Wildlife Of Madagascar

The most comprehensive single-volume field guide to Madagascar's wildlife The Indian Ocean island of Madagascar is one of the world's great natural treasures and ecotourism destinations. Despite being an island, it is home to nearly an entire continent’s variety of species, from the famous lemurs to a profusion of bizarre and beautiful birds, reptiles and amphibians. Wildlife of Madagascar is a compact and beautifully illustrated photographic guide, and an essential companion for any visitor or resident. With an eye-catching design, authoritative and accessible text and easy-to-use format, it provides information on identification, distribution, habitat, behaviour, biology and conservation for all the mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and butterflies likely to be seen. The most comprehensive single-volume field guide to Madagascar’s wildlife Attractive layout features more than 900 stunning colour photographs Covers the mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and butterflies, and some of the other invertebrates and plants, most likely to be seen Provides key information about identification, distribution, habitat, behaviour and conservation Introductory sections provide background information on Madagascar and its unique environments

"This new, fifth edition of Bradt's Madagascar Wildlife, first published over 25 years ago, celebrates the unique fauna of this remarkable Indian Ocean island. Written by naturalist tour leaders and Madagascar experts, and aimed at visitors and natural-history enthusiasts alike, this guide has been thoroughly updated to reflect both the latest discoveries - on an island where new species for science are continuously discovered - and the latest developments at the country's top wildlife-tourism locations. Wildlife is the key draw for English-speaking visitors to Madagascar. Enjoying nature couldn't be more different to continental Africa. Rather than going out on safari to see the Big Five from the safety of a jeep, in Madagascar you approach wildlife on rainforest strolls, without fear of encountering dangerous snakes or angry elephants. From its endearing lemurs and comical chameleons to the endemic birds and bizarre insects, this is the only guide to showcase the whole range of Madagascar's captivating wildlife. It features lively descriptions of animals and their behaviour - perfect for the interested layman - complemented by 280 sumptuous colour photographs. A 'Habitats and Hotspots' chapter details the island's various ecosystems and presents concise information on where best to see fascinating species, helping readers choose which parks and reserves to visit - from Masoala and Ranomafana to Ifaty and Berenty. An incredible 90% of Madagascar's plants and animals are unique to the world's oldest island. Accordingly, this guide also tells the story of how Madagascar came to be so different from the rest of the world, and why evolution took a different tangent to create such an extraordinary and unparalleled array of creatures. Read about Madagascar's remarkable chameleon diversity: half the world's species occur here, including the smallest and largest. And prepare to be astonished by an orchid with a ridiculously long nectary tube that prompted Charles Darwin to correctly predict that there would be a moth that had evolved an equally absurd 30cm-long tongue to reach it. As a practical guide to help you plan your dream wildlife trip to this special destination, Bradt's Madagascar Wildlife is readable, user-friendly and inspiring; as a souvenir, it's unbeatable."

A celebration in full colour of Madagascar's wildlife. Key parks and reserves, features on evolution, camouflage, wildlife at night, conservation, wildlife watching and photography.

The mammals that inhabit Madagascar are among the most extraordinary in the world. This portable guide offers a full survey and classification of all the Malagasy mammals, both endemic and introduced, including many new species only recently identified. With vivid color photographs, line illustrations, and maps, Mammals of Madagascar: A Complete Guide is an essential volume for any tourist or biologist who visits the island--or wishes to. The guide provides descriptions of the physical and behavioral characteristics of each species as well as information about habitat and distribution. To further aid identification, the book lists top mammal-watching sites in the rainforests, deciduous forests, and spiny forest areas. Streamlined and completely updated, this book replaces Nick Garbutt's classic earlier work, Mammals of Madagascar, and takes its place as the definitive guide to the mammals of the world's fourth-largest island. Published in association with Christopher Helm/A & C Black Publishers Ltd.

In the forests of Madagascar, about nine-tenths of the plant and animal species are unique to the island. Their natural habitats range from true rainforest to the lunar landscape of the spiny desert, and the natural rock-gardens of the mountain tops. Madagascar is no oceanic island, but a fragment of continent a thousand miles long, wrenched loose from the side of Africa. In this Lost World, plants and animals have become a living museum of evolution. Aepornis, the largest bird which ever lived, became extinct on Madagascar in the last few hundred years. Many more Malagasy species are now following Aerpornis into extinction. This volume introduces Madagascar's unique fauna and flora to general readers - the first such handbook available in English, and the first book to combine articles by Malagasy, French, English and American scientists, writing in their own fields of expertise.

Bradt's fully illustrated wildlife guides focus on regions of the world particularly celebrated for their amazing and often unique species. With spectacular photography or exclusive watercolour drawings throughout, each visitors' guide provides an introduction to the region's principal flora and fauna alongside suggested wildlife itineraries, practical information on when to go and what to take and photography tips. Written in a deliberately engaging way, they offer something different from dry field guides, and will appeal to the interested layman as much as the wildlife devotee. Ideal as a lightweight companion to any wildlife trip they also make a handsome souvenir. Beautifully illustrated with full-colour photographs throughout, Madagascar Wildlife is a celebration of the unique fauna of a remarkable island. Featuring over 250 species - from lemurs to millipedes - this guide is ideal for natural history enthusiasts and travellers alike. Newly discovered species and recently protected habitats are all covered in this fully revised edition. Also included is practical advice on visiting the key national parks and reserves plus special features on the evolution, camouflage, night-time wildlife and conservation issues.