The staff at Seacology would like to clarify and offer our apologies for the regrettable situation related to a recent project in northern Madagascar and are working to rectify the mistake quickly.

Due to a series of translation and other errors, we misinterpreted a project proposal recently put to a vote by our board of directors, and rather than establishing a camp for human eco-tourists to observe these fascinating and rare mammals, we built a camp for the lemurs themselves, featuring all of the usual amenities. In hindsight, the budget items for a small flotilla worth of canoes, a wide assortment of archery supplies, and materials for friendship bracelets and s’mores probably should have raised some eyebrows, but the meeting had already run long, we were getting low on coffee, and there were several other important items on the agenda. The members of the Board who voted to approve the proposal, which in retrospect seemed quite bizarre and well outside the scope of a traditional Seacology project, have requested to remain anonymous.

On the upside, the lemurs really do seem to be enjoying the panoply of outdoor activities, to the extent that we’re able to evaluate lemurs’ satisfaction. Though they don’t seem to fully grasp the proper use of oars and rudders, the lemurs have seemed quite interested in the brightly colored watercraft provided to them at the shore of Lac Alaotra. Their archery and bracelet-weaving skills have improved markedly, and they really have been excelling at building and extinguishing campfires safely.

Our immediate plan is to allow the project to run its course through the summer season and then wind it down as we redirect our resources to the intended purpose of the original eco-camp proposal. Fortunately we did not invest significant expenses in this—well, let’s be honest, humiliating blunder—and the market for used watercraft and camping gear is quite healthy so we should be able to recoup most of our costs. We appreciate your understanding.