What are the names of the animals that live in Madagascar. Strange and rare animals. (There are also Phos from Madagascar). Sea cucumber. Holothuria

Of the birds, six endemic families are characteristic of Madagascar: Madagascar shepherds (lat. Mesitornithidae) - birds the size of a thrush that cannot fly, two genera and three species; dodo; two genera, three species of which were exterminated in the 17th century, the sacred ibis Threskiornis bernieri, five species of terrestrial rakshas (lat. Brachyptericias) and four species of filepittas; monotypic family of red-billed nuthatch; and vangos - nine to eleven genera with 11-14 species. There are no such widespread groups as sparrows, tits, buntings, shrikes, real finches. The modern bird fauna is no less interesting, although it would seem that only 258 species are found here, 115 of them are again endemic (36 genera and 5 families are endemic).

Among the local birds, it should be noted the piebald crow - Corvus albus, remarkable in its plumage, small and with a weak beak, distributed throughout Africa south of 18 degrees north latitude and in Madagascar. It is brilliant black in color, but on the chest, belly and lower part of the nape has a wide dazzling white stripe. Dark feathers sparkle, light feathers shine like satin. The eyes are light brown. Beak and legs are black. This bird resembles a magpie not only in its plumage, but also in its cheerful disposition.

Madagascar black ruff

Madagascar black crake - Amaurornis olivieri

Grey-headed lovebird

Parrots on the island 3 species, 1 species - gray-headed lovebird Agapornis canus- endemic and 2 species of vase parrots (small and large) also live in the Comoros. Ythfpkexybr is a small parrot with a body length of 14 cm. The color of the plumage is mostly green. The back and wings are dark green, Bottom part body is light green. Top part chest, neck and head of males are light gray. They nest in hollows or nests of other birds. Construction material dragged by the female, thrusting it into the plumage of the back.

Of the grouse in Madagascar, the endemic masked grouse lives, and of the pigeons, 1 endemic species and 3 species are also common on neighboring islands. Madagascar blue dove - Alectroenas madagascariensis, Madagascar turtledove - Streptopelia picturata, Madagascar green fruit-eating pigeon - Treron australis. Green doves are hardly noticeable among the foliage of tropical and subtropical trees, although most species keep in flocks. The green color of the plumage is associated with the structure of the pen; their grooves have numerous tubercles containing lenticular granules of green pigment. They evenly scatter the reflected green color in all directions, which masks the pigeons among the trees.
When kept in a cage, the pigments in the plumage are usually destroyed, and the coloration becomes gray with white spots and a yellowish tint over time.

There are 13 species of cuckoos in Madagascar, of which the genus Koua Coua with 10 species is endemic. These large birds build on trees or in bushes, and raise their chicks themselves. All types of kua, although relics, are quite common on the island, except for kua delalande (Coua delalandei). The snail-eating cuckoo Coua delalandei is one of the 50 rarest birds in the world.

Of the real cuckoos in Madagascar, there is a local (nominative) subspecies of a widespread in the forests West Africa thick-billed cuckoo - Pachycoccyx audeberti audeberti. While there is no reason to say that the thick-billed cuckoo is extinct on the island, it is possible that it is endangered.

blue cuckoo

Madagascar eagles

On the tall tree nesting Madagascar eagles Haliaeetus vociferoides - there are less than a hundred of them left in the world. In general appearance and relatively short white tail, the Madagascar eagle resembles (especially in flight) our white-tailed eagle, but somewhat smaller. The general coloration of the body in adult birds is reddish-brown with blurred longitudinal dark spots, cheeks and tail are white; the top of the head is much lighter and with small specks, and the flight feathers are almost black; small yellowish cere, gray beak. These birds, like our eagles, build rather bulky nests, in which sometimes 1-3 (usually 2) eggs are laid for a number of years in a row.

At the end of the last and at the beginning of our century, the Madagascar eagle nested both along the coasts of the island and in its depths, near large lakes and rivers. Back in the 30s, A. Rand considered these birds to be common on the northwestern coast, but by now its numbers have declined so much that only individual pairs are known to occur on the entire island.

In wet evergreens tropical forests east coast Madagascar (from Farafangan to the city of Marouan Center) until 1930, the Madagascar short-toed serpent eagle (Eutriorchis astur) nested - the only representative of an endemic monotypic genus. It differs from our serpent-eater in its smaller size, long, somewhat rounded tail and coloration: brown back, wings and tail have a transverse pattern of black stripes, and the head and entire underside have narrow white stripes, wider towards the undertail; legs are bright yellow. Unfortunately, nothing is known about the Madagascar serpent eagle, only a few specimens are kept in collections. Last time two birds were seen and killed in 1930 near the city of Marouan Center. It is hoped that this species still exists, although the forests in which it lived for the most part destroyed.

Philepitta family

Family Philepittidae, or Madagascar pitta - Philepittidae - rare birds. Plump, with strong legs, they feed on fruits and berries. Some of them have a brilliant blue plumage with a yellow chest and belly, with large spots around the eyes, which are absent in females. These birds move slowly from branch to branch in search of insects. Sometimes they drink nectar from flowers with a bell-shaped corolla.

Velvety filepitta (Philepitta castanea), squat solitary bird, looking for fruits in the undergrowth and on the edges. This dark, pale-colored bird has a brighter relative among the island's smallest birds, the blue-yellow, small-billed yellow nectary (Neodrepanis hypoxantha). The false nectary, when it soars around a flower in the depths of a tropical rainforest, collecting nectar from its calyx with a long curved beak, is very similar to a hummingbird.

Barn owl Madagascar

One of the subspecies of barn owl lives in Madagascar. An endemic species, the Madagascar barn owl (Tuto soumagnei), also lives on this island. She is much smaller barn owl, reddish-yellow in color with occasional spots and the longest tail, longer than all other barn owl species. The last known specimens of the Madagascar barn owl for scientific collections were obtained in 1929 and 1930, in 1973 information was received about the meeting of this species in the dense forest of the Fierinana region. It is hoped that the Madagascar barn owl, although on the verge of extinction, is not yet extinct.

red-billed nuthatch

The red-billed nuthatch is the only species in the red-billed nuthatch family. Nuposittidae- a small bird of bright color, with a red beak. He lives in forests, keeps in the crowns of trees, where he climbs trunks and branches. It feeds on various insects.

Red cardinal

Madagascar cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis, in the winter-spring period, is distinguished by magnificent purple plumage, the color of the male is bright crimson, with a black “mask” on the face. The coloration of the female is dominated by grayish-brown tones, with reddish feathers on the wings, chest and crest, with a less pronounced “mask” than that of the male. The bird is modest, hiding in the foliage. They are called red sparrows, but there are no sparrows in Madagascar.

In the order of crayfish coraciiformes there is a small (5 species) family of earthen raksha Brachypteraciidae who live only in Madagascar. These birds, the size of a jackdaw and with rather short wings, lead a predominantly terrestrial lifestyle. They live along the edges of forests, glades and in thickets of bushes. They nest in burrows, niches under tree roots, etc. They gather food on the ground. They feed on various invertebrates, small reptiles and frogs. The spread of almost all of these endemic species limited to the east and northeast of the island. The forests in which earthen raksha live have been destroyed in some places, and in some places they have been greatly changed, which could not but affect the state of the populations of these birds: their numbers undoubtedly continue to decline.

There are 2 species of kingfishers in Madagascar, one of them is the Madagascar dwarf kingfisher - endemic.

Madascar teal

Madascar Teal - Anas bernieri - This 40 to 45 cm long duck is predominantly rich brown all over with prominent black teeth, stronger on the flanks and chest. She has a black mirror, and a pinkish-gray beak is slightly upturned. Endemic to Madagascar, living only along the western ocean coast. Prefers mangrove forests and resolutely leaves these dwellings when it finds open shallows of ponds and lakes, preferring brackish ones.

Madagascar pond heron

Madagascar pond heron - Ardeola idea

reddish pelican

The reddish pelican - Pelecanus rufescens - nests in lakes and swamps throughout sub-Saharan Africa, as well as in South Arabia and Madagascar. Very similar to pink pelican, but a little smaller, darker and a pinkish-red hue appears on its back during the mating season.

Nesting colonies of reddish pelicans are located on trees, most often on baobabs. For some reason, they prefer to build their nests in trees far from the water, and the birds have to bring food to the chicks from afar. Their nests are often located interspersed with the nests of marabou or other heron birds.

Madagascar- the real island of miracles. And the animals were the first to understand this. Zoologists say that Madagascar has been colonized throughout its existence various types land mammals Five times. Moreover, all the "colonists" were satisfied with their choice and remained on the island forever.

Another thing is that over time, life on the island changed them beyond recognition, and now it’s hard to say where, for example, the ancestors of the arm or fossa came to Madagascar? Now they are Madagascarians, and that's it.

Who are you? I am a hare-lipped hamster...

But while the inhabitants of Madagascar were simply enjoying life, zoologists had to work hellishly. After all, every islander needs to be caught, compared with already existing species, make sure that he did not even stand close to animals known to scientists, and give him his own name, as well as a class, species, and other necessary things.

This is how tenrecs, lemurs, viverras and tongue-breaking hare-gubo hamsters were born - it is obvious that by the time the hare gubo was discovered, zoologists had ... well, you understand, the definitions had already ended.

Voalavo, or the Madagascar giant hamster, is a large rodent mammal that lives in the west of Madagascar. The only species in the genus Hypogeomys

Here, try to guess who is hiding at least behind the last tricky name. We can tell: they are also called nezomyids. Still unclear? Well, let's reveal the secret. These animals are not directly related to hares or hamsters, and, at first glance, everything is in order with their lips, although yes, they are rodents and are very similar, some look like a hamster, some look like a mouse, and some - on a rat.

But there are no lagomorphs among them, but this is already on the conscience of zoologists. In fact, they are all mice, but with such a chic list of relatives in terms of volume that they were singled out in a separate family.

Fossa (lat. Cryptoprocta ferox) - predatory mammal from the Madagascar civet family

fat mice

In this family, a swamp hamster five centimeters tall and weighing five grams and a Gambian rat up to half a meter long and weighing up to 2.8 kilograms coexist freely, which, by the way, the locals are happy to keep as a pet.

With the definition of intermediate genera, scientists also did not bother much. Here you can meet banana climbing mouse, chestnut climbing mouse, northern fat mouse, western fat mouse, big-legged hamsters like that and all sorts of big-legged hamsters; with a long bare tail, with a short bare tail, with a tail and a tassel at the end, which is generally nonsense for a rodent familiar to us, or even simply without a tail. In short, the expeditions of zoologists in Madagascar clearly lacked philologists, or at least people with the beginnings of imagination.

Grey mouse lemur(Microcebus murinus)

almost beaver

But, in any case, they, the zoologists, were corrosive and patient. Maybe, upon arrival in Madagascar, all this fraternity just fell on them - just have time to count, and enter it in the register, and only the name somehow later, in working order.

Then they can be understood. After all, in addition to the mass of hares and hamsters darting underfoot, numerous tenrecs ran and fussed around the expeditions (out of the known thirty species, only three live outside the island, which they probably bitterly regret).

Tenreki, this is something like a muskrat, or a hedgehog. In any case, there is a species that looks like a hedgehog, there is a species that looks like a beaver, and there is also an almost copy of the European muskrat. Almost, but not quite, with a Madagascar flavor, so to speak.

Striped tenrec (Hemicentetes semispinosus nigriceps)

Exceptional lemur

A lot of classification problems have been created by numerous lemurs. There were almost a hundred of these comrades on the island, and we are not talking about the number of animals, but about the fact that everyone, even the most little lemur out of this hundred, he declared himself as something one and only, and, in essence, he was right. So people learned about the existence of dwarf lemurs, bats, avagis, indri, sifak ...

Well, at least here someone clearly showed imagination, or it was the locals who took scientists through the jungle and, poking a finger at the next lemur, lazily sitting on a branch waiting for it to be classified, called it their own, native word, and scientists all this recorded. Most likely, it was so.

A giant hamster rat can weigh six kilograms!

Only here!

A lot of trouble for scientists was delivered by viverras, also living exclusively in Madagascar, and the problem was not only in their classification. Convinced that the researchers did not arrive on the island empty-handed, the viverras, like decent (more precisely, dishonorable) predators, switched from lemurs, which they had successfully eaten all the previous time, to research stocks.

Many backpacks were opened and a lot of food and valuable equipment (some of it just out of greed) was stolen, eaten and hidden in the jungle by these cunning beasts.

Like nezomiids (yes, those same hare-lipped hamsters), viverras amaze with their diversity. Here you can also find different subfamilies of mungos with a body length of 25-40 centimeters (this is already with a tail), more like mongooses, and this also includes fosses with a body length of up to 80 centimeters, which are more like a small cougar and for this reason used to belong to the cat family.

Indri, or short-tailed indri, or babakoto, is a species of primates from the indriev family, which forms a separate genus Indri. Indri are the largest living lemurs.

Back to the reserve

Unfortunately, it is difficult to say whether zoologists have managed to classify all the inhabitants of Madagascar. As usual, as a result of the active development of the island by people, it has ceased to be a paradise for animals. The giant fossa was the first to leave our world for the simple reason that people began to actively exterminate lemurs, namely lemurs were its main food.

The giant fossa was followed by other inhabitants of Madagascar, and almost died out completely, but the local government realized it and created a network of reserves.

There are now three types of protected areas on the island: five nature reserves, 21 national park, 20 reserves. For this reason, many species of indigenous Madagascarians, already being ready to move from the category of endangered to the category of extinct, realized and decided not to die out yet. We hope that we will learn more about them.

Large civet, or Asiatic civet

Madagascar is home to some unique and unusual fauna. The island is home to nearly 25,000 species of wildlife, many of which are endangered. Over the past 2,000 years, Madagascar's biologically rich forests have been reduced by almost 90%, mainly due to agriculture and other commercial activities such as logging.

Mass led to the fact that several island animals were on the verge of extinction. Lemurs, which inhabit exclusively Madagascar, are the most endangered and are listed on the Red List of Threatened Species. bamboo lemur, named after its favorite food, is endangered because its habitat has shrunk to 4% of its original size.

Madagascar is in Indian Ocean on the southeast coast of Africa, and is the 4th largest island in the world. This is a place dominated by endemic species of animals and plants that are found nowhere else in the world. The island has been isolated for several million years, allowing animals and plants to evolve and diversify within a small area.

About 170 million years ago, Madagascar was a landlocked territory within the Gondwana continent. As a result of the movement of the earth's crust, Madagascar and India separated from South America and Africa, and then from Antarctica and Australia. About 88 million years ago, India also separated from Madagascar, allowing the animals on the island to develop in relative isolation.

Lemurs

Lemurs are primates that look like an animal similar to a dog, cat and squirrel. They exhibit incredibly unique and exciting behaviors, including whale-like singing. Today, there are more than thirty species of lemurs in Madagascar, ranging in size from the 25g pygmy mouse lemur to the largest indri lemur weighing over 12kg. Lemurs are one of the most endangered animals on the entire planet, and according to the IUCN Red List, they are endangered, namely: 22 species are in critical condition; 48 species are endangered and 20 are vulnerable.

Fossa

Fossa lives in the forests of Madagascar and is a close relative of the mongoose. It grows up to 1.8 m in length from tail to nose and weighs up to 12 kg. The animal has a slender body and looks more like a representative than a mongoose. Fossa uses a long tail to move quickly through the trees. The animal is classified as an endangered species and is listed on the IUCN Red List due to the fact that their habitats are shrinking. Less than 10% of Madagascar's original forest cover remains today, which is also the only home of the fossa.

Madagascar comet

Madagascar Comet ( Argema Mittrei) is one of the most beautiful butterflies in the world, found only in Madagascar. The wingspan can reach 20 cm. The insect has a bright yellow color and long "tails" on the lower wings. The females are wider and their wings are round, the tail is shorter than that of the males. Until now, these beautiful animals do not have the status of protection, and their population size has not been established.

panther chameleon

The panther chameleon is endemic to Madagascar and other nearby islands. It has the most varied coloration of any chameleon and is most sought after by reptile dealers. Like other chameleons, the panther chameleon has a raised occiput. During the hunt, he uses his tongue with a trapping sucker at the end. This species is under the least threat of extinction.

Fantasy leaf-tailed gecko

Fantastic leaf-tailed gecko ( Uroplatus Phantasticus) is a stunning reptile that can camouflage itself in its environment. Its body is similar to dead leaves, which helps the animal to hide from predators. The gecko is covered in patterned skin, and the tail looks like it has been gnawed on by insects. All of these features help blend in well with the surrounding foliage. Fantastic leaf-tailed geckos vary widely in coloration, but are generally brownish with some spots on their belly, which distinguishes them from other similar species.

They are nocturnal reptiles with large eyes that are suitable for hunting insects in the dark. They also have sticky scales under their fingers and strong claws that allow them to move quickly through trees. Geckos live in a specific habitat and are not tolerant of any change. Because of their appearance, leaf-tailed geckos are beloved pets and one of the best-selling species. Recently, in the wild, there has been a decrease in the population.

frog tomato

Also known as tomato frogs, these frogs are found only in Madagascar, mainly in the northwestern part of the island. As a rule, they lead a terrestrial lifestyle and are common in forest areas. Due to deforestation, their habitat has been destroyed, but they seem to adapt well to the changed conditions and can be found in gardens and plantations.

There are three types of tomato frogs: Dazzophus antongilli, Dyscophus guineti and Dyscophus insularis. Of the three D.antogilli is endangered due to deforestation and trapping for keeping as a pet. These frogs mate during the rainy season. shallow depth and slow moving water. They are brightly colored and can release a nasty substance when threatened, although it is not toxic, it can irritate mucous membranes.

red fudi

Also called the Madagascar fodi, this bird is native to Madagascar and other nearby islands such as the Comoros, Seychelles and Mauritius, and recently the species has been found far Arabian Peninsula. They grow to about 12.5-13.5 cm and weigh about 14-19 g. The males have bright plumage on the chest and head, and the wings, tail and eye area have dark feathers. The plumage varies widely from orange to yellowish, and during breeding season the males molt and become olive brown like the females. The species is under the least threat of extinction.

Madagascar hissing cockroach

The Madagascar hissing cockroach is one of the most fascinating endemic animal species on the island. It has an oval shape and a shiny brown body with no wings, but with a pair of raised horns on the males. During conflicts, these insects hiss, which is how they got their name. Unlike most insects, which make noise through body parts or vibrations, the Madagascar cockroach hisses due to a sharp contraction of the abdomen, and air passes through the spiracles. Insects can live from two to five years and grow up to 5-7 cm in length.

Madagascar bat

The Madagascar bat is a nocturnal primate that lives primarily in trees. Their thumbs and long tails allow them to comfortably stay in trees while they use their echolocation to find food such as insects. They also have sensitive large ears and eyes that help them locate food. Due to their bizarre appearance, they were considered a bad omen among the local people of Madagascar. The species is on the verge of extinction.

Madagascar long-eared owl

This bird has a body length of about 50 cm, making it the largest owl on the island. Females are usually larger than males. The owl is characterized by a brownish crown on the top of its head. She also has a brown facial disc. The Madagascar Owl mainly leads night image life. The species is under the least threat of extinction.

striped tenrec

The striped tenrec is common in the lowland northern and eastern parts of Madagascar. The animal has a long pointed snout, vestigial tail and limbs. The muzzle is black with yellow stripes, and the body is covered with spines. The striped tenrec is active both during the day and at night and feeds mainly on insects. The long muzzle is intended mainly for digging the ground in search of prey. They can also feed on worms, small fish, and even frogs. Tenrecs mostly breed in October and December depending on the availability of food. The gestation period is 58 days and the female can give birth to up to eight cubs. The view causes the least concern.

black mantella

known as Mantella madagascariensis, black mantella is a bright frog with green, black, yellow or orange color. The species is found only in the eastern and central parts Madagascar. These frogs live in tropical forests bordering freshwater bodies of water. They can tolerate moderate temperatures between 24º C and 27º C during the day and slightly lower at night. The black mantella is a predatory animal that mainly feeds on insects. Frogs are active during the day, usually occupying small territories. Bright color the body acts as a warning of danger to any predator. The species is in a vulnerable position.

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In 1500, thanks to pure chance, the island of Madagascar was discovered. The team of the Portuguese navigator Diogo Dias was caught in a storm that forced them to land on the only land nearby. Thus, an island with extraordinary nature and rich fauna was discovered.

Unique island

Madagascar is located near the coast East Africa, from which it separated more than 160 million years ago. Its unique landscape, which includes mountains, lakes, desert areas, jungles, has contributed to the conservation of a huge number of animal species. There are more than 250 thousand of them on the island, and most of them are endemic, that is, they are not found in other areas the globe. Animal world Madagascar is unique. It is mainly represented by small animals and reptiles.

Many species of island fauna are now on the verge of extinction. People extract minerals, cut down the jungle, causing animals to suffer.

Recently, the number of nature reserves and specially protected areas has increased, where all conditions are created for a free existence. unique fauna. Scientists work by tracking various animal populations and fighting for their prosperity.

Madagascar - the kingdom of lemurs

The largest part of the island fauna are such animals of Madagascar as lemurs. The indigenous people treat them with special respect, because they believe that the souls of the dead move into the body of the semi-monkeys. More than 20 species of these animals live on the island.

Lemurs are kept by families in which the female dominates. These cute creatures look like their ancestors - monkeys, but have shorter limbs and a pointed muzzle. Nature perfected them appearance, adding big eyes. This mechanism allows you to perfectly navigate the extraction of food. The animals eat mainly insects and vegetation. They are very friendly, brave and curious.

Lemur species

The kata lemurs are distinguished by the most striking appearance. They are distinguished by a white muzzle with dark "glasses" and a long striped tail. In size, representatives of this species barely exceed domestic cat. Due to the almost complete absence of predators, animals of Madagascar, such as kata, are most widespread.

The smallest primate, the mouse lemur, lives in Madagascar. The body length of the baby is about 9 cm, with a tail - 27 cm. This species was discovered in 2000.

Another interesting representative- arm. Another name for the animal is ah-ah. It lives in trees and obtains its food using excessively long and tenacious fingers. The animal taps the trunks for larvae, using echolocation. His appearance is not particularly attractive: shaggy hair that sticks out in all directions, yellow wide-spaced eyes and large semi-circular ears.

Indri is one of the largest lemurs. Its weight reaches 10 kg, and its height is 90 cm. Despite its large dimensions, the beast deftly climbs trees. Each family has a strict range, which it guards by making loud noises.

Swamp tenrec

The most elusive animals of Madagascar, strangely adapted to life in water. Tenrec limbs are equipped with membranes and large quantity muscle tissue. The animal deftly runs in shallow water, catching tadpoles and fish. For hunting, he uses vibrissae - sensitive antennae, which, like a locator, pick up vibrations in the water. The appearance of the tenrec is also interesting: its size is about 15 cm, and a mixture of wool and needles covers the entire body. In appearance, the animal looks like small hedgehog, in fact, it refers to shrews.

rare birds

The island is also rich in birds - there are about 150 species of them, of which a third are endemic. Most Madagascar from the class of birds - red-headed divers. Lack of food and drying up of water bodies due to human activities have put this species ducks are endangered. It was believed that these birds disappeared forever, but in 2006 a small population of 20 individuals was discovered. For 8 years of successful and painstaking work of zoologists, it was possible to increase it by 4 times. The dive is very beautiful, it has a red-brown body, a gray beak and a white belly.

The real unique is the blue cuckoo. The bird has an incredibly attractive appearance with rich blue plumage. Unlike relatives, she incubates offspring on her own. Due to its remarkable appearance, this endemic species has come under the threat of complete extermination by poachers.

Fossa

Who would have thought that the largest island predator reaches only 1.5 m in length, half of which is occupied by a long tail. Strong muscular beasts have a reddish-brown coat. Outwardly, these animals of Madagascar are similar to a cat and a marten, but belong to the viverrid family. The tail of the fossa, coupled with retractable claws, allows her to deftly climb sheer cliffs and trees in search of prey. The population of these predators is very small and is on the verge of extinction.

Amphibians

The island of Madagascar is replete with a huge number of amphibian species, among which the main ones are frogs, lizards and chameleons.

Rare and endangered species include Due to their incredible appearance, they easily avoid prying eyes. The amphibian reaches a length of 13 cm and has a tail barely distinguishable from a dried leaf. The body of an amphibian is covered with skin resembling tree bark.

Panther chameleons are distinguished by their bright coloration, which is easily changed due to the special structure of body cells. They use their skill for disguise and communication. This species is notable for its ability to simultaneously observe with two eyes different objects of hunting. Before throwing out a sticky tongue, the chameleon focuses on the target.

The tropical rainforests of the island are home to many frogs. The most notable are the tomato narrow-mouths. The females of this species have saturated color ripe tomato and black stripes on the sides of the body. When danger arises, their skin releases an irritating secret.

The vast territory of Madagascar has not yet been fully explored. Every year new species of animals are discovered. Scientists are achieving good results in increasing the population of endangered endemics of the island.

A British photographer has led an epic 20-year foray into one of the world's strangest ecological systems. Nick Garbutt, 46, from Cumbria, has made 25 trips deep into the forests of Madagascar. He has visited the island every year since 1991. Over the course of two decades, Nick has created an unusual collection of photographs of the island's unusual and colorful landscapes. An adult female fossa (Crytoprocta ferox) hunts prey in a forest in Kirindy Park in western Madagascar.
A male comet moth (Argema mittrei) dries its wings in a forest thicket in national park Mantadia, Madagascar. An adult male fossa (Crytoprocta ferox) roams the deciduous forest, Western Madagascar. The island was cut off from the African mainland 160 million years ago. But the inhabitants of the island developed functions that are not found anywhere else. Many of the animals featured in Nick's photographs can only be found in Madagascar. Verro sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi) skips through open space into spiny forests, southern Madagascar.
There is concern that a large number of the animals in these photographs could disappear in the next 20 years. Poor local communities are cutting down forests to make way for crops like rice. A huge amount of wood harvested from the destroyed forest is used to produce charcoal. Nick said: “In its original state, Madagascar was 85% forested and now only 8% remains. Even more shocking is that 50% of the forest loss has happened in the last 50 years and I have seen this massive destruction. Since I started coming here since 1991, I don't have high hopes for a revival. ” Male spear-nosed chameleon (Calumma Gallus) in lowland rainforest near Mantadia, eastern Madagascar. Although the number national parks, on the island is growing, environmentalists fear that this is not enough to save many animals. “When I first visited Madagascar, there were only two national parks,” Nick says. “It has now grown to 20 and they serve as an animal sanctuary where tree cutting is illegal, but in practice it doesn’t always work.” An adult black and white ruffed lemur (Varecia variegata) hangs from a branch in Andasibe-Mantadia National Park, eastern Madagascar.
“It is inevitable that all national parks will be managed by the people who live on the island, and this still equates to the loss of animals,” he says. “ A large number of individuals will simply disappear and there will be no one left in the parks to protect. We need to slow down the rate of destruction and preserve the amazing diversity.” Ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) bask in the sun at dawn, Berenty Private Reserve, southern Madagascar. Nick Garbutt with an orphaned ring-tailed lemur near Tsimanampetsotsa National Park in November 2009. Nick Garbutt in Ranomafana National Park in May 1991 during his first visit to the island.
Pygmy stump-tailed chameleon (Brookesia peyrierasi) on a finger in the Nosy Mangabe Nature Reserve, northeast Madagascar.
A male Giraffa weevil (Trachelophorus Giraffa) in the Vohiparara rainforest, Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar. A leaf-tailed gecko (Uroplatus fimbriatus) climbs a tree trunk in Nosy Mangabe Park, northeast Madagascar.
Nick Garbutt photographs a panther chameleon in Masoala National Park in October 2009.
Painted mantella frog (Mantella madagascariensis) in Mantadia National Park, eastern Madagascar.
A male panther chameleon (Furcifer pardalis) searches for prey in vegetation on a peninsula beach in Masoala National Park, northeast Madagascar.
Amazing bird Helmet Vanga (Euryceros prevostii) near its nest in NP Masoala, northeast Madagascar.
Male Parsons chameleon (Calumma parsonii) in the rainforest, Masoala National Park, Madagascar.
Huge baobabs (Adansonia grandidieri) at dusk, near Morondava, western Madagascar.
White-lipped tree frog(Boophis albilabris) sits in rainforests in Ranomafana National Park, southeast Madagascar.
On his exciting journeys, Nick also photographed a strange aye-aye. Having an average long finger, he is able to rummage in the bark of a tree like a “fish” in water, looking for larvae and a scoop there.