Toxic toad poses threat to Madagascar’s native species

Toxic toad poses threat to Madagascar’s native species

Toxic toads that arrived in Madagascar as an invasive species pose a threat to the island nation’s wildlife because – unlike animals in the toad’s native Asia – they’ve developed no gene mutations to protect them. That’s the conclusion of a team of European researchers who urge the government in…

Madagascar: Scientist helps to discover new sea current

Madagascar: Scientist helps to discover new sea current

A researcher from Madagascar, with his South African and French counterparts, has discovered the existence of a coastal current off the island nation’s coast that may lead to improved fishing and marine industry management. Work from their study, published in Geophysical Research Letters, is part of a collaboration that includes…

Tropical Cyclone Ava makes landfall on Madagascar

Tropical Cyclone Ava continued to track west-southwest across Madagascar’s eastern coast, where meteorologists reported a landfall near Toamasina on Friday. Meteo Madagascar placed a red alert for the storm in parts of the country, asking local authorities and citizens to make preparations. That warning extends for the communities along the central eastern…

WHO steps up the fight in Madagascar plague outbreak

The World Health Organization says it has sent nearly 1.2 million doses of antibiotics to Madagascar in the fight against plague. The medicines were delivered last week, with the expectation that another 244,000 doses will be added in coming days as health officials battle the ongoing seasonal outbreak on the…

In Comoros, Africa’s island nations talk disaster preparedness

Africa’s island nations in the Indian Ocean are increasingly vulnerable to natural disaster and need to urgently make a priority of their community resilience and preparedness, says the head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). “The devastating humanitarian and economic impact of natural disasters…

Madagascar: No end in sight as vanilla prices head higher still

Madagascar’s recovery from tropical cyclone Enawo continues, but there’s one consequence of the March 2017 storm that shows no signs of improving soon, and that’s the price of vanilla. The already sky-high prices are expected to rise again, according to Georges Geeraerts, head of the Madagascar Group of Vanilla Exporters…

Minamata Convention on Mercury enters into force

The Minamata Convention on Mercury enters into force today, following a 90-day period since the necessary threshold of 51 ratifications was achieved in May. The Minamata Convention enters into force with 128 signatory nations and 74 ratifying countries, including the most recent addition of Brazil last week. Among the countries…

Madagascar: Slow storm Enawo tracks south with heavy rains

Powerful tropical cyclone Enawo, which made landfall near Antalaha Tuesday as an intense and destructive storm, continued Wednesday to affect the island nation of Madagascar. At 7 a.m. local time, the slow-moving storm – which is tracking farther inland than originally forecast – continued to make its way south in…