Madagascar has lost a staggering 44% of its natural forest between 1972 and 2014, with increased fragmentation since 1953. Among the most vulnerable ecosystems are coastal forests such as Efatsy Manombo. They are facing numerous anthropogenic and natural threats. Most nearby communities live at the forest edge and rely heavily on the resources provided by the forest for their survival. Unauthorized logging, extraction of secondary forest resources, lemur trapping, and even the establishment of plantations and charcoal production were observed. Additionally, factors such as intentional cultural fires or creating pastures through fire clearing pose a persistent and significant threat. Forest fragmentation has taken a toll on several lemur species under high threat, such as the southern ruffed lemur (Varecia variegata editorum, a subspecies of the Black-and-white ruffed lemur) and the Aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis), another resident of the Efatsy Manombo forest.
The principal threat to the survival of such lemur species is habitat loss due to slash-and-burn agriculture, logging and mining. Black-and-white ruffed lemurs being large-bodied and diurnal, they are among the most heavily hunted of all lemur species and among the first ones to disappear where humans encroach upon rain forest habitats. Moreover, climate change and deforestation can affect ruffed lemurs either together or independently, depending on the geographic region. This means each of the three subspecies of Black-and-white ruffed lemur is impacted. The southernmost subspecies, Varecia variegata editorum, would be decimated by deforestation alone, but combined wit climate change, all suitable habitat could be lost.