Madagascar is an island nation located in the Indian Ocean off the south eastern coast of Africa. The Island spans 144 million Acres making it the fourth largest in the world, so big that it has been nicknamed ‘The Eighth Continent’. The country is divided by a band of mountains separating the tropical rainforests along the eastern coast and dry deciduous forests along the western coast. Madagascar has extremely unique biodiversity due to its separation from Africa 165 million years ago. This hotspot is a living example of species evolution in isolation. 89 percent of its plant life and 92 percent of its mammals exist nowhere else on earth.
These indigenous species have fascinated scientists for centuries. More than 600 new species of flora & fauna have been discovered in the last decade. Despite its wealth of wildlife and natural beauty Madagascar is one of the poorest countries in the world. The Malagasy people have learnt to live off the land which also often provides their only means of income. Locals practice ancient techniques of ‘slash and burn ‘agriculture, destroying large sections of forest and scrubland at a time. Since humans settled 2000 years ago a staggering 90% of the original forests have been lost. This extensive deforestation and clearance of land for crops means that the future of Madagascar’s wildlife is uncertain, this Indigenous paradise is in danger, with many species on the brink of extinction and many yet to be discovered. A recent report stated that Lemurs (also endemic to the island) are the planets most threatened species. 91% of the 101 lemur species have been recorded endangered, with 20 percent critically endangered.
As deforestation and habitat fragmentation persist, so does soil erosion and sedimentation of coral reefs, leaving communities more vulnerable than ever. With its rivers running a deep red, staining the surrounding Indian Ocean, astronauts have remarked that it looks as if Madagascar is ‘bleeding to death’. Throughout this photographic journey I aim to highlight the breathtaking beauty of Madagascar’s fragile ecosystem, viewing it’s wildlife from an animals perspective.