The magical Island of Madagascar is famous for its bizarre assemblage of wildlife, its dramatic landscapes and its unique and varied ecosystems. No other island or place in Earth boasts such a combination of species richness and endemism, which is attributed to 88 million years of separation from all other land forms. For example, every native terrestrial mammal species found on this huge island is endemic, and found nowhere else on Earth! Most famous of all of its inhabitants though are the Lemurs, with104 currently recognised Lemur species in Madagascar, all of which are believed to have evolved from a single colonising ancestor, who reached this isolated island some 50million years ago! Madagascar is considered one of 4 global hotspots for primates, despite being less than a 10th the size of some of the other regions. Unfortunately, Madagascar is also one of the most heavily impacted countries in terms of habitat loss, with some estimates indicating that almost 90% of native forest has been lost, leaving very fragmented small pieces of forest. This, in addition to subsistence hunting, has decimated lemur populations across Madagascar; recent assessments by the IUCN now showing that the Lemurs are the most endangered group of vertebrates in the world, with 94 species being classified as threatened with extinction.
"Of Madagascar I can announce to naturalists that this is truly their promised land. Here nature seems to have created a special sanctuary whither she seems to have withdrawn to experiment with designs different from any she has created elsewhere. At every step, one meets more remarkable and marvellous forms of life"
Despite these tantalising early accounts, Madagascar is still an island shrouded in mystery, and remains relatively un-studied to this day. Myths and legends abound in Madagascar, and remain deeply embedded in the collective imagination, adding to the sense of magic surrounding the island!