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Francesca Ferrari – A Trip to Madagascar

Francesca Ferrari is a Master student in agricultural sciences at ETH Zurich. For her bachelor thesis, she went on an expedition to Madagascar’s Makira Natural Park to study stick insects and identified 13 new species in only three weeks!

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Francesca Ferrari posing with a stick insect on her arm.

Francesca Ferrari posing with a stick insect on her arm. Image: © Francesca Ferrari

Stepping into an unknown world

Francesca's passion for nature ignited at a young age, inspired by her father's beekeeping. This led her to study agricultural sciences at ETH Zurich, where she became convinced of the vital connection between agriculture and insects. Whether as pollinators or pests, insects play a crucial role in sustaining our food systems. Driven by this understanding, Francesca wanted to deepen her knowledge of entomology and reached out to Michael Greeff, the manager of ETH Zurich's entomological collection, to undertake a bachelor’s project. Her dedication and enthusiasm paid off, resulting in a collaborative project. However, unlike her peers who did not need to travel far for their projects, Francesca had to navigate some bureaucratic hurdles to organize her expedition to Madagascar. She also visited and explored the entomology collections in Paris and Zurich to examine previously described stick insect species from Madagascar and to gain insights from experts. After all these steps, Francesca was ready for an exciting research trip to Madagascar!

The Makira Natural Park (in green) is located in the north-eastern part of Madagascar as seen on these maps (satellite imagery basemap from [1], Makira Natural Park area from [2]).

The Makira Natural Park (in green) is located in the north-eastern part of Madagascar as seen on these maps (satellite imagery base map from [1], Makira Natural Park area from [2]).

Preparing for a scientific expedition in Africa is an adventure in itself. Francesca’s luggage was filled with hundreds of sample tubes, ethanol, cameras, nets, headlamps, and various dissection and measurement tools. Her project took place in Antongil Bay in Makira Natural Park, located in the north-eastern part of Madagascar. Known for its rich biodiversity, high humidity, mountainous terrain, and unique lemur species,  Antongil Bay is a global biodiversity hotspot, home to one percent of all Earth’s species and a focal point for ecological research. Francesca, however, was focused on stick insects – neither pollinators nor plant pests, but essential contributors to biodiversity in need of conservation. This was, in fact, the first dedicated expedition for stick insects in this natural park.

Francesca Ferrari 1

To learn more about the biology of stick insects, have a look at Francesca’s article on our website.

The project aimed to investigate the stick insect species inhabiting Makira Natural Park. Francesca was fortunate to work alongside experienced local guides who knew the forest well and had a trained eye for spotting stick insects in their natural habitat. Accompanied by Henri Raherinjatovo, a student from the University of Antananarivo, Francesca photographed the stick insects and the plants they interacted with. For each photograph, Francesca kept detailed notes on the surroundings and time of observation, and saved the GPS coordinates. Already observed insects were set free, while new insects – ideally male and female specimens for each species – were kept alive to study their behavior and to allow them to lay eggs since eggs aid in accurate species identification. Thereafter, the insects were stored in alcohol and brought to Nicolas Cliquennois, a visiting scientist at the University of Antananarivo, for identification. Although all specimens remained in Madagascar, Francesca removed one leg from each insect preserving it in pure ethanol to send to Zurich for DNA analysis.

The project presented several challenges. As stick insects are nocturnal, Francesca had to take photographs at night. The frequent rain and high humidity added another layer of difficulty, making photography in such conditions a complex task. After a few days, though, she mastered her photography skills and began producing striking images of stick insects.

Two stick insects found on one of Francesca's nighttime outgoings.

Two stick insects found on one of Francesca's nighttime outgoings. Image: © Francesca Ferrari

In an exciting discovery, Francesca identified 13 new species of stick insects that had not been recorded in other regions of Madagascar (or around the world) before. She emphasizes the importance of preserving Makira Natural Park, as its vast biodiversity remains largely unexplored. The project is ongoing, and continued research will provide further insights into these fascinating insects and, hopefully, strengthen conservation efforts for Makira Natural Park.

How was Francesca’s experience?

“I loved Madagascar! The locals were very kind and helpful. Without their outstanding efforts and support, this project would not have succeeded. Also, the biodiversity was mesmerizing. This was my first trip to Africa, and I hope to visit Madagascar again in the future” Francesca shares. 

Even though the project’s goal was to gain more insights into stick insects, Francesca witnessed the mesmerizing biodiversity of Makira Natural Park and observed many animals along the way.

Even though the project’s goal was to gain more insights into stick insects, Francesca witnessed the mesmerizing biodiversity of Makira Natural Park and observed many animals along the way. Image: © Francesca Ferrari

She thinks that collaborative projects like this help to close the knowledge gap around the world. She encourages other students in Switzerland to keep an eye out for available projects, reach out to professors and have the courage to embark on expeditions to remote places. Even though the organization of this expedition was challenging, she ends the interview with a big smile on her face, stating: “It was very rewarding!”

References

[1] Esri. world imagery map [basemap]. https://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=10df2279f9684e4a9f6a7f08febac2a9. Accessed 12/2024.

[2] Unep-wcmc and iucn (2023), protected planet: The world database on protected areas (wdpa) and world database on other effective area-based conservation measures (wd oecm).  www.protectedplanet.net. Accessed 12/2024.

The authors

Francesca Ferrari 1

Francesca Ferrari

ETH Zurich
Portrait photo of Kaan Mika.

Dr. Kaan Mika

ETH Zurich - The Biocommunication Group

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