Introduction
Madagascar is a world unto itself. The planet's fourth biggest island (about twice the size of Britain) is home to an array of endemic species – i.e., found nowhere else on Earth – that have evolved in isolation from any mainland relatives they may have on the African continent for over a hundred million years.
Lemurs spring to most minds when mentioning Madagascar, and indeed there are dozens of distinct species of these bizarre little primates, all of which are found exclusively on this one island. But this spectacular place also hosts many unique types of different mammals and birds, insects and other invertebrates, amphibians and reptiles – including 300 different species of frog and nearly half the planet's chameleon species –, colourful fish and amazing plants and prized trees.
Since the arrival of humans to the island some 2,500 years ago, however, this paradise of
endemicity has lost about 90% of its original forest cover and, with it, incalculable quantities of its natural inhabitants; even its charismatic lemurs have suffered a sharp decline, both in diversity and in population, due to habitat loss and hunting – now illegal, but far from ceased. Even the aquatic ecosystems of the island have been severely affected, making many of Madagascar's fish some of the most endangered in the world.
Thanks to conservation work, in recent years some species have been able to recover slightly from a situation that had become critical, and with continued efforts Madagascar's unique ecosystems may be able to recover further, as long as no more damage is done.
Recent political events in the country, though, have triggered a new blow to wildlife: Political chaos in early 2009 spelled doom for forests, which were flooded by loggers and poachers who illegally plundered the goods of the the nature reserves, taking precious woods for export and animals for the bush meat trade. Such events have no innocent justification, as these are international, million-dollar-affairs from which local people do not profit but are in fact also victims.
