A giant island that broke from Africa long ago and grew its own world of life. Most of its reptiles and mammals live nowhere else, and every wild lemur is found here among humid, dry, spiny and highland habitats.
Madagascar is the world's fourth-largest island in the Indian Ocean east of Africa, where most reptiles and mammals — and a famous share of all life — live nowhere else. A giant island that broke from Africa long ago and grew its own world of life, its geological separation began about 165 million years ago, followed by a long, staged isolation.
Madagascar is a mosaic, not one forest: humid, dry, spiny and highland habitats became separate evolutionary arenas for radiations including tenrecs, amphibians and lemurs. Most of its reptiles and mammals live nowhere else.
All wild lemurs occur there; current research recognizes more than 100 lemur species. About half of the world's chameleon species live on the island.
In small chameleons the tongue can launch at up to 5.41 metres per second — faster than the animal can run, not a jet.
The world's smallest primate lives here: Madame Berthe's mouse lemur weighs only about 30 grams, lighter than a golf ball.
Most of Madagascar’s reptiles and mammals live nowhere else on Earth.
Humid, dry, spiny and highland habitats on Madagascar are separate arenas for endemic radiations, not one uniform forest.
Madagascar broke away from Africa around 165 million years ago, long enough alone to grow life found nowhere else.
The indri, the largest living lemur, sings echoing duets that carry over 2 km through the forest.
Some of its Brookesia chameleons are among the smallest reptiles on Earth, tiny enough to curl up on a fingertip.
Field Notes
The Island That Sailed Away
Madagascar's separation from Africa began about 165 million years ago, followed by a long, staged isolation history in which varied habitats helped shape endemic radiations. Scientists sometimes call the island a natural laboratory of evolution.
A giant island that broke from Africa long ago and grew its own world of life, it is a mosaic of humid, dry, spiny and highland habitats — separate arenas where radiations including tenrecs, amphibians and lemurs unfolded. Most of its reptiles and mammals live nowhere else.
Research Report
A World of Lemurs
More than 100 recognized lemur species live wild only in Madagascar. They include the roughly 30-gram Madame Berthe's mouse lemur and the larger indri, whose calls can carry about two kilometres.
Ring-tailed lemur societies are female-dominant and males use scent in competitive displays. All wild lemurs occur there; current research recognizes more than 100 lemur species, and those lineages fill different corners of the humid, dry, spiny and highland mosaic rather than one uniform island forest.
Expert Dossier
Masters of Colour and the Hunt
Madagascar is home to about half of the world's chameleon species, including the bright panther chameleon. In small chameleons the tongue can launch at up to 5.41 metres per second — faster than the animal can run, not a jet — and can project up to about 2.5 body lengths.
It changes colour mainly to show its mood or communicate with other chameleons. The island's top hunter is the fossa, a slim, cat-like relative of the mongoose.
Flexible ankles help it descend trunks head-first and move through both trees and on the ground.