The Important Bird Areas programme in Madagascar.

Madagascar does not have a rich avifauna, with 277 species recorded to date . However, the level of endemism is very high: 110 endemic species, 37 ende mic genera, and 5 endemic families. Following international criteria, 45 sp ecies are globally threatened and a further 9 qualify as restricted area sp ecies. A workshop involving 37 Madagascar-based ornithologists identified 5 3 confirmed IBA's, and a further 52 possible IBA's. ASITY, the first Malaga sy ornithological society, was founded during this meeting. The Zicoma proj ect, commencing in 1997, will focus on the assessment of the unconfirmed IB A sites, and on the training of local personnel.