Our Challenge
For Vahatra, the challenge is to be profoundly implicated in the conservation and management of Madagascar's extraordinary biodiversity based on advancing young Malagasy scientists and genuine collaborations with governmental and non-governmental organizations. In this regards, the association conducts biological inventories and field research to obtain up-to-date biodiversity information, as well as working closely with university graduate students.
Our Missions
“To develop an educational and research program focused on the
biodiversity
of Madagascar and the advancement of national field scientists properly trained in the modern aspects of conservation biology. These steps are paramount to allow this island nation to properly
protect its unique biotic resources.
”
Historical Perspective.
Vahatra is a legally registered International Association of the island nation of Madagascar. The word “vahatra” means “grass-roots” in Malagasy, the national language of the island. The mission of Vahatra is two fold:
- To contribute to the amelioration of information on the biodiversity of Madagascar, particularly the plants and terrestrial fauna, with the intention of progressing aspects of conservation
- To advance a practical program in ecology and conservation biology for young Malagasy naturalists and graduate students in biology.
This association evolved in a natural manner from a WWF-Madagascar project known as “The Ecology Training Program” (ETP), for which the principal philosophy was the development and reinforcement of capacity for Malagasy nationals in ecology and conservation biology. The ETP was initiated in 1991 to advance young Malagasy graduate students working in these domains. The program has also had a major positive impact on the expansion of knowledge of the island’s unique and highly endemic biota. It is not an exaggeration to state that the ETP was a driving force for the development of human capital on Madagascar in the fields of evolutionary biology and on the ecology and diversity of the Malagasy animal fauna. Further, with the availability of more scientifically viable data on the island’s biota, decisions associated with conservation, including the identification of new protected areas, are well supported; the ETP played a critical role in this regard.
In 2007, at the moment that Vahatra became independent of WWF, the ETP had helped advance over 75 Malagasy graduate students earning higher degrees within the national university system in the fields of zoology, ecology or conservation biology and more than 250 students being trained in conservation science in the form of university courses or field schools. In addition, data obtain during ETP field inventories at over 400 sites resulted in the discovery of nearly 50 new species of birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians, and the publication of nearly 500 scientific articles. This work was critical in the prioritization of conservation strategies associated with the island's protected area system.
Given on one hand that the objectives of conservation and management of biodiversity and, on the other hand, few Malagasy nationals with in-depth knowledge of their island's biodiversity, ETP become a primary vehicle for the education of national scientists with the necessary foundation to make important contributions to biology and the future of conservation efforts of their country. The overwhelming majority of ETP graduates have gone on and obtained prominent posts in the governmental and non-governmental sectors and many retain a strong professional interest in conservation biology, including research and teaching.
To ensure the continuity of this success, we believed that the next logical step in the evolution of the ETP was for it to become an independent organization, led by its graduates, creating visionary scientific programs within a Malagasy construct. To meet this aim, the ETP was turned over to the Association Vahatra in September 2007. A group of former ETP Ph.D. graduates, who are now part of the Malagasy university system, direct Vahatra, which in part continues the basic mandates of the ETP -- to advance Malagasy conservation biologists and research on the island’s biota. Further, Vahatra has launched several new programs, which include, for example, a greater understanding of the impacts of climatic change on vertebrates living in montane portions of the island.
The ETP, as it was previously known, has now become the independent organization Association Vahatra . Vahatra has been quickly recognized by governmental and non-governmental organizations, as one of the primary groups to promote high quality scientific research in the domains of evolutionary, conservation biology and ecology.
Members of the association
The objectives of Vahatra are notably ambitious and the various staff members follow the various projects to fruition. The presence within the Vahatra staff of individuals with different experiences and specialties is indispensable.
Board Of Directors
In the context of providing clear and long-term advice for …
Scientists
They are the founding members of the association.
Students
Students enrolled within the Malagasy university system, particularly in the …
Staff
The current staff includes seven individuals
Recent Activities
The President of Vahatra
Voahangy Soarimalala
Achille P. Raselimanana
The year 2025 has been a period to continue and advance the actions carried out by Association Vahatra supporting of scientific research, capacity building and biodiversity conservation on Madagascar. It also marked a period of transition with the election of a new president of the association and I
am very pleased in this new capacity to present our annual report and present some comments and observations in this message.
First off, I wish to express my sincere gratitude to Achille Raselimanana, outgoing President of Vahatra, for his commitment and work during his 17-year term. Thanks to his vision, unwavering dedication, and leadership, Vahatra has consolidated its position as a leading player in the field of Malagasy biodiversity, particularly in scientific research, training, and the promotion of the island's natural heritage. Under his leadership, the association has produced recognized scientific results, strengthened its human and technical capacities, and developed lasting collaborations with national and international partners.
It is with a spirit of continuity that I have the honor of succeeding Achille as President of Vahatra. I am fully aware of the responsibility entrusted to me and, together with the other scientific and administrative members of the association, I will strive to continue, strengthen, and expand existing initiatives, as well as to create new ones. Including activities presented in this report and beyond, 2025 has allowed us to define major directions that will guide Vahatra's future actions. First, Vahatra will focus on intensifying the use of scientific knowledge as a tool for sharing know-how, advancing new generations of Malagasy graduate students, raising public awareness and environmental education, and promoting ecotourism. One aspect of these proposed advances will be the development and distribution of scientific and educational guides for both the general national and international public, as well as local stakeholders, to foster a better understanding of current knowledge and the sustainable development of the island nation’s natural heritage.
Further, Vahatra intends to strengthen its community-based ecological restoration efforts, using good field science as the point of departure. This approach, as exemplified by our initiatives undertaken in the Ambohitantely Special Reserve that are detailed herein, aims to enhance the involvement of local communities while consolidating the technical basis for ecosystem restoration activities. Finally, Vahatra plans to further develop research based on the interactions between social and scientific disciplines, within a broader vision of the "One Health" concept. This integrative approach is a key area that we wish to strengthen, particularly research linking wild and domestic animals with aspects of human health, especially concerning the risks of disease transmission by pathogens.
The past year has highlighted the capacity of our organization across a spectrum of different activities, ranging, for example, supporting scientific progress on Madagascar’s biodiversity, the training of the next generation of conservation biologists, ecological restoration, and the development of collaborations at different levels. All of these initiatives are based on a collective effort grounded in scientific rigor, knowledge sharing, and a continuous fieldwork, supported by essential administrative assistance. We hope that you will find the different portions of this annual report as windows into some of these activities.
Finally, I wish to express my gratitude to all those who contribute, directly or indirectly, to Vahatra's activities. This shared commitment allows the association to pursue its mission and strengthen its role to help assure the future of Madagascar. Together, we will continue to work towards rigorous and useful science, serving biodiversity conservation, the capacity building of young researchers, and safeguarding human health.