NATURE
Almost 90 percent of the plants and animals living on Madagascar aren’t found anywhere else in the world. That’s because strong ocean currents have isolated the island from the African continent, so the species living there haven’t traveled beyond the island’s borders.
Lush rainforests, dry deserts, and grassy plains cover the island, with coral reef and mangrove forests stretching along its coastlines. Madagascar’s most famous animal species, lemurs, live only in Madagascar and can be found in almost every habitat on the island. Silky sifakas, a type of lemur and one of the rarest mammals on Earth, can be found in the rainforests, along with giant leaf-tailed geckos and nocturnal aye-ayes. Spider tortoises and Dumeril’s boas live in the deserts, and Madagascan plovers can be spotted flying over the island’s central plains. Humpback whales and pygmy blue whales have been spotted along the island’s coasts.
The species thought to be most representative of the island (other than lemurs) is the baobab tree, the national tree of Madagascar. The thick, straight trunk of the tree swells into the shape of a bottle as it collects rainwater.
Deforestation and poaching, or the illegal killing of animals, threaten much of Madagascar’s habitat and wildlife. Many trees are harvested for firewood, and the loss of forest reduces where Madagascar’s animals can live. And since many of the island’s animals are so rare, they’re highly prized by poachers.
