Thank You, Madagascar

Alison Jolly (May 9, 1937-February 6, 2014) was a primatologist known for her studies of lemur biology. She wrote for both popular and scientific audiences and conducted extensive fieldwork on lemurs in Madagascar, primarily at the Berenty Reserve, a small private reserve of gallery forest set in the semi-arid spiny desert area in the far south of Madagascar.

'An enchanting book.poignant and passionate.'Geographical'A captivating and absorbing account.'Sir David AttenboroughMadagascar is one of the world's natural jewels, with over ninety per cent of its wildlife found nowhere else on Earth. Few people knew it better than the pioneering primatologist and conservationist, Alison Jolly. Thank You, Madagascar is her eyewitness account of the extraordinary biodiversity of the island, and the environment of its people.At the book's heart is a conflict between three different views of nature. Is the extraordinary forest treasure-house of Madagascar a heritage for the entire world? Is it a legacy of the forest dwellers' ancestors, bequeathed to serve the needs of their living descendants? Or is it an economic resource to be pillaged for short-term gain and to be preserved only to deliver benefits for those with political power?Exploring and questioning these different views, this is a beautifully written diary and a tribute to Madagascar.

Offers an insider's account of an extraordinary nation and the struggle for political, environmental and individual survival.

Foreword - Hilary BradtIntroduction: My Adventurous and Astonishing Mother - Margaretta JollyChronology of eventsDramatis PersonaeMap of Madagascar1. 'Our country is committing suicide'Part I: Villages2. Dancing in the Rainforest3. Burning Baobabs, Death of Children4. David Attenborough, Madame Berthe's Mouse Lemur, and School Among the Baobabs5. Eleanor and the Aye-Ayes Part II: Politics6. Where Indri Sing7. Napoleon Versus the Zoos8. The Bank Corrals the Donors9. Dishing out the Dough10. Our Cash Killed Bedo11. The Bank Goes to the ForestPart III: Environment and Development12. Golden Bamboo Lemurs of Ranomafana13. Patricia Walked the Boundaries14. The Village of the Fig Tree15. Development Meltdown16. Real Life and DreamWorks17. President Ratsiraka18. Madame Berthe was DancingPart IV: Weather19. Famine in the South20. Lemurs Coping21. Scientists, People, Lemurs: Berenty, Bezà Mahafaly and Tsimanampetsotsa22. Climate ChangePart V: Money23. Durban Vision; Rosewood Massacre24. The New Mines25. Where are We Now?ReferencesPhotographic creditsIndex