A groundbreaking approach to wildlife protection was unveiled Thursday in the journal Science, showcasing a detailed mapping project focused on Madagascar, an island renowned for its unique biodiversity. The study, involving 2,315 species including geckos and lemurs, aims to identify the most crucial habitats for conservation efforts.

Partnered with the Wildlife Conservation Society, the research is notable not only for the sheer number of species analyzed but also for its extensive scale and high resolution. The giant leaf-tailed gecko is among the species whose habitats were mapped. The project covers Madagascar’s entire 226,657 square-mile area, which is almost a third larger than California, providing habitat maps with a resolution finer than a square kilometer.

This study is expected to guide conservation strategies by prioritizing areas that support the highest number of species, particularly those that are critically endangered. Claire Kremen, a UC Berkeley assistant professor and co-author of the study, emphasized the importance of this work in directing efforts to protect Madagascar’s unique and vulnerable wildlife.