Wildlife Of The World Madagascar

In this book in the 'Wildlife of the World' series, expert wildlife photographer Hugh Lansdown reveals some of the most fascinating and endangered animals to be found on the strange, mysterious, tropical island of Madagascar. With a growing human population, deforestation and increasingly frequent droughts, Madagascar’s wildlife is some of the most threatened on the planet... but it is also some of the most incredible and unique! Over eighty percent of the animals are found nowhere else in the world; from huge, noisy indri to tiny secretive mouse lemurs and strange spiky tenrecs to weird long-necked weevils... not to mention whole families of frogs, lizards and birds! This book, aimed at children from 8 to 13 years old (but fascinating at any age!) contains maps showing Madagascar's location and a section for each of the country's main regions with photos of some of the incredible animals found there. It also contains special sections featuring iconic creatures such as ring-tailed lemurs, indri and chameleons together with a 'Hidden Wildlife Puzzle' and discussion of the conservation issues the country is facing. In addition the book contains links to an interactive map of Madagascar as well as on-line media including videos and sound recordings, all of which are directly related to the text. Conserving the incredible wildlife we share our planet with is one of the most important tasks the young generation are going to be faced with. This book has been carefully designed to grab their attention in the chaotic, modern digital world, educate them about the amazing creatures that live here and enthuse them with the desire to find out more!

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."

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.

Experience the full force of nature with this stunning visual encyclopedia celebrating the world's most wonderful wildlife. With an inspiring foreword by leading naturalist and wildlife photographer Chris Packham, this epic adventure takes you across the continents to meet all creatures big and small. You'll visit the deserts of Australia, the grasslands of Africa, the rainforests of South America, the mountains of Asia, and the coral reefs of Australia on this mind-blowing tour to meet the incredibly diverse range of life on Earth. Breathtaking photography, animal profiles, accessible maps, and facts and stats combine to create this standout reference title. Revealing a wealth of species across hundreds of spectacular pages, Wildlife of the World introduces you to animals that roam, swim, and fly in each and every part of our planet. Calling all globe-trotters, nature enthusiasts, and biology students, this is your chance to experience the animal kingdom as never before and gain an absolutely essential addition to your home library. Produced in association with the Smithsonian Institution. Reviews: "[G]orgeous coffee table book of animal life across the planet...This book is a perfect reference guide, a delight to page through..." - Publishers Weekly "If there's a must-have coffee-table book, this is it." - The Sacramento Bee "Beautifully illustrated with handsome photographs." - Booklist (Starred Review) "[A] big book filled with great photography." - St. Louis Post-Dispatch "Like a classic children's treasury book, this lavish work is an ideal option for researchers and browsers alike." - School Library Journal (Starred Review)

"Madagascar Wildlife" is a celebration of the unique fauna of this remarkable island, once descirbed as "Noah's Ark adrift in the Indian Ocean." Almost 90% of its animals are found nowhere else in the world.

By definition, "antipode" is a point on the earth diametrically opposite from another. As a field biologist specializing in reptiles and amphibians, Heather Heying has been to some of the most remote places on the globe. Her career consists of trekking through dense rainforests, sitting for hours at a time observing elusive creatures, and spending weeks on end in remote, sometimes inhospitable locales. But nothing she previously experienced quite prepared her for the three seasons she spent studying the tiny, bright, poisonous frogs found only at what is the antipode of her world, both geographically and figuratively - the island-nation of Madagascar. The majority of Madagascar's wildlife is endemic -- found nowhere else. Lemurs rule the forest canopy, while on the ground, snakes and lizards search for evening meals of frogs and bugs, all against a gorgeous backdrop of rainforest. It's a biologist's paradise - but at times can also be a foreigner's worst nightmare. Madagascar in no way resembles what most Westerners know as normal existence. Technologically, it is laps behind the first world. Time shuffles by at a slow gait. Poverty is rampant - people pride themselves on how many pots of rice a day they eat. Language and culture barriers, combined with bureaucratic red tape, can make travel virtually impossible. In stories that are in turns moving, insightful, hilarious, and beautiful, Heather recounts her experiences -- from run-ins with naked sailors and unusually hostile lemurs to tropical hurricanes and greedy tourist entrepreneurs. As she carefully navigates an obstacle-strewn path, she gradually uncovers the hidden lives of the beautiful yellow and blue poison frogs she studies. And all the while, she is coming to understand her role as a female Westerner in a foreign society, and her intense love for and fascination with the stunning cultures and wildlife of Madagascar.

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.