Research at the Reserve

Current Research Projects and Publications
Research
Projects and Publications List To Date
Planning Your Research
Scientific research is an essential element of the mission of the
Lemur Conservation Foundation. The unique facilities of the Myakka
City Lemur Reserve (MCLR) provide a valuable setting for understanding
critical issues for lemur in situ and ex situ conservation. The MCLR is
an excellent field site for studying lemur behavior, primate cognition,
captive management, conservation biology, and many other areas of
interest. Scientists as well as undergraduate and graduate
students are all welcome to conduct research at the Reserve.
This web page provides in-depth information about LCF’s research policies
and requirements for doing research at the Reserve. Because every
project is unique, we strongly recommend that interested researchers
arrange to visit the Reserve early in the planning process for their
research projects. Please contact the
Director, Research & Operations to arrange a visit or for
information about research guidelines and proposal submission guidelines.
LCF staff are able to collect some biosample materials for research that
does not require a visit to the Reserve. Researchers interested in
using biomaterial samples under these conditions should contact the
Director, Research & Operations, to discuss material availability,
sample handling requirements, proposal requirements, and collection
scheduling.
Professors interested in bringing students to the Reserve for
“in-the-field” training should contact the Director, Research &
Operations to learn more about field training opportunities. You
can find out more about current field training programs on ourField
Training page.
LCF Research Policies
Research guidelines and priorities are determined by the LCF
Scientific Advisory Council (SAC) and by the LCF Institutional Animal Care
and Use Committee (IACUC).
The following guidelines are applicable to all research projects conducted at the Myakka City Lemur Reserve:
All research proposals will be reviewed by both the LCF IACUC and the
LCF Scientific Advisory Council. Both committees must approve the
project before any research begins.
All researchers must demonstrate in their proposal that the project
involves no physical or psychological harm to the lemurs.
Research requiring surgery is prohibited.
LCF discourages the submission of project proposals requiring exclusive
access to research subjects.
Research projects that include sample collection requiring anesthesia
(i.e blood samples, parasite collection, or similar) will be considered
carefully on a case by case basis. In such cases, the researcher should
attempt to coordinate sampling with regular annual physicals. However,
physicals can be scheduled flexibly to accommodate a particular research
project if both review committees approve. It is recommended that these
proposals be submitted well in advance to increase the likelihood of
coordinating sampling and physicals and consequently increasing the
chance of project approval when anesthesia is involved.
Prior to submitting proposals to the LCF, the researcher should obtain
approval from his/her home institution’s IACUC. A copy of that
approval letter or the approval number should be submitted with the
initial research proposal. In some cases a researcher’s
institution may not have an IACUC, in which case a letter stating this must be submitted with the initial research proposal.
Similarly, a researcher’s IACUC may waive the review of said proposal in
deference to the LCF IACUC.
To be considered, all research proposals must be submitted using the
MCLR Research Form. A signed copy of MCLR Researcher Compliance
Form, proof of negative Tb test, and a completed Biomaterials Transfer
Agreement (if applicable) must be accompany the MCLR Research Form.
All proposals must be submitted 60 days prior to the intended start of
the study and all comments, edits, concerns and conditions must be
addressed, and, when requested, changes or corrections completed 30 days
prior to the intended start of the study.
It is expected that LCF will receive a copy of any final work arising
from research conducted at the Reserve within 60 days of the completion
or publication of that work. LCF must be acknowledged in any
publications stemming from research done at the Reserve. Researchers
must contact the
LCF Director of Research and Operations
for an accession number to be included in the publication
with the acknowledgement. In the event that no formal presentation or
publication results from the research, the researcher agrees to provide
a summary report of the project, data, and results within 60 days of the
termination of the research project or receipt of biomaterials.
Projects meeting the following criteria will be given priority, with
criteria listed in order of importance:
Project does not interfere with the natural patterns of behavior or
troop composition of the lemurs at the Reserve.
Project cannot be conducted in a traditional captive environment due to
the nature of the methods and/or research question.
Project contributes to the colony management or animal husbandry of
captive lemurs, particularly in semi-free ranging habitats.
Project focuses on a new and unique aspect of prosimian ecology, behavior,
and/or physiology, adding rather than duplicating published information.
Project does not exclude concurrent research on the subjects of the
study.
Project includes a means of disseminating results to the larger
scientific community.
A complete research proposal will include the following:
Introduction letter, summarizing the research project, its
significance, the qualifications of the primary investigator, and the
date and duration of the proposed project.
Current curriculum vitae or resume
Proof of negative Tb test within past 9 months
MCLR Research Proposal Form
MCLR Researcher Compliance Form
Biomaterials Transfer Agreement (if applicable)
Documentation of the proposal’s review status at the researcher’s
institution
Undergraduate and graduate students should submit a letter
of support from the project sponsor or academic advisor and one letter
of recommendation from a person familiar with the student’s academic
work and research experience.
Required Forms:
The MCLR Research Proposal Form can be downloaded to your computer,
filled out electronically, saved with your last name and submitted to
LCF electronically. The text fields will expand to accommodate
your text. Use the Tab key to navigate between fields.
The Researcher Compliance Agreement and Biomaterials Transfer
Agreement require a signature and should be submitted by mail.
1) Download the
Research Proposal Form
**Instructions for completing the MCLR
Research Proposal Form
2) Download the
Researcher Compliance Agreement
3) Download the
Biomaterials Transfer Agreement
All materials should be directed to:
Pattie Walsh - Director, Research and Operations
Email:
pwalsh@lemurreserve.org
or
Director, Research and Operations
Lemur Conservation Foundation
PO Box 249
Myakka City, FL 34251
Scientific Advisory Council
The scientists on LCF’s advisory council are responsible for
establishing the Myakka City Lemur Reserve’s animal collection plan and
the formal research policy. All research proposals are reviewed by one
or more of the advisory council members and must be approved by these
reviewers before the research can commence. It is also the
responsibility of the advisory council to monitor the progress and
results of research projects. This is done annually and usually focuses
on the completion of previously approved projects, the dissemination of
results to the larger scientific community, and the project's overall
effect on the management of the colony. A general review of the past
year’s projects may result in changes to the research policy, if the
advisory council deems this necessary. Individual members of the council
determine their own level of involvement for both policy setting and
project review. The level of involvement in any given project generally
reflects each individual’s area of expertise.
Reserve - Logistics
Research Subjects:
The Myakka City Lemur Reserve houses a dynamic lemur colony.
As an AZA certified related facility, we participate in a number of
breeding programs, sometimes exchanging lemurs with other AZA member
institutions to meet population needs.
These exchanges along with natural life cycles mean that the lemur
colony composition is always changing.
Please contact the Director, Research & Operations to get the
current status of each species housed at the Reserve.
Scheduling Research:
Research is conducted at the Reserve year round. Deciding when
to conduct your research depends on several factors including: your
availability, the research question, and space availability at the
Reserve. The lemur breeding season at the Reserve is from October
through February and births generally occur in April, May and June.
Due to the academic calendar, March, early April, June, July, and August
are our busiest months for research. Please discuss your proposed
research dates with the Director, Research & Operations early during
project planning.
Transportation:
The Myakka City Lemur Reserve is located in a remote area of rural
Central Florida.
Though located outside of Myakka City, the closest towns with commercial
districts are Sarasota, Bradenton, Arcadia, and Wauchula.
Myakka City has one gas station and a convenience store and is a fifteen minute drive
from the Reserve. The nearest
grocery and drug stores are a forty minute drive. It is strongly recommended that
researchers planning on staying at the Reserve for more than one week
provide their own vehicle and that it be in good repair. The surrounding
areas offer parks, beaches, malls, museums and movie theaters but these
destinations all require a vehicle.
If staying for a brief period, researchers can choose to fly into the
Tampa International Airport (TPA) or the Sarasota-Bradenton
International Airport (SRQ). Commercial shuttles to/from the
Reserve are not available, but LCF is willing to provide this shuttle
service for a modest fee (see Budgeting Considerations below).
If you will require shuttle service from the airport, please do not purchase airfare without first
checking with the Director, Research & Operations on scheduling.
Accommodations:
The Lemur Conservation Foundation is proud to offer on-site
accommodations for visiting interns and researchers. The LCF
Researchers' House is fully equipped with two bathrooms (one handicap
accessible), four bedrooms, full kitchen, dining area, washer/dryer, and
shared living space. Maximum capacity is nine people. Guests may have
to share a room during their stay at the Reserve. Towels, linens,
and kitchen supplies are provided.
Fees and Budget Considerations
Housing Fees:
When staying at the Researchers’ house, guests are required to pay a
$100/week fee (pro-rated) to help LCF cover the housing expenses. This
fee does not cover food or other personal items.
Tent camping is also available in a developed site adjacent to the
Researchers' House for $30/week.
Research Fees:
Research $5.00/day
Exclusive Use $30.00/week
Biosample
$ costs vary - please contact Director, Research and Operations
Airport Shuttle:
Sarasota Airport - $15 each way
Tampa Airport - $30 each way
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