February 24, 2026
Lavavolo, Madagascar
Seven years ago, the Lavavolo Tortoise Center (LTC) was born out of necessity— built from the ground up to rehabilitate and protect 17,000 tortoises rescued from the illegal wildlife trade. Last year, the LTC faced unprecedented events when multiple catastrophic cyclones devastated everything we had built. Torrential rains from Tropical Cyclones Dikeledi, Elvis, and Honde caused catastrophic flooding in Madagascar’s Atsimo-Andrefana Region, submerging Turtle Survival Alliance’s Lavavolo Tortoise Center (LTC). Floodwaters rose rapidly, exceeding two meters during Cyclone Honde, destroying staff housing and infrastructure and placing thousands of critically endangered Radiated (Astrochelys radiata) and Spider (Pyxis arachnoides) tortoises in danger. In the aftermath, more than 1,500 tortoises were lost or unaccounted for, with more than 11,500 remaining in our care. Despite the devastation, the LTC has once again become a symbol of resilience. Reminiscent of the incredible collective effort that defined its founding, our staff, authorities, local community members, and international partners have come together to rebuild—step by step, tortoise by tortoise. Thanks to your support, the work is nearly complete.
Read the blog updates on the situation:
- January 17, 2025: Catastrophic Flooding Engulfs Lavavolo Tortoise Center
- January 28, 2025: Update from Madagascar: Tortoises in Triage
- February 7, 2025: Update from Madagascar: Recovering from the Receding Floods
- March 3, 2025: Third Cyclone in Two Months Ravages Madagascar’s Tortoise Conservation Centers
- May 4, 2025: Rebuilding Hope in Madagascar: Tortoises, Communities, and the Road to Recovery
You can also read the article “Tortoises in the Storm” in our 2024/2025 Magazine for a summary of last year’s events.
Register for our upcoming webinar, “Rising from Crisis: Recovery at Lavavolo” for a status update with the Madagascar team who were on the ground during this crisis. Register for free to attend, and be emailed a recording of the webinar afterward.
The Year in Review
Because you stood with us, the LTC is now rebuilt, stronger. In the last 12 months, your contributions have directly funded:
- Emergency Rescue: The successful stabilization of more than 11,500 Radiated and Spider tortoises from life-threatening floodwaters.
- Infrastructure Restored: Full reconstruction of critical water systems, perimeter walls, and tortoise enclosures.
- On-site Staff Housing: Complete reconstruction of staff housing, the central office, and visitor quarters to ensure our team can continue their mission in safety.
- Community Support: Providing essential aid to the surrounding communities, who are our frontline partners in conservation.
From Devastation to Hope
Following the cyclones, strong support from local residents and authorities enabled rapid response and recovery at the Lavavolo Tortoise Center. Local leaders, regional and national environmental officials assisted with damage assessments, tortoise counts, and coordination. TSA reaffirmed its partnership with local stakeholders through consultations approving the rehabilitation plan. Recovery efforts prioritized safety, environmental responsibility, and transparency, with grievance mechanisms in place.
Thus, the rebuilding was planned out into phases. Although a long-term conservation agreement is already in place with the community for the use of the area, during Phase One, we reaffirmed our commitment by consulting the community again prior to the start of the rehabilitation and construction work. During the discussions, the community and local officials gave their full consent to the rehabilitation works. They validated the new constructions and the use of the upper part of the center. The event was symbolically marked by a traditional offering ceremony.
This phase included the prompt completion of essential repairs such as the protective wall, the construction of 105 new shade structures, the clearing of 4 hectares of tortoise enclosures, and the restoration of the well, water tower, and gatehouses. Furthermore, securing the community’s renewed partnership and establishing a formal grievance mechanism has strengthened the operational foundation of the LTC.
Phase Two focused on building robust, stilt-supported core infrastructure and is nearing completion. Despite facing logistical challenges related to material delivery and site management, our supervisory consultant and contractor have worked diligently to meet the completion target for the Visitor Housing, Staff Housing, and Office facilities.
The Final Stretch
With the core infrastructure secure, our focus for the coming year turns to the canteen and storage house. These are the final two pieces of the puzzle—the structures that fuel our team and protect the supplies necessary to keep the LTC running at full capacity.
We could not have triaged thousands of tortoises or rebuilt in the past 12 months without your steadfast support. Your generosity made it possible to protect vulnerable animals, restore essential facilities, and ensure that this vital conservation work continues without interruption. Turtle Survival Alliance is profoundly grateful for your quick response and generosity.
The LTC now stands stronger than ever. Thank you!
All images courtesy of TSA Madagascar.