This week I found myself needing to make a map that depicted the current range of Propithecus verreauxi lemur populations throughout southwestern Madagascar. You know, as one does.
Lucky for me, the folks over at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) maintains a Red List of Threatened Species, which evaluates the conservation status of species all around the world. You can search a species, and the IUCN database will explain how the species is classified into one of the following categories: Not Evaluated, Data Deficient, Least Concern, Near Threatened, Vulnerable, Endangered, Critically Endangered, Extinct in the Wild, or Extinct. The assessment information is listed in a table of publications from which they have acquired data, including the current species range (click “View Map”). |
I downloaded the Spatial Data for P. verreauxi (see bottom left), and had to figure out how to add this “shape” data to a map of Madagascar. After trying out a bunch of different packages, I ended up going with a basic maps format (still working on getting a nice looking ggmap). I’ve managed do two things so far: plot the species range to 1) a full country map of Madagascar [bottom middle] and 2) to a “zoomed in” inset of Madagascar that highlights how close the red and black sites are to each other [bottom right]. |
Ideally the large map of Madagascar will be inside that white inset on the “zoomed in” map, but I’ve yet to make the add = True argument actually do what it’s supposed to. Scroll all the way down to see the code I used. Anyone have some helpful hints?
Also, if it makes you sad that these gorgeous sifakas are on the endangered species list and you would like to help a conservation effort in some way, I would like to recommend beginning your lemur aid efforts by checking out LemurLove. They are some good people just trying spread the love for lemurs :) Cheers!