In January 2015, Aqua-Firma committed to fund the cost of establishing 1,000 acres of a 74,816 acre protected area of lowland tropical forest in northern Madagascar. Ever since, we have been funding habitat reconstruction of areas within the reserve, which have previously been deforested. So far, we have funded the planting of 7,500 trees here.

The original reserve targeted forest areas with some particularly important species to protect. Largest of all is the Indri Lemur (Indri indri). Of more than 100 species and sub species of lemur which exist, the Indri is the largest, but its home range has been shrunk hugely through deforestation. The main Mangabe Reserve of this project protects the largest previously unprotected area of Indri habitat.

A small but very colourful beneficiary of this project is the Golden Mantella Frog. This frog has the same striking colouration of Costa Rica's Golden Toad which became extinct, probably due to local climate change caused by deforestation. Human activity is eliminating species from our Planet year after year, which is why the Mangabe Reserve, which will protect 60% of the Golden Mantella Frog's remaining habitat, is so important.

Other species this project protects includes Madagascar's apex predator, the Fossa; the slightly spooky looking Aye-Aye nocturnal lemur; the critically endangered Diademed Sifaka lemur; the Tarzan Chameleon, Madagascan Fruit Bat and the Madagascan Flying Fox whose wing span can reach 1.25m. Click HERE to find out more about this project and click HERE to find out how you can visit it with us.