Situated in the Indian Ocean 400 km (249 miles) off the south-eastern coast of Africa, Madagascar is the world’s fourth largest island, almost the size of France, and the oldest, splitting from Africa around 150 million years ago and from India 88 million years ago. Madagascar’s long geographical isolation has resulted in extraordinary biodiversity with unparalleled levels of endemism, making the country one of the world’s top biodiversity hotspots.

Some 15,000 species, over 90% of all known species in Madagascar, occur nowhere else, and new species continue to be found, with 615 discovered between 1999 and 2010 alone. Of the 307 bird species found here, 115 are endemic to the island. 95% of the 211 mammal species are endemic, including the hedgehog-like tenrecs, as well as 107 species of lemur—a group of primates native only to Madagascar. Only three of the 309 amphibian species are not endemic, and 96% of the 457 reptile species are unique to Madagascar. Malagasy floral diversity is equally exceptional, with 82% of the 11,516 known vascular plant species found only here, including six endemic baobabs.

Supporting this staggering biological diversity is a range of ancient habitats arising from Madagascar’s varied climate and topography. Reaching 2,876 metres above sea level, the mountainous central highlands block rain brought by warm moist trade winds from the Indian Ocean, depositing ten times more rain on the east side of the island than on the west. Four terrestrial ecoregions are recognised, consisting of different forest types—moist evergreen rainforest in the east, dry deciduous forest in the west, the harsh arid spiny forest in the south, and mangroves along the west coast. Marine ecoregions include the Toliara Reef, the third-largest coral reef system in the world.

Destruction of native forest is the main threat to Madagascar’s wildlife, with an estimated 90% of Madagascar’s original forest cover now lost. Much of its wildlife is now threatened with extinction, making the country one of the world’s highest priorities for biodiversity conservation. With much of Madagascar’s growing rural population living in poverty, slash-and-burn agriculture—known locally as tavy—has increased rapidly to become one of the leading causes of deforestation, even on steep slopes. Other major threats to Madagascar’s biodiversity include illegal logging in the rainforests in the east, charcoal production in the spiny forest, erosion, and illegal hunting of wildlife for food and trade. WLT is now supporting forest restoration projects in Madagascar, providing an alternative sustainable livelihood for local communities. The native tree species being planted are chosen for the benefits they provide both people and wildlife.