Environmental Assessment
Volume B-4.2
Mine
Fauna
Ambatovy Project
224
January 2006
Table 4.2-8 Potential Impacts to Lemur Populations Due to Site Clearing
Species
Population Implications
(a)
Potential Impact
IUCN status
Avahi laniger
142
death /deplacement
near threatened
Cheirogaleus major
254
death /deplacement
none
Eulemur fulvus
89
deplacement
near threatened
Eulemur rubriventer
unknown
(b)
deplacement
vulnerable
Hapalemur griseus
77
deplacement
near threatened
Indri indri
25
deplacement
endangered
Lepilemur sp.
unknown
(b)
death /deplacement
near threatened
Microcebus rufus
2,066
death /deplacement
none
Propithecus diadema
37
deplacement
critically endangered
(a)
Values are based on a clearing area of 13 km
2
of primary forest. All of the zonal forest and 40 to 50% of the azonal
and transitional forests in the 1,700 ha forest area to be cleared has been disturbed so the potential impact estimate
is conservative.
(b)
Density estimates for
Lepilemur mustelinus
and
Eulemur rubriventer
were not calculated because there were
insufficient number of observations of these species.
Residual Impact Classification
Residual impacts as a result of indirect effects are provided in Table 4.2-9.
Site Clearing
Direct mortality impacts due to site clearing will particularly affect slow-moving
or immobile animals, including young, and locally endemic or rare species that
are low in abundance. For all but wide-ranging species, the environmental
consequence is low because the magnitude is moderate, the effects are local and
the duration is medium-term as effects will last the life of the mine. The effects
are reversible if remaining populations can compensate for losses and the
frequency is low as site clearing occurs only once in a given area. Mitigation,
including pre-construction translocation of some key species and establishment
of on-site conservation areas, will reduce impacts.
Nuisance Fauna
With effective mitigation, impacts should be low.
