Although stunningly rich in biodiversity, Madagascar is also exceptionally poor in almost every quality-of-life measure tracked by the United Nations and World Bank.  The population is exploding, and most Malagasy people live on less than $1 per day.  Poverty and political instability have undermined Madagascar’s environmental management. Slash and burn agriculture, selective logging of precious wood (rosewood and ebony), and fuel wood harvesting has accelerated deforestation and erosion, which in turn has altered microclimates, leading to droughts, forest fires, and soil degradation. Bushmeat hunting of lemurs has also increased in recent years due to a lack of alternative protein sources in rural villages as well as the emergence of a commercial bushmeat trade. 

Geographically, the steep mountainous rainforests of Marojejy National Park and Anjanaharibe-Sud Special Reserve are one of the most difficult habitats to monitor.  The Marojejy Protected Area Complex is one of the largest rainforest landscapes in Madagascar, and the resources of one Madagascar National Parks office are stretched between two large reserves.  There is only one major paved road in the whole region; most of Marojejy and all of ASSR lack accessible roads.  The protected areas face many additional challenges, including insufficient park ranger and boundary demarcation, illegal rice and vanilla plantations inside Marojejy, and crystal mining in ASSR.  Socio-economic concerns include the decline in tourism due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the crash of vanilla prices, and growing human population.