Directed by : Benoît SEGUR – Mayotte

Edited by Muriel BRETON

Produced by Manuel CATTEAU / ZED

Original music by Pierre ESTEVE

To the south of the Comoro Archipelago, in the tropical forest of Mayotte, road extensions, quarries and plantations have considerably reduced wildlife. The island is home to the maki or lemur fulvus mayottensis, a lemur spotted for the first time in the 19th century. In the early 1980s, there were 35,000 makis. Today, there are only an estimated 10,000 individuals.

Conscious of this dramatic situation and of the local authorities’ immobilism, Brigitte Gandon, decided to create an association known as “a Land of Refuge for Makis” to protect and preserve the species. Thus, Bouzi Island, a 15 minute boat trip  away from Mayotte, has become a haven of peace for these lemurs. Brigitte Gandon’s association has created a center which takes in injured makis from Mayotte, treats them, and sets them free on Bouzi Island.

At present, Bouzi has about 300 makis, protected from poachers. Groups have been formed, births have occurred, and life and hope have been restored. But for how much longer?