Why is Madagascar important for Biodiversity Conservation?
Madagascar is one of the world’s highest priority countries for biodiversity conservation due to its exceptional species richness, high number of unique plant and animal species; and the magnitude of threats facing these ecologically, culturally, and economically valuable resources. There are more unique species...
Why is there no rainforest in Madagascar?
Most Madagascar Forests Are Gone. As biodiverse as the rainforest is in Madagascar, the sad truth is that only 10 percent of the country's forests still exist. Deforestation for agriculture and logging is the main culprit, and it's by far the largest threat to Malagasy wildlife.
Why are rainforests important to the environment?
Rainforests also play a vital role in the planet’s water and carbon cycles and in regulating climate. Yet today, rainforest destruction releases more CO2 than all the world’s cars, planes and ships put together.
What are the characteristics of rainforests in Africa?
Rainforests contain about half of the existing plant and animal species in the world. They contain a third of the world’s bird species and 90% of its invertebrates. The remaining African rainforests contain more animals and plant species than are found anywhere else on the continent.
How much of Madagascar's forests are gone?
Where is the verdant rainforest in Madagascar?
What are the most famous national parks in Madagascar?
What are the national parks in Atsinanana?
How many species of jasmine are there in the rainforest?
Where to visit in Madagascar?
Where to go to see the Malagasy culture?
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About this website
Why is Madagascar so important?
Madagascar is one of the world's highest priority countries for biodiversity conservation due to its exceptional species richness, high number of unique plant and animal species; and the magnitude of threats facing these ecologically, culturally, and economically valuable resources.
What is happening to the forest of Madagascar so important?
Human populations have grown long beyond the point at which these activities can be practiced without permanent destruction. As the forest is destroyed, so is the habitat for Madagascar's unique plant and animal species. The loss of habitat due to deforestation is the biggest single threat to Madagascar's wildlife.
What rainforest is in Madagascar?
The Masoala Rainforest is the largest contiguous rainforest area on Madagascar.
What are some interesting facts about Madagascar rainforest?
Facts about Madagascar Rainforest About 14,883 species of plants are present here. Interestingly, over 80 percent of such plant species do not exist anywhere else and are therefore unique in this island. About four-fifths of the species of genus spine-bearing trees called Pachypodium are only present in this island.
Why should Madagascar be protected?
Madagascar, the world's fourth largest island, is a unique place. Nine-tenths of its plants aren't found anywhere else on Earth. The island is home to a quarter of the world's primate species, including around 100 types of lemur. But as recently as 2003, only 3.2% of this island wonderland was protected.
How much rainforest has Madagascar lost?
Imaging technology and modern botanical research has helped to produce more accurate estimates that Madagascar has actually lost 50% or less of its original forest cover. Additionally, the 90% claim is harmful to the reputation and wellbeing of rural Malagasy people.
What is the Madagascar rainforest known for?
The rainforests are inscribed for their importance to both ecological and biological processes as well as their biodiversity and the threatened species they support. Many species are rare and threatened especially primates and lemurs.
Is Madagascar a rainforest or jungle?
Located off the east coast of Africa, Madagascar is the world's fifth largest island; at 144 million acres, it's almost the size of Texas. Madagascar's climate is tropical along the coast, temperate inland, and arid in the south. The island harbors lush rain forests, tropical dry forests, plateaus and deserts.
Why are Madagascar's forests being cut down?
Increased population growth is also the primary cause of deforestation in Africa and certainly in Madagascar. Most of the deforestation in low income countries is carried out via slash and burn. Slash and burn is an agricultural technique that involves the cutting and burning of forests to create fields (Klein, 2002).
What is the most important thing about Madagascar?
The biodiversity hotspot has over 10,000 endemic species of plants. Plant life is as equally impressive here: More than 10,000 native species of plants have been identified, of which around 90% are endemic and only found in the country. However, many are critically endangered.
What is Madagascar known for producing?
Rice is the main produce and main export crop of Madagascar. It is mainly planted in a terraced paddy system in the central highlands. Other major subsistence crops include cassava, corn, and sweet potato, while coffee, cloves, vanilla and other cash crops are exported.
What are some positive things about Madagascar?
11 Reasons to Visit Madagascar at Least Once in Your LifetimeIt's home to some seriously cute lemurs.The whale-watching is spectacular.The beaches are beautiful.You'll get to taste the local koba cake.You can help through volunteering.It's home to the biggest baobab ever.More items...•
Why is saving biodiversity on Madagascar so important?
The forest ecosystems in Madagascar are important for local people for financial and cultural reasons. Decreased biodiversity would mean the destruction of the ecosystem. Many of the species living in Madagascar live nowhere else on Earth, and the destruction of their ecosystem would mean extinction.
What is being done to stop deforestation in Madagascar?
Madagascar's Emission Reductions Program is designed to increase agricultural productivity and reduce rural poverty while improving soil quality, conserving water resources, and protecting vital forests and biodiversity.
Is deforestation in Madagascar getting better or worse?
Agricultural fires, erosion and soil degradation continue to contribute to the degradation of the countries ecological stability impeding forest regrowth and according to recent data taken over the 2001 – 2012 period the rate of forest loss in Madagascar's has continued to increase.
What are the threats to the Madagascar rainforest?
Deforestation and habitat destruction. Agricultural fires. Erosion and soil degradation. Overexploitation of living resources including hunting and over-collection of species from the wild.
Tropical Rainforests of Madagascar
Madagascar is home to some of the richest rainforests on Earth. Well over half of Madagascar's species are found in these forests which lie on the east coast of the island.
Deforestation in Madagascar - NASA Earth Observatory
All over the world humans struggle to provide themselves with food, housing, and comfortable lives, while preserving the natural environment so that it can continue to sustain animals, plants, and other living things, including humans.
Madagascar Forest Information and Data - Mongabay.com
Madagascar Forest Information and Data According to the U.N. FAO, 2011 Update In May 2011, Sassan Saatchi of Caltech's Jet Propulsion Lab and colleagues published a paper in PNAS with new carbon stock estimates for global tropical forests.
Madagascar rainforests - The Biome
Madagascar is the fourth largest island in the world. The Madagascar rainforest is located on East coast of Madagascar in the Indian ocean just off the southeastern cost of Africa.
How much of Madagascar's forests are gone?
Most Madagascar Forests Are Gone. As biodiverse as the rainforest is in Madagascar, the sad truth is that only 10 percent of the country's forests still exist. Deforestation for agriculture and logging is the main culprit, and it's by far the largest threat to Malagasy wildlife.
Where is the verdant rainforest in Madagascar?
With glorious mountains to the west, the tropical waters of the Indian Ocean to the east and arid desert to the south, the verdant rainforest in Madagascar is otherworldly, truly a bucket-list destination. Stretched along a narrow strip on the east coast, it's home to most of the country's signature biodiversity.
What are the most famous national parks in Madagascar?
Madagascar's national parks are famous for their offbeat wildlife. Just three hours from Antananarivo -- where the airport is -- Andasibe-Mantadia National Park (parcs-madagascar.com) sits packed with black-and-white indri lemurs. To get closer to the lemurs, you can visit the tiny island of Nosy Komba (nosykomba.com), where you can lure lemurs onto your shoulders with bananas and feed them. Ranomafana National Park (no website; BP. 2 Fivondronana Ifanandiana, Ranomafana 312, Madgascar; 011-261-20-755-2302) is a romantic rainforest where orchids rustle in the breeze, perched on their host trees. And for something different, you can climb and crawl among the limestone pinnacles that jut like daggers into the sky at Tsingy de Bemaraha Strict Nature Reserve (no website; Antsalova, Madagascar; 011-261-20-622-2656), a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
What are the national parks in Atsinanana?
The Rainforests of the Atsinanana, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, comprise six national parks: Marojejy, Masoala, Zahamena, Ranomafana, Andringitra and Andohahela. Over half of the island's endemic animals – species that exist nowhere else in the world – live in these rainforests. Most are found in Masoala National Park. Make like the local fauna and sleep in a treehouse at Masoala Forest Lodge, close to the action in a private forest reserve within the park. It's also steps from the beach and can only be reached by boat.
How many species of jasmine are there in the rainforest?
Out of 11,000 endemic plant species on the island, over 1,000 are jasmine, found in abundance in the rainforests.
Where to visit in Madagascar?
If you want to delve into Madagascar's rich history, the Royal Hill of Ambohimanga (no website; Royal HIll of Ambohimanga, Antananarivo 103) is the place to start. This UNESCO World Heritage Site just outside Antananarivo is a hilltop village that once housed Madagascar's royalty. Though it's not in ruins, its history as one of Madagascar's sacred places makes it a pilgrimage site for Malagasy people to this day. Another perk of visiting is the view of lush fields stretched at the foot of the hill.
Where to go to see the Malagasy culture?
The Antaimoro Paper Factory (no website; Ambavalao, Madgascar; 011-261-753-4001) -- with the Hotel Aux Bougainvillees conveniently on the grounds -- has become a thriving tourist attraction, affording visitors a chance to watch women making paper from bush bark. And in Andananarivo, you'll find festive street markets filled with the sounds of crowing roosters, where locals sell mangoes, meat and a variety of other goods from creaky wooden stalls beneath umbrellas that provide relief from the bright sun.
Why is Madagascar important to the world?
Madagascar is one of the world’s highest priority countries for biodiversity conservation due to its exceptional species richness, high number of unique plant and animal species; and the magnitude of threats facing these ecologically, culturally, and economically valuable resources. There are more unique species of plants and animals living in Madagascar than on the entire African continent and more than eighty percent of its species can be found nowhere else on Earth. Because of this exceptional uniqueness of species, the loss of one hectare of forest in this country can have a larger effect on global biodiversity than forest loss anywhere else on Earth, making Madagascar arguably the highest biodiversity priority on the planet.
Why is Madagascar considered a biodiversity priority?
Because of this exceptional uniqueness of species, the loss of one hectare of forest in this country can have a larger effect on global biodiversity than forest loss anywhere else on Earth , making Madagascar arguably the highest biodiversity priority on the planet.
What are the threats to Madagascar's biodiversity?
Widespread and abject poverty, exacerbated by high birthrates and unsustainable land management practices, is the ultimate driver of the array of threats facing Madagascar’s rich biodiversity. Extreme poverty inhibits human growth opportunities and severely limits economic development. Rapid population growth is increasing demand for land and natural resources while environmental degradation, largely stemming from slash-and-burn agriculture, fuelwood collection, and unsustainable harvesting of wildlife, is destroying biodiversity resources and rendering many areas less productive for other uses. Illicit logging, illegal fishing practices, and unsustainable harvesting of threatened plants and animals for unlawful trade further intensify the grinding poverty facing the country and jeopardize the relevance and effectiveness of Madagascar’s government institutions. Without effective governance to protect natural resources from misuse, local populations increasingly disregard environmentally sound livelihood practices that have lasting long-term benefits, in order to meet immediate basic survival needs and prevent outsiders from appropriating their natural resources with impunity. As a result increasing numbers of Malagasy are trapped in poverty and are at high risk for becoming still poorer as natural resource stocks are permanently depleted.
How does the CCP help Madagascar?
Through a new partnership with the Peace Corps, the CCP catalyzes grass-roots conservation by providing Peace Corps Volunteers serving in Madagascar and their communities with training and grant funding they need to implement small-scale, community-based projects. With this support volunteers are able to introduce biodiversity-friendly development alternatives and sustainable practices for community-managed landscapes and seascapes. Not only does this collaboration provide technical assistance directly at field level, it also offers CCP and our development partners a source of learning about community engagement approaches that can be shared broadly to building learning platforms in the country.
How does rapid population growth affect the environment?
Rapid population growth is increasing demand for land and natural resources while environmental degradation, largely stemming from slash-and-burn agriculture, fuelwood collection, and unsustainable harvesting of wildlife, is destroying biodiversity resources and rendering many areas less productive for other uses.
Why are mangrove forests important?
The mangrove forests play an important role in mitigating the impact of major storms and are an important habitat for the local animal species. They also provide resources for economic activities in these areas.
What will happen to Madagascar?
Finally, sea level rise around Madagascar, which has the longest coastline of any country in Africa, will subject communities and habitats to increased damage from cyclonic and flooding events and may force many people permanently from their homes.
Why are rainforests important?
Climate stability. Rainforests also play a vital role in the planet’s water and carbon cycles and in regulating climate. Yet today, rainforest destruction releases more CO2 than all the world’s cars, planes and ships put together.
Why is the rainforest being destroyed?
Rainforest destruction is being driven by an economic world view which originated externally in Western capitalist cultures. Unfortunately, ecosystem destruction has gathered pace over the last 200 years, with the advent of ‘consumer culture’ and breath-taking population growth.
How much biodiversity does the rainforest have?
Biological diversity. Tropical rainforests are thought to contain around 50% of all the Earth’s species of plants and animals, though they cover only about 6% of the land surface. (8,000 years ago, they covered about double the current area.) Rainforests are a priceless and economically vital source of food and medicine, wood and water, ...
What are some examples of biodiversity?
For example, hundreds of different languages are spoken in ‘biological hotspots’ like New Guinea and the Amazon Basin. It should not be surprising that the people who understand rainforests best are those whose cultures were shaped by them, the indigenous peoples of the tropical rainforests. Learn more about the rainforest communities our project partners work with in Indonesia, Colombia and Madagascar.
Why is Madagascar threatened?
Madagascar’s stunning species and unique habitats are threatened by demands from today’s global markets and from the growing needs of the local population.
What is WWF's plan for Madagascar?
WWF has developed a plan to address immediate threats to Madagascar’s southernmost forests and help local communities manage their natural resources more sustainably.
How many people live in Madagascar?
Madagascar is home to more than 21 million people with a wide array of faiths and customs. The Malagasy (as the people of Madagascar are known) are descendents of settlers from Borneo and East Africa and draw their cultural heritage from Southeast Asia, India, Africa, and the Middle East. More than 20 ethnic groups coexist on the island.
What continent is Madagascar on?
Continent. Africa. Species. Lemur, Tortoise, Gecko, Chameleon. Located off the east coast of Africa, Madagascar is the world’s fifth largest island; at 144 million acres, it’s almost the size of Texas. Madagascar’s climate is tropical along the coast, temperate inland, and arid in the south.
Where is the fish eagle habitat in Madagascar?
A group's excursion from Anjajavy Nature Reserve, on Natural Habitat Adventures’ Madagascar Wildlife Safari, exploring the mangrove forest that provides habitat for the fish eagle and other species.
What are the animals that are threatened in Madagascar?
Today, many animals and plants are threatened, with rosewood trees, tortoises, chameleons, geckos and snakes the most targeted by traffickers.
How many species of animals are there in Madagascar?
From 1999 to 2010, scientists discovered 615 new species in Madagascar, including 41 mammals and 61 reptiles.
How does the rainforest help the planet?
As well as the vivid beauty that comes with great diversity in plants and animals, rainforests also play a practical role in keeping our planet healthy. By absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing the oxygen that we depend on for our survival.
How do rainforests help the water cycle?
Rainforests also help to maintain the world's water cycle by adding water to the atmosphere through the process of transpiration which creates clouds. Water generated in rainforests travel around the world; scientists think that moisture generated in the forests of Africa ends up falling as rain in the Americas!
How do rainforests store water?
In fact, it is believed that the Amazonian forests alone store over half of the Earth's rainwater! Rainforest trees draw water from the forest floor and release it back in to the atmosphere in the form of swirling mists and clouds.
Why is the rainforest so poor in nutrients?
Surprisingly, soil in the rainforest is very poor in nutrients. This is because the nutrients are stored in the vast numbers of trees and plants rather than in the soil . Tree roots bind the soil together, while the canopy protects the soil from heavy rains.
What would happen if the rainforests were not reclaimed?
Without rainforests continually recycling huge quantities of water, feeding the rivers, lakes and irrigation systems, droughts would become more common, potentially leading to widespread famine and disease.
How many species of animals are there in the tropical rainforest?
Habitat for animals and plants. Tropical rainforests contain over 30 million species of plants and animals. That's half of the Earth's wildlife and at least two-thirds of its plant species! There are also many more thousands of rainforest plants and animals species still waiting to be discovered.
What happens when oil companies remove forests?
When oil and logging companies come to remove vast areas of forest, they bring diseases which the indigenous people have no resistance to, threatening their survival. Often they are also forced to move away from their homes to unfamiliar places, sometimes even being killed in the process.
What percentage of Madagascar's original forests are still there?
As deforestation in Madagascar continues, there is less natural habitat for native species like lemurs to survive in. It is estimated that a mere 10 percent of Madagascar’s original forests still remain today [2].
Why is logging occurring in Madagascar?
Due to the high value of Malagasy hardwoods such as ebony and rosewood, logging occurs throughout Madagascar, even in protected areas [1].
What is the use of ecological farming techniques?
The use of ecological farming techniques, such as the use of permaculture “savoka” gardens, can help to create very productive growing systems that build soil and regenerate the land.
How long did Madagascar's agricultural land remain fallow?
In the past, these agricultural patches were left fallow for about 20 years, allowing the forest to regenerate and supported the rebuilding of the soil. This system worked well until the human population grew on Madagascar to the point that the these agricultural cycles have been shortened, and soil nutrients have become depleted throughout much of the country [2].
What is the problem with Madagascar's soil?
With fewer trees to hold the soil in place on Madagascar, much of the topsoil on the island is eroding into rivers and streams. This widespread soil erosion will make the production of crops from depleted soils increasingly difficult in the future.
What are some ecotourism opportunities?
Park entrance fees, wildlife guides, souvenirs, park rangers, and hotels, restaurants and lodges are just a few possible ecotourism opportunities to generate income for local communities.
Is Madagascar a poor country?
Madagascar is a poor country, and most of its people are dependent upon natural resources for survival. Unfortunately, this has lead to a great loss of biodiversity and habitat in Madagascar through deforestation [1].
What happens to vegetation in the rainforest?
Erosion and Flooding. During heavy downpours, the mass of vegetation in the rainforest catches and holds much of the rain, then 'disposes' of it through evaporation and transpiration; it acts like a bog umbrella breaking the force of the rain and protecting the ground surface.
How much of Madagascar's plants are endemic?
In Madagascar, 80% of the plant species are endemic - that means they are not found any where else on earth. Yet 2/3 of their forest has already been destroyed. With 20% of all the world’s plants under threat of extinction, Kew Gardens in London is taking DNA samples, in case the plants and their benefits are lost.
What are some examples of medicines that are made in the rainforest?
For example, Vincristine, a drug taken from the rosy periwinkle of Madagascar has allowed an 80% remission rate for some forms of childhood leukaemia.
How long have people lived in the rainforest?
People. In South East Asia and the Pacific Islands, people have lived in the forests for about 40,000 years, but the earliest signs of human settlement in African forests are no more than 3,000 years old. There are about 1,000 indigenous tribes in the rainforests of the world.
Why are forests considered the lungs of the world?
Rainforests have been known as the “lungs of the world” due to their contribution in providing about 20% of the world’s oxygen. The forests and soil also lock away carbon, an important function, especially in this age when humans are causing so much carbon dioxide to be released into the atmosphere through, for example, transport and fossil fuel power stations. In fact they absorb about 20% of the world's man-made carbon dioxide emissions.
Why are trees important to the environment?
Where trees are cut down in large numbers, this natural protection is removed, soil erosion increases and minerals are washed away. Trees also help to control the amount of water that is held in the soil. In areas around the world where forests have been felled, the rainfall patterns have changed.
How many trees are there in 2.5 acres of Amazon?
In 2.5 acres of the Amazon there could be 300 different tree species, compared to the 40 found in the whole of the UK! 2.5 acres may also contain over 750 types of trees and 1500 species of higher plants.
How much of Madagascar's forests are gone?
Most Madagascar Forests Are Gone. As biodiverse as the rainforest is in Madagascar, the sad truth is that only 10 percent of the country's forests still exist. Deforestation for agriculture and logging is the main culprit, and it's by far the largest threat to Malagasy wildlife.
Where is the verdant rainforest in Madagascar?
With glorious mountains to the west, the tropical waters of the Indian Ocean to the east and arid desert to the south, the verdant rainforest in Madagascar is otherworldly, truly a bucket-list destination. Stretched along a narrow strip on the east coast, it's home to most of the country's signature biodiversity.
What are the most famous national parks in Madagascar?
Madagascar's national parks are famous for their offbeat wildlife. Just three hours from Antananarivo -- where the airport is -- Andasibe-Mantadia National Park (parcs-madagascar.com) sits packed with black-and-white indri lemurs. To get closer to the lemurs, you can visit the tiny island of Nosy Komba (nosykomba.com), where you can lure lemurs onto your shoulders with bananas and feed them. Ranomafana National Park (no website; BP. 2 Fivondronana Ifanandiana, Ranomafana 312, Madgascar; 011-261-20-755-2302) is a romantic rainforest where orchids rustle in the breeze, perched on their host trees. And for something different, you can climb and crawl among the limestone pinnacles that jut like daggers into the sky at Tsingy de Bemaraha Strict Nature Reserve (no website; Antsalova, Madagascar; 011-261-20-622-2656), a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
What are the national parks in Atsinanana?
The Rainforests of the Atsinanana, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, comprise six national parks: Marojejy, Masoala, Zahamena, Ranomafana, Andringitra and Andohahela. Over half of the island's endemic animals – species that exist nowhere else in the world – live in these rainforests. Most are found in Masoala National Park. Make like the local fauna and sleep in a treehouse at Masoala Forest Lodge, close to the action in a private forest reserve within the park. It's also steps from the beach and can only be reached by boat.
How many species of jasmine are there in the rainforest?
Out of 11,000 endemic plant species on the island, over 1,000 are jasmine, found in abundance in the rainforests.
Where to visit in Madagascar?
If you want to delve into Madagascar's rich history, the Royal Hill of Ambohimanga (no website; Royal HIll of Ambohimanga, Antananarivo 103) is the place to start. This UNESCO World Heritage Site just outside Antananarivo is a hilltop village that once housed Madagascar's royalty. Though it's not in ruins, its history as one of Madagascar's sacred places makes it a pilgrimage site for Malagasy people to this day. Another perk of visiting is the view of lush fields stretched at the foot of the hill.
Where to go to see the Malagasy culture?
The Antaimoro Paper Factory (no website; Ambavalao, Madgascar; 011-261-753-4001) -- with the Hotel Aux Bougainvillees conveniently on the grounds -- has become a thriving tourist attraction, affording visitors a chance to watch women making paper from bush bark. And in Andananarivo, you'll find festive street markets filled with the sounds of crowing roosters, where locals sell mangoes, meat and a variety of other goods from creaky wooden stalls beneath umbrellas that provide relief from the bright sun.
