A spectacular paradise for species

The reason why so many people nowadays enjoy travelling to Madagascar is due, among other things, to the extraordinary diversity of the island’s flora and fauna. Madagascar has developed for millennia independently of the rest of the world and has thus produced a biodiversity that is found nowhere else on this planet. Especially in the animal kingdom, endemic species, i.e. those that are only present in Madagascar, are extremely numerous. Lemurs are one of the best known species, but the number of endemic insects is much higher. The fact that predators are barely present on the island can be particularly surprising to many. There are only a few crocodiles left, but they are often only found on expeditions under controlled conditions. Madagascar, on the other hand, has no predatory cats or poisonous snakes that are dangerous to humans and feel very comfortable on the neighbouring African continent. Expeditions and excursions through Madagascar’s tropical forests are therefore much less dangerous. During our nature excursions, which we have specially organized according to some specific criteria, you will be accompanied by experienced guides who can bring you closer to the fascinating fauna of Madagascar. Often, you will discover hidden or camouflaged animals that would otherwise have remained hidden from your eyes. Madagascar’s wildlife is unique in the world and if you have the opportunity to spend a holiday in Madagascar, you should take the opportunity to visit national parks or nature reserves. Please contact us for more information.

The Malagasy fauna is still discovered today

Many people assume that man has already discovered all the plants and animals there are to discover on our planet. However, tropical rainforests, in particular, provide animals with a habitat that is difficult to penetrate and difficult to access for systematic research. In addition, Madagascar has not been affected by foreign civilizations for a long time. Many of the animal species known today in Madagascar, for example, were only discovered and documented in the 1990s. Very little is known about many of these species today and many researchers spend a lot of time and effort cataloguing individual species. This is all the more important as Malagasy fauna can be classified as threatened. In recent decades, large parts of the original tropical forest have had to give way to villages, towns and plantations. Agriculture is very important in Madagascar and to cultivate the different crops, the tropical forest is cleared on a large scale. Today, only 10 percent of Madagascar’s original tropical forest remains. No one knows how many animal species have disappeared in recent years and decades without any humans ever having seen them. If you are planning a trip to Madagascar, you may have the chance to photograph an unknown species during a trip to the rainforest. It is the exciting opportunity of such a special ecosystem, because we are allowed to know it in Madagascar.

Madagascar Mammals

As already mentioned at the beginning, there are very few classical predators in Madagascar. This is partly due to the fact that Madagascar generally has relatively few mammals. The current state of Malagasy wildlife research can be summarized as follows: Madagascar is home to about 120 different species of mammals. Of these, only 100 are in the partial order of lemurs. Lemurs belong to Madagascar’s most famous animals, which is due not only to a famous animated film, but also to the funny and unusual nature of these animals. The so-called Fossas also belong to mammals. He is a member of the Malagasy predator family. This recently established systematic family has very few members: only eight living species belong to Malagasy predators. Besides the Fossa, the ring-tail-mungo and the narrow striped ring-tail-mungo are also among Madagascar’s endemic predators.

Madagascar’s bird species

While Madagascar’s general fauna is composed of about 95 percent of endemic species, the figure for birds is only about 50 percent. This is because most birds are suspended in the air and it is easy for them to travel the distance to the nearest mainland. This is why external influences are most visible in Malagasy birds. In total, there are about 260 different species of birds native to Madagascar. This is the case, for example, of the kingfisher malachite, which is also found from time to time in Germany. The Malagasy weaver is also particularly remarkable, with the male specimens impressive, especially for their unusually coloured plumage. The Blue Vanga, also known as the Vanga Shrike or Blue Shrike, is a complete family of birds that only exists in Madagascar and the Comoros. Many of the 21 species in this family are now threatened because the clearing of tropical forests destroys their habitat.

Reptiles of Madagascar

The reptile world in Madagascar is a breathtakingly diverse one. More than 370 different species live on the so-called red island and have adapted perfectly to individual living conditions: for example, there are several different species of turtles in Madagascar, and six different species of iguanas. This is surprising because only in America are there other species of iguanas. In neighbouring Africa, however, there are no indigenous species. The Geckos also feel at home in Madagascar, as they are represented by about 70 different species. The most exotic reptiles are chameleons, of which there are more than 80 endemic species in Madagascar. Particularly frightening: nearly 40% of reptiles living in Madagascar are currently threatened with extinction. Snakes, lizards and turtles are also affected.

Invertebrates and frogs in Madagascar

Insects and butterflies feel more comfortable in Madagascar than anywhere else in the world. There are about 100,000 different insect species living on the island, about 300 different species of breathtakingly beautiful butterflies and about 300 species of frogs. The researchers assume that there are many undiscovered species of insects, frogs and butterflies in Madagascar. The reason these species have not yet been discovered is the small size of these animals. As Madagascar still has so many animal species that no one has ever seen before, it is worth a trip to Madagascar. If previous developments on the island are not stopped quickly, Madagascar’s breathtaking wildlife will otherwise be over. Plan your very special holiday in Madagascar today and contact us directly.