Dr. Erik R. Patel
Conservation and Research Director, Lemur Conservation Foundation
- PhD, Cornell University
- MA, University of California, Berkeley
- BA, Earlham College
Dr. Patel is a primatologist who has been working in northeastern Madagascar in Marojejy National Park every year since 2000, where he has been studying the behavioral biology and conservation of one of the most critically endangered primates in the world, the silky sifaka lemur (Propithecus candidus). He also serves as the Madagascar country field representative for the international environmental organization Seacology and as a member of the Madagascar Primate Specialist Group of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
From 2012 to 2015 Dr. Patel served as the project director of Duke Lemur Center’s SAVA Conservation Project. His fieldwork has garnered considerable media attention, including several televised feature films (by the BBC, Dan Rather Reports, Animal Planet, Earth Touch). In April 2010, “Saving the Ghosts of Madagascar” made the cover of Smithsonian Magazine. In 2020, the New York Times featured LCF’s programs on the front page of the Science section. In 2021, Cornell University Alumni Magazine featured our programs as well (for the second time).
Publications
Mills, C. J., Nekaris, K. A. I., Campera, M., & Patel, E. (2021). Silky sifakas (Propithecus candidus) use sleep sites for thermoregulation, food access and predator avoidance. Folia Primatologica, 92(5-6), 315-326. https://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/520710
Eppley, T. M., Hoeks, S., Chapman, C. A., Ganzhorn, J. U., Hall, K., Owen, M. A., Patel, E.R…… & Santini, L. (2022). Factors influencing terrestriality in primates of the Americas and Madagascar. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 119(42), e2121105119.
Eppley, T.M., Borgerson, C., Patel, E.R. et al. (in press). A habitat stronghold on the precipice: A call-to-action for supporting lemur conservation in northeast Madagascar. American Journal of Primatology.
Marline L., Randrianarimanana R., and Patel, E. (In Press). Elevational variation of temperature and relative humidity on Marojejy National Park, Madagascar. Malagasy Nature
Sorenson, K.M., Jaofeno, L.J., Patel, E.R., and Neckaris, K.A.I. (In press). An evaluation of place-based conservation education in Northeast Madagascar–increasing knowledge and altering perceptions of biodiverse habitat and threatened wildlife. Primate Conservation
Ross, P., Patel, E., Ravelijaona, R., Raoloniana, G., Dollar, L., and Parker, P. (In review). Thin corridors limit wildlife: Variance of tropical carnivore distribution and habitat use in a critical rainforest corridor. Biotropica
Eppley T, Borgerson C, Patel ER, et al. (2021). A habitat stronghold on the precipice: A call-to-action for supporting lemur conservation in northeastern Madagascar. American Society of Primatologists Conservation Action Newsletter 2 (5): 1 -14. https://asp.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/ASP-CAN_Vol.-2-5-Lemurs-1.pdf
Sorenson KM, Jaofeno LJ, Patel ER, and Nekaris KAI (2021). “Thank you, Marojejy:” affective learning outcomes of student participants in place-based field trips to Marojejy National Park. Madagascar Conservation & Development, 16(1): 1 – 7. https://www.journalmcd.com/index.php/mcd/article/view/763
Patel ER (2021). Changing times, changing threats: Conservation of the Marojejy National Park protected area complex. In Madagaskar – Von Makis, Menschen und einem bedrohten Paradies edited by Lennart Pyritz. Springer-Verlag (Berlin).
https://www.springer.com/de/book/9783662615898
Ross PH, Patel E, Ferguson B, Ravelijaona RN and others (2020) Assessment of the threatened carnivore community in the recently expanded rainforest protected area Anjanaharibe-Sud Special Reserve, Madagascar. Endangered Species Research 43:89-98.
https://doi.org/10.3354/esr01055
Patel ER, Jaofeno LJ, Grand A, Amato G (2020). Lemur Conservation Foundation. In Madagascar by D. Austin and H. Bradt, 13th edition. P. 406. Bradt Travel Guides, Ltd.UK.
https://www.bradtguides.com/product/madagascar-2/
Loudon, J. E., Patel, E. R., Faulkner, C., Schopler, R., Kramer, R. A., Williams, C. V., and Herrera, J. P. (2017). Ethnoprimatological assessment of human impact on the parasite ecology of silky sifaka (Propithecus candidus). In K. M. Dore, E. P. Riley, and A. Fuentes (Eds.), Ethnoprimatology (pp. 89–110). Cambridge University Press, UK.
https://www.nhbs.com/ethnoprimatology-a-practical-guide-to-research-at-the-human-nonhuman-primate-interface-book
Patel ER (2016). Synthesis of the silky sifaka’s distribution (Propithecus candidus). Madagascar Conservation and Development 11(1).
https://journalmcd.com/index.php/mcd/article/view/mcd.v11i1.5
Ganzhorn J, Arrigo-Nelson S, Carrai V, Chalise M, Donati G, Eppley TM, Irwin MT, Patel ER et al. (2017). The importance of protein in leaf selection of folivorous primates. American Journal of Primatology 79(4).
https://doi.org/10.1002/ajp.22550
Sato H, Santini L, Patel Erik R., Campera M, Yamashita N, Colquhoun IC, Donati G (2015). Dietary flexibility and feeding strategies of Eulemur: a comparison with Propithecus. International Journal of Primatology: 1-21.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10764-015-9877-6
Schwitzer C, Mittermeier RA,Johnson SE, Donati G, Irwin M, Peacock H, Ratsimbazafy J, Louis E.E., Chikhi L., I. Colquhoun, E. Patel, R. Dolch, M. Lafleur, P. Wright et al. (2014). Averting lemur extinctions amid Madagascar’s political crisis. Science 343 (6173): 842 – 843.
https://science.sciencemag.org/content/343/6173/842
Patel, E. R. 2014. Silky Sifaka Propithecus candidus Grandidier, 1871, Madagascar (2012 – 2014). In Schwitzer, C., Mittermeier, R. A., Rylands, A. B., Taylor, L. A., Chiozza, F., Williamson, E. A., Wallis, J., & Clark, F. A. 2014. Primates in Peril: The World’s 25 Most Endangered Primates 2012-2014. IUCN/SSC Primate Specialist Group (PSG), International Primatological Society (IPS), and Conservation International (CI), Arlington, VA. 23-26.
https://portals.iucn.org/library/node/44679
Patel, E.R. and Owren, M.J. (2012). Silky sifaka (Propithecus candidus) “zzuss” vocalizations: Sexual dimorphism, individuality, and function in the alarm call of a monomorphic lemur. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 132(3): 1799-1810. https://asa.scitation.org/doi/abs/10.1121/1.4740475
Patel, E.R. (2010). Madagascar’s illegal logging crisis: An update and discussion of possible solutions. Lemur News 15: 2 – 7. http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/1200343/18197341/1337025525107/LN15.pdf?token=Eo0O9aLhomTw38DsBg0y0cfv5Gg%3D
Patel, E.R. (2009). A tragedy with villains: Severe resurgence of selective rosewood logging in Marojejy National Park leads to temporary park closure. Lemur News 14: 1 – 6.
http://www.primate-sg.org/lemur_news/
Patel, E.R. and Owren, M.J. (2007). Acoustics and behavioral contexts of “gecker” vocalizations in young rhesus macaques (Macaca mullata). Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 121(1): 575 – 585.
https://doi.org/10.1121/1.2390662
Patel ER (2007). Logging of rare rosewood and palisandre (Dalbergia spp.) within Marojejy National Park, Madagascar. Madagascar Conservation & Development, 2(1).
https://www.journalmcd.com/index.php/mcd/article/view/234
Patel ER (2007). Non-maternal infant care in wild Silky Sifakas (Propithecus candidus). Lemur News 6: 11-16.
http://www.primate-sg.org/lemur_news/
Patel ER (2005). Silky sifaka (Propithecus candidus) predation by a fossa (Cryptoprocta ferox). Lemur News 10: 25 – 27.
http://www.primate-sg.org/lemur_news/
Patel ER, Marshall JJ, Parathian H (2005). Silky sifaka (Propithecus candidus) conservation education in northeastern Madagascar. Laboratory Primate Newsletter 44(3): 8 – 11.
https://www.brown.edu/Research/Primate/lpn44-3.html
Contributing Author Towards
“Silky sifaka (Propithecus candidus)” in Mittermeier, R.A., Louis, E.E. Jr., Richardson, M., Schwitzer, C., Langrand, O., Rylands, A., Hawkins, F., Rajaobelina, S., Ratsimbazafy, J., Rasoloarison, R., Roos, C., Kappeler, P.M., and Mackinnon, J. (2010). Lemurs of Madagascar. 3rd Edition. Conservation International. Arlington, Va.
“Silky sifaka (Propithecus candidus)” in Mammals of Madagascar: A Complete Guide by Nick Garbutt. London: A&C Black. 2010.