitates bird calls and easily gets bird responses to his calls.

Edouard Ramahatratra

Edouard  is from Betioky, and studied at the University of Toliara. He is leading the socio-economic surveys and has established very close relationships with village leaders surrounding Bezà Mahafaly.

Etsiharofy

Etsiharofy

Esambimana

Esambimana has previously worked at Bezà on promoting agroecology. He is involded im socio-economic monitoring   in the villages, including follow-up aon health and education.

Zovelosoa Raharinavalomanana

Since 2022, Zo has been the head of the Bezà Mahafaly Training and Research Center. He graduated from the Department of Forestry at ESSA and is currently pursuing studies at the Doctoral School of Natural Resource Management and Development at the University of Antananarivo.

Sibien Mahereza

Sibien short bio.

Mikoja Rambinintsoa

Mikoja short bio.