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Madagascar is the fourth largest island in the world and is thought to have broken off from the south-east coast of mainland Africa around 165 million years ago. It is estimated that 90% of species found on Madagascar are endemic to the island, sadly approx 90% of the island has been deforested and is occupied by man. Deforestation accelerates the speed of erosion, as the forests were protectors of the earth and rich soils, the loss of these soils also make the island prone to flooding. Most of the land mass of Madagascar is sterile and the island is slowly desiccating.
It is speculated that mammals reached Madagascar on rafts of floating vegetation, or on stages and shallows appearing in the Mozambique channel at epochs of low sea level. Few individuals then radiated into many different species, occupying the empty ecological niches available (Jolly, Albignac &Oberle 1984).
Remains of giant sub-fossils have been unearthed dating from between 2200 and 2300 years ago, the theory is that a change in climate combined with human appearance led to the extinction of these ‘giants’. One of these giant sub-fossils was a giant fossa Cryptoprocta spelia. Fossil data show it measured 6 feet long not counting the tail, and weighed more than 200 pounds (Bradley 2000). The largest lemurs of the time were as large as gorillas (Flacourt).
There have been no traces of prehistoric man found on Madagascar
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The first settlers came to Madagascar 1500 - 2000 years ago and probably from Malaysia and Indonesia, Europeans arrived in 1500. Several kingdoms were established between then and 1896 and the country was under rule of several kings. In 1896 Madagascar was declared a French colony, and in 1960 it was given independent status.
In the late 1980’s the findings of a WWF study were brought to the attention of the Malagasy government, together with other agencies a 20 year plan was drawn up, this was finalised in 1990.
The environmental charter drawn up included strategies on the reduction of wastage of natural resources and the protection of remaining natural environments.
In 2001 a new president came into power and at the 5th World Parks Congress in South Africa, President Marc Ravalomanana pledged to triple the size of Madagascars nature reserves by 2008.
“Of Madagascar I can announce to naturalists that this is truly their promised land. Here nature seems to have created a special sanctuary whither she seems to have withdrawn to experiment with designs different from any she has created elsewhere. At every step one meets more remarkable and marvellous forms of life”
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Joseph Philibert Commerson 1771
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