| Summary: | This special issue is devoted to Madagascar, the natural kingdom of the lemurs. Twelve articles of various disciplines were gathered to present a general overview on what is done in primatology by or implying French-speaking people. The greatest part of this special issue relates to the conservation and the protection of the extant lemurs of which lot are in danger. The activities in conservation are varied but the projects are more and more in relationship with the local communities and implicated in their development. The support and the commitment of these populations are a key of success. These projects could not come out if there were no previous scientific studies as for example on biology, the behavior and the ecology of each taxonomic group or population. To protect the lemurs with the help of the local populations, it is also necessary to understand the traditions and perceptions of the inhabitants with respect to these primates. The diversity of the lemurs was even more important in a rather close past and constitutes another part of the Malagasy natural heritage. It is important to understand the past to understand the present, and conversely. The evolution of these primates remains rather complex, and recent researches make it possible to correct our vision of this one.
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