Eroding taboos see lemurs end up on dinner tables

[haikuman]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-16138206
15 December 2011 Last updated at 00:29 GMT

By Mark Kinver and Victoria Gill
Science reporters, BBC News and Nature

The erosion of traditional cultural taboos in Madagascar has led to an unsustainable number of lemurs being killed for bushmeat, a study suggests.

Locals revered the primates, believing that the animals were family ancestors, but the influx of outside influences has seen a breakdown in these views.

Some species do not reach maturity for up to nine years and produce offspring once every two or three years.

The findings appear in the Public Library of Science (PLoS) One journal.

[Racer X]

that's just sad.

[cbelt3]

Not just eroding taboos, but also hunger.

Replacing 'don't kill that critter' with "Here's a MUCH better and tastier food that is easy to grow and will earn you money !" is a better approach.

[Paul F.]

Gonna have to agree with both Racer and Cbelt...