Planet Madagascar is a conservation, education, and community development charity (registered in Canada) that was inspired by a PhD research project on the impact of forest fragmentation on the survival of lemurs. Planet Madagascar’s founder and Executive Director, Travis Steffens was living and working in Ankarafantsika National Park in North West Madagascar. Travis witnessed uncontrolled forest fires, found evidence of illegal lemur hunting and forest resource extraction, and also watched as people in nearby impoverished communities dying from preventable diseases. It became clear that to preserve habitat and help lemurs it is imperative to work closely with the local residents in Madagascar. In 2015 Steffens incorporated Planet Madagascar as a not-for-profit organization. Since that time Planet Madagascar has worked closely with local communities to improve the lives of people that live in Madagascar and conserve lemurs and their habitat.