Radio Times: Review by:; David Butcher

David Attenborough has drawn attention to their plight, as has Natural World, and more recently Simon Reeve in his BBC2 series. But let’s face it, no creature really stands a chance unless befriended by a well-known actor, so here comes Martin Clunes to highlight the problems facing the world’s most endearing and endangered primates.

He’s a likeable guide to the perils threatening these lovely creatures, who to us look irresistibly lovable but to many of Madagascar’s 22 million inhabitants, look irresistibly tasty. Hunting and habitat loss have become critical issues for many lemur species, but Clunes meets scientists who hope to turn the tide.

About this programme

The Doc Martin star travels to the island to meet conservationists trying to save its declining population of lemurs. He learns about efforts to protect the greater bamboo lemur, one of the world's 25 most endangered primates, and finds out how rice cultivation is threatening the habitat of another rare breed. He then heads to the nature reserve of Betampona hoping to track down lemurs bred in captivity, which were flown from America to Madagascar between 1997 and 2001 to expand the gene pool.