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 off the coast of East Africa, from which it separated over 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 of the globe. The fauna of 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 are mining, cutting down the jungle, causing animals to suffer.
Recently, the number of reserves and specially protected areas has increased, where all conditions are created for the free existence of a uniquefauna. Scientists work to keep track of various animal populations and fight for their prosperity.
Madagascar - the kingdom of lemurs
The largest part of the island fauna are animals of Madagascar, such 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 dominated by the female. These cute creatures look like their ancestors - monkeys, but have shorter limbs and a pointed muzzle. Nature has perfected their appearance by adding big eyes. This mechanism allows nocturnal animals to perfectly navigate when extracting food. The animals eat mainly insects and vegetation. They are very friendly, brave and curious.
Types of lemurs
Kata lemurs are the most striking in appearance. They are distinguished by a white muzzle with dark "glasses" and a long striped tail. In size, representatives of this species barely exceed the domestic cat. Due to the almost complete absence of predators, animals of Madagascar, such as kata, have become the 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 is the little arm. Another name for the animal is ah-ah. He lives in the trees and gets his food,using unreasonably long and prehensile fingers. The animal taps the trunks for larvae, using echolocation. His appearance is not particularly attractive: shaggy hair that sticks out in all directions, wide-set yellow eyes and large semi-circular ears.
Indri belongs to 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.
Marsh Tenrec
The most elusive animals of Madagascar, strangely adapted to life in water. The limbs of the tenrec are equipped with membranes and a large amount of 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 a small hedgehog, but in fact it belongs to shrews.
Rare birds
The island is also rich in birds - there are about 150 species of them, of which a third are endemic. The rarest animals of Madagascar from the class of birds are red-headed divers. Lack of food and drying up of water bodies due to human activities have put this species of ducks at risk of extinction. 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 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 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 leaf-tailed geckos. Thanks 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 the amphibian is covered with skin resembling tree bark.
Panther chameleons are brightly colored,which is easily changed due to the special structure of the cells of the body. 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.
There are many frogs in the tropical rainforests of the island. The most notable are the tomato narrow-mouths. Females of this species have a rich color of ripe tomato and black stripes on the sides of the body. When threatened, 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.
