Bring Solo to America!

LETS BRING SOLO TO AMERICA!!!!!!

We're trying to bring Solo to America! A little background.... Soloheri (goes by "Solo"... rhymes with Zulu) is a native of Antannanarivo, Madagascar. Madagascar is the third most impoverished country on the planet with a collapsed political system, extreme environmental degredation, and traditional cultural practices that are resulting in the rapid loss of habitat for hundreds of endemic bird, reptile, plant, and mammal species. Best known because of the recent animated film "Madagascar," the island country is the only place in the world to find lemurs, a branch of primates. There are no charismatic megafauna ("big, sexy animals" as Solo puts it...) like what are found on mainland Africa, but instead Madagascar has more endemic plants and animal species than anywhere else on Earth, and more are being identified every year. Currently, less than 5% of the natural vegetation remains in the country, and with the loss of all economic relief from western society due to the failure of the Malagasy political system, the natural areas that do remain are being threatened by poaching of wildlife and the illegal logging of tropical hardwoods for foreign markets. We spent three weeks there in November, 2009 and the environmental condition is absolutely depressing. Solo is working to preserve what is left.

Soloheri has put himself through graduate school, earning his masters degree in Natural Resources from the University in Antannarivo, and has applied for a PhD program in Germany. His focus is research in sexual dimorphism of Ground Rollers, a genus of birds endemic to Madagascar. No previous research has been done on this unique genus of bird. Solo's ambition is to work to conserve habitat in Madagascar through research, education, and politics. He has taken the initiative to educate himself in a country where the average education is through 6th grade and most people lack even the basic services of running water, electricity or health care. Solo cares about his country, and is working hard to make a difference.



We would like to bring Solo to America to learn about some of our conservation practices, meet researchers conducting work on avian ecology in the western US, and to experience a culture radically different than the one he's known all his life. Solo has been on one trip outside Madagascar. He was chosen in 2002 as the sole representative from his country for a one week ecology field school in Kenya. All of his recent work has focused on habitat and species inventory in several preserves in Madagascar; specifically Ansirabe and Ranamafana National Parks. Solo also works as a guide for ecotourism companies operating in Madagascar. This experience has helped him realize the potentially negative impact of ecotourism, and those concerns are being incorporated into his proposal and research.



We need your help. Roundtrip airfare from Antannanarivo isn't cheap. We need to raise approximately $2000 for transportation costs to get Solo from Antannanarivo, Madagascar to Portland Oregon, USA. Any donations would be greatly appreciated. We will provide room and board while he's in the US, but travel costs are a bit much. Solo has no resources to help with such a journey. This opportunity to directly help a dedicated researcher and conservationist working in a country that needs all the help it can get is rare. Please consider helping Solo. If this actually works, and he comes to America, we will be updating this blog and keeping everyone informed of his travels, his insights, and his progress as he continues working to save Madagascar!
Thank you.

If you're interested in helping Solo and Madagascar, please comment and leave me your email address. I'll be happy to provide donation information. Thank you very much.