World Wildlife Fund

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Madagascar

Safeguarding one of Earth’s most captivating islands

Baobab tree - Madagascar
© WWF-Canon / Martin HARVEY

Madagascar is irreplaceable. Split from the African continent over 160 million years ago, this island country developed its own distinct ecosystems and extraordinary wildlife. Approximately 92 percent of Madagascar’s reptiles, 68 percent of its plant life and 98 percent of its land mammals, including lemurs, exist naturally nowhere else on Earth.

Demands from today’s global markets threaten the diversity brought about by the isolation that the island of Madagascar has experienced. Deforestation, unsustainable agriculture and erosion fueled by human population growth all jeopardize the island’s unique habitats. As a result, several charismatic species such as lemurs and chameleons that evolved here over millions of years may become extinct before the end of the century.

WWF's vision: Protect, restore and maintain Madagascar’s unique biodiversity in harmony with the culture and livelihoods of the local people.

The place. The world’s fourth-largest island, covering over 144 million acres, includes lush lowland rain forests and mountains along the eastern coast, dry forests in the west, volcanic mountains in the north and the Spiny Desert to the south. The climate is tropical along the coast, temperate inland, and arid in the south, supporting a great range of biodiversity.
The species. Madagascar is home to seven species of baobab trees, the world’s most endangered tortoise, an estimated 10,000 endemic plant species, and more than 50 species of lemur, many now facing extinction. The aye-aye, silky sifaka and Goodman’s mouse lemur – named in honor of WWF scientist Steven Goodman – are considered three of the most evolutionarily distinct and globally endangered animals.
The people. The 17.5 million people of Madagascar practice a diverse array of faiths and customs. A majority of the population depends on subsistence farming, including rice and cattle. It is estimated that 80 percent of the population lives below the poverty line.