It's all about riddles. Endemic and rare animals of the island of Madagascar Pictured is a crowned lemur

The dizzying wildlife of Madagascar is impressive with a huge variety of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds and more. From 1999 to 2010, scientists discovered 615 new species on the island, including 41 mammals and 61 reptiles. Madagascar is an island off the coast of Africa, where about 75% of species are endemic, that is, they do not live anywhere else in the world. Tropical and dry deciduous forests, as well as ample fresh water, have created excellent habitats for rare and endangered species.

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Madagascar is the only place in the world where the lemur family lives. Among them is one of the rarest mammals on earth - silky sifaka(Propithecus candidus), a lemur called the "angel of the forest" because of its white fur.

photo Silky Sifaka

A very interesting lemur that is difficult to spot because it is nocturnal. ah-ah(Daubentoniamadagascariensis). It lives in tropical forests and feeds on insect larvae that it finds under the bark of trees. Today, this lemur is threatened by habitat loss (rainforest destruction) and hunting. In some areas, locals believe that the aye-aye brings bad luck and kill the animal whenever they encounter it.

photo Ai-Ai

Indri(Indriindri) is the largest lemur on the island. It primarily feeds on fruits and leaves in the rainforests of eastern Madagascar. Indri is famous for its eerie singing, which sounds a bit like the sounds of a humpback whale. Today, the Indri is endangered due to habitat loss.

photo Indri

The largest representative of the viverridae family in the world and the largest predator of Madagascar - fossa(Cryptoproctaferox). Outwardly it resembles a small puma, but it is not related. The length of the body with tail reaches 1.5 m, weight - 12 kg. Stays lonely. The female gives birth to 2-4 blind cubs. They are fed milk for five months, and the size of adult animals reaches only up to 3-4 years. Fossa is an excellent tree climber, helped in this by her powerful claws and tail. Can live in rocks and bushes.

photo by Fossa

Madagascar's wildlife is home to about half the world's chameleon species (about 150 species). They are small, medium-sized reptiles that are famous for their ability to change color dramatically. One of the smallest chameleons and a tiny lizard - Brookesia minor(Brookesiaminima) feeds on insects and lives along the lower part of the rainforest, or dry deciduous forest, in much of Madagascar. To avoid predators, this chameleon will use its hair and can also pretend to be dead.

photo M scarlet brookesia

There are also many snakes on the island that you will not see anywhere else in the world, but it is unlikely that any of them has such an amazing appearance as leaf-nosed Madagascar grass snake(Langaha madagascariensis). Deciduous snakes, unlike many others, have pronounced signs of sexual dimorphism. This one prefers to ambush tree lizards, birds, frogs and rodents.

photo Leaf-nosed Madagascar grass snake

Reptiles are represented extremely widely. One of the large forms lives in Madagascar Nile crocodile(Crocodylus niloticus). This species was once widespread in fresh water bodies, but after many years of hunting for its skin, the Nile crocodile became a rare animal. There are also many turtles on the island, for example spider(Pyxisarachnoides), only 10 cm long, or very rare Madagascar beaked tortoise(Asterochelysyniphora). For which exotic lovers are illegally willing to pay up to $200,000. There are no real lizards, monitor lizards and agamas in Madagascar, only iguanas And geckos.

photo Spider turtle

(Phelsuma madagascariensis madagascariensis), unlike most geckos, which are nocturnal, is a diurnal lizard. In addition to Madagascar, it is also found on nearby islands, including the Comoros, Andaman and Seychelles. This gecko feeds mainly on insects, but sometimes eats fruits and flower nectar.

photo Madagascar day gecko

Differs in great variety. Unique species of unusually large size and varied colors are common on the island. Among them is the world's largest butterfly - comet(Argemamittrei). The volume of its bright wings can reach 20 cm, and its tail can grow up to 15 cm in length. This butterfly does not feed, but lives off the nutrients accumulated in the caterpillar stage. The lifespan of a comet is only 4-5 days.

photo Butterfly comet

The fauna of Madagascar has a relatively small species diversity of birds - 258, but 115 of them are endemic. There are many unique specimens on the island. The island is home to three species of rails (Mesitornithidae). All of them are endemic. The birds are about 30 cm long, have short wings and a thick tail. They prefer to live in pairs or small flocks. They feed on seeds and insects. All three species build platform nests low in bushes.

photo Cowgirl

About 20 species of fish live in rivers and freshwater reservoirs. The warm waters of the Indian Ocean surrounding Madagascar are rich in various species of commercial fish.

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In 1500, thanks to pure chance, the island of Madagascar was discovered. The team of the Portuguese navigator Diogo Dias was caught in a storm, which forced them to land on the only land nearby. This is how an island with extraordinary nature and rich fauna was discovered.

Unique island

Madagascar is located off the coast of East Africa, from which it separated more than 160 million years ago. Its unique landscape, which includes mountains, lakes, desert areas, and jungles, has contributed to the conservation of a huge number of animal species. There are more than 250 thousand of them on the island, and most of them are endemic, that is, they are not found in other areas of the globe. The fauna of Madagascar is unique. It is mainly represented by small animals and reptiles.

Many species of island fauna are now on the verge of extinction. People extract minerals, cut down the jungle, causing animals to suffer.

Recently, the number of reserves and specially protected areas has increased, where all conditions are created for the free existence of unique fauna. Scientists work to track different animal populations and fight for their prosperity.

Madagascar - the kingdom of lemurs

The largest part of the island fauna consists of such animals of Madagascar as lemurs. The indigenous people treat them with special respect, because they believe that the souls of the dead move into the body of prosimians. More than 20 species of these animals live on the island.

Lemurs are kept in families in which the female is dominant. These cute creatures are similar in appearance to their monkey ancestors, but have shorter limbs and a pointed muzzle. Nature has improved their appearance by adding large eyes. This mechanism allows for excellent orientation when obtaining food. The animals eat mainly insects and vegetation. They are very friendly, brave and curious.

Types of lemurs

The kata lemurs have the most striking appearance. They are distinguished by a white muzzle with dark “glasses” and a long striped tail. In size, representatives of this species are barely larger than a domestic cat. Thanks to the almost complete absence of predators, Madagascar animals such as kata are most widespread.

The smallest primate, the mouse lemur, lives in Madagascar. The body length of the baby is about 9 cm, with a tail - 27 cm. This species was discovered in 2000.

Another interesting representative is the little arm. Another name for the animal is aye-aye. It lives in trees and obtains its food using extremely long and tenacious fingers. The animal taps the trunks for larvae, using echolocation. His appearance is not particularly attractive: shaggy fur that sticks out in all directions, yellow, widely spaced eyes and large semicircular ears.

The largest lemur is the indri. Its weight reaches 10 kg, and its height is 90 cm. Despite its large dimensions, the animal deftly climbs trees. Each family has a strict habitat, which it protects by making loud noises.

Swamp Tenrec

The most elusive animals of Madagascar, strangely adapted to life in bodies of water. The limbs of the tenrec are equipped with membranes and a large amount of muscle tissue. The animal deftly runs through shallow water, catching tadpoles and fish. For hunting, it uses vibrissae - sensitive antennae that, like a locator, pick up vibrations in water. The appearance of the tenrec is also interesting: its size is about 15 cm, and a mixture of wool and needles covers the entire body. In appearance the animal looks like a small hedgehog, but in fact it belongs to the shrews.

Rare birds

The island is also rich in birds - about 150 species live there, a third of which are endemic. The most common class of birds in Madagascar is the red-headed pochard. Lack of food and drying up of water bodies due to human activity have put this species of duck at risk of extinction. These birds were thought to have disappeared forever, but in 2006 a small population of 20 individuals was discovered. Over 8 years of successful and painstaking work of zoologists, it was possible to increase it 4 times. The duck is very beautiful, it has a red-brown body, a gray beak and a white belly.

A true unique species is the blue cuckoo. The bird has an incredibly attractive appearance with deep blue plumage. Unlike her relatives, she hatches her offspring on her own. Due to its remarkable appearance, this endemic is under threat of complete extermination by poachers.

Fossa

Who would have thought that the largest island predator reaches only 1.5 m in length, half of which is occupied by a long tail. Strong, muscular animals have reddish-brown fur. Outwardly, these animals of Madagascar are similar to a cat and a marten, but belong to the civet family. The fossa's tail, coupled with its retractable claws, allows it to deftly climb steep cliffs and trees in search of prey. The population of these predators is very small and is on the verge of extinction.

Amphibians

The island of Madagascar abounds with a huge number of amphibian species, the main ones being frogs, lizards and chameleons.

They are considered rare and endangered species. Thanks to their incredible appearance, they easily avoid prying eyes. The amphibian reaches a length of 13 cm and has a tail that is barely distinguishable from a dried leaf. The amphibian's body is covered with skin reminiscent of tree bark.

Panther chameleons are distinguished by their bright colors, which easily change due to the special structure of the body cells. They use their skill for camouflage and communication. This species is notable for its ability to simultaneously observe different hunting objects with both eyes. Before releasing its sticky tongue, the chameleon focuses on the target.

The tropical rainforests of the island are home to many frogs. The most notable are the tomato narrowmouths. Females of this species have the rich color of a ripe tomato and black stripes on the sides of the body. When danger arises, their skin secretes an irritating secretion.

The vast territory of Madagascar has not yet been fully explored. Every year new species of animals are discovered. Scientists are achieving good results in increasing the population of endangered endemics of the island.

As a big animal lover in every new country, in every new city I try to visit the local zoo without fail.

I can note that there is always no crowd around the enclosures with lemurs, these cute, funny animals are so popular among children (and adults also watch them with great interest).

Lemurs are perhaps the most exotic of the primates, the largest group of prosimians. Interest in them is explained by their external attractiveness: unusual, very bright and motley fur, cute fox faces and an unusually long and thick tail in comparison with the body.

The eyes of lemurs are located on the sides of the muzzle, and not facing forward, like in monkeys and humans, so lemurs usually look at objects with one or the other eye, and monkeys, like people, look with both eyes at the same time. Due to this, the vision of monkeys and people is clearer, more distinct, they can better determine the distance between objects, which is very important when jumping from branch to branch.

The size of lemurs, including a long fluffy tail, is approximately 10 to 50 centimeters, and their weight is from 50 grams to 2 kilograms. That is, the smallest lemurs can easily fit in the palm of a person.

On the head, in addition to well-developed bare ears, two large eyes stand out. The body is covered with thick soft brown fur.

The paws of lemurs are designed for grasping and climbing trees, pay attention in the photographs - the paws look like a palm with several suction cups. And on the second finger they have a special long claw, which monkeys use to comb their fur.

Surely, there is no person (especially a mother with a small child) who did not admire the little funny lemurs in the cartoon “Madagascar”!

In fact, in the wild, lemurs live only in Madagascar (which is also called Lemuria) and the Comoros Islands off the east coast of Africa, and Madagascar is not their homeland.

These islands were formed several million years ago, breaking away from the African mainland. The separated part of the land took with it the animals that lived on it, which began to develop in isolation from the rest of the world. This is how the unique island fauna of Madagascar (the fourth largest island in the world) was formed.

Only here and on the nearby Comoros Islands do lemurs live - the ancestors of modern monkeys. Lemurs once lived in Africa, but now they have disappeared from this continent. Unfortunately, deforestation and plowing have deprived these rare animals of their natural habitat.

Lemurs could cross here on logs or on rafts of floating vegetation, clinging to branches washed by the waves with all four paws.

During periods of lowering sea levels, narrow strips of land probably appeared, connecting the island with the mainland. It is impossible to say for sure whether the migration of lemurs to the island was one-time or multiple.

The smallest lemurs are so reminiscent of small African galagos that it can be assumed that they had common ancestors in the recent past, or perhaps both of these groups remained in the niche of the most ancient primates.

Currently, lemurs are endangered animals... the reason for this is people who have reached Madagascar. Additionally, about half of the lemurs born each year die.

Therefore, poachers who take lemurs from their habitats bring great evil and call into question the continued existence of lemurs on the planet.

Lemurs are related to monkeys, monkeys and humans.

There are 28 species of lemurs. Prosimians, unlike true monkeys, did not go very far from their insect-eating ancestors. Therefore, they retained many of the primitive traits of their relatives.

The word “lemur” means “ghost”, “ghost”, “spirit of the deceased”. And in fact, when you see their blurry silhouettes flashing in the night forest of Madagascar, and the darkness is filled with lingering, mournful cries, it seems that you have found yourself in the other world.

And the appearance of some nocturnal inhabitants of the forest causes superstitious horror. Huge, saucer-like eyes, looking either with fear or with pity, and fingers - long, thin, with terrifying-looking claws.

Lemurs have elongated muzzles, similar to those of a fox or dog, with special sensitive hairs - vibrissae. All lemurs are distinguished by close-set large eyes and a long, fluffy, flexible tail, with which they cling to branches as they move through the trees.

The brain of lemurs is not very large; there are very few convolutions on it.

Depending on the species, lemurs are more active at night, during the day, or at dusk. They move quickly and freely both on the ground, leaning on their front paws, and along tree branches, gracefully flying from branch to branch, clinging to them with their tail.

Lemurs feed mainly on plant foods - plant shoots, leaves, fruits, flowers. A special delicacy for them is the eggs of birds and other small animals, which they obtain by destroying nests. The lower front teeth of lemurs form a so-called dental ridge, which helps them chew food.

Lemurs live in packs, which can include up to 20 individuals. There are no leaders in packs; they consist of an arbitrary number of males, females and cubs.

The baby lemur is born helpless, blind and deaf, and clings to its mother's fur on its belly for almost three weeks. Having become a little stronger, the cubs move onto their mother’s back. In this position, the little lemurs move around while the mother collects food and feeds them. But from the age of six months, lemurs begin to take care of themselves, and from the age of one and a half years they can have their own offspring.

One of the most famous and beautiful species is the ring-tailed lemur catta. It lives in the dry, hilly areas of southern Madagascar. Its characteristic feature is a striped black and white tail, reminiscent of a traffic controller's baton. It has 28 rings!

Cattas live in the forest and, although they climb trees well, they spend most of their time on the ground. These lemurs live in groups of 5 to 20 individuals and are diurnal. The leading position in such groups is occupied by female cats. Males sometimes move from one group to another, but females always stay together.

Ring-tailed lemurs feed on various fruits, leaves, flowers, and drink tree sap.

An angry lemur rubs its tail with carpal musk glands and thrashes it on the back, showering its opponent with waves of its scent. They use the smell of this secret to scare away rivals.

The catta lemur, like most other lemurs, has a toilet claw on the second finger, which is convenient for combing out fleas and tidying the fur. The remaining fingers of prosimians no longer have claws, like other animals, but also not real nails, like those of higher primates, but claw-shaped nails.

The suborder of lower primates in Madagascar is represented not only by the lemur family, but also by dwarf lemurs and bats.

Dwarf lemurs include fat-tailed lemurs and mouse lemurs. The body length of the fat-tailed lemur does not exceed 25 cm and is equal to the length of the tail. The fat-tailed lemur spends the day on the tops of tall trees or in hollows, where it builds spherical nests.

The mouse lemur family consists of three genera. A special feature of mouse lemurs is the unique structure of their feet, which allows them to make large and high jumps. This helps them get food and hide from enemies, which in natural conditions are hawks. There are very few representatives of this subfamily left, all of them are listed in the International Red Book.

Mouse lemurs are small animals, the size of a child's fist, that live in trees and are nocturnal. They feed on fruits, leaves, insects, small birds and possibly honey. During drought, these lemurs can hibernate. The source of energy during hibernation is fat, which lemurs accumulate in their tail. The mouse lemur rarely builds nests, preferring to live in unfurnished hollows.

The smallest lemur is the mouse microcebus. Its length is only 13 centimeters, but its tail-rudder is much longer than its body and catching up with such a “mouse” is not very easy! The baby weighs only 60 grams, and the microcebus baby is simply weightless - 3-5 grams!

The gentle lemur is an animal slightly larger than a cat that lives in small groups, often in bamboo thickets. Despite laws protecting these rapidly endangered primates, local residents capture them for sale or even just for food.

The dwarf lemur is the smallest of the primates, no larger than a mouse! During the day it sleeps curled up in the nest, and at night it feeds mainly on insects, as well as nectar and fruits.

Hairy indri (avagis) This nocturnal furry animal with large eyes sleeps during the day, curled up on the fork of a branch or hugging a tree trunk and pressing its whole body against it.

The short-tailed indri is one of the large prosimians and lives in the humid mountain forests in the northeast of the island. They often “sing” in chorus: the result is long, melodic sobs. Local residents revere these animals, calling them “babakoto”, which means “progenitor”.

The vari lemur is the largest lemur. He is the only real lemur that builds nests in which the female gives birth to cubs, having previously plucked the hair on her sides and covered the nest with it.

The sifaka lemur flies in jumps of up to 10 meters. He jumps through the trees, pushing off from the branches only with his hind legs, his arms straighten out like a spring, and his “arms” are thrown forward.

The sifaka lemur has a fold of elongated skin stretching from the palms to the armpits, which helps it glide. But the sifaka pays for its ability to fly spectacularly with its inability to run on all fours. So you have to move on the ground in jumps, the length of which, however, can reach 4 meters!

Typically these animals live in families of about 12 individuals. They can easily find food for themselves - fruits or leaves - and spend most of their time sleeping on the upper branches of trees.

Indri is one of the largest of the lemurs, it can reach 75 cm in length.

The main enemy of lemurs is the fossa - the largest predator in Madagascar, a relative of civets and genets. Unlike spotted civets, the fossa has a uniform brownish color.

And in conclusion, I would like to say that recently many pet lovers have become very active in buying lemurs, because they are not only very exotic, unusual and cute animals, but also extremely friendly!

But... this is a topic for another conversation!

Indri monkeys are relatives of lemurs. Another name for this species of primate is babakoto. Funny name, isn't it?

In the local language, the name “indri” means “here he is.” May be. This monkey looks so amazing that when people noticed it, they tried to show it to each other?

These monkeys are the largest among the representatives of the infraorder of lemurs living in Madagascar. Indris belong to the order of primates, the Indriidae family. Let's try to find out more about these lemurs.

Appearance of babakoto

Indri monkeys can weigh up to 9.5 kilograms. The body length of the animal is from 64 to 90 centimeters. This is not so little for a monkey.

The indri has a short tail. The limbs are different: the hind limbs are much longer than the front ones. Depending on the area of ​​residence, coat color may vary. But the main colors are gray, white and black. Often, a light triangle stands out on the back of a babakoto. The fur on the head and back is black. There is no fur on the face at all.

Indri habitats

Babacoto live on the island of Madagascar. They are mainly found in the northeastern region.

Indri lifestyle and nutrition

These lemurs prefer rain forests. There they can live up to an altitude of 1800 meters above sea level. But the Indris love the lowlands more.

The main part of the babakoto's life is spent in trees. These animals have almost no need to descend to the ground. And why would they do this? After all, trees have everything they need to live.

Babacoto move spasmodically, both on the ground and along branches, for this nature provided them with long hind limbs.

Indris are more active during daylight hours. At night, they can leave their roost only if the weather in the forest is bad, or if they are being pursued by a predator. During the day, indris bask under the warm Madagascar sun, lounging on a tree branch.

The social structure is such that these monkeys form small groups to live together. In such a community there are no more than five individuals. As a rule, the members of the group are a female with a male and their babies. In this family, the female is considered the main one, and the male is assigned a secondary role.

Another distinctive feature of the Babakoto monkey is its loud singing. She loves to sing her songs throughout the forest, especially in the morning. Sometimes such “concerts” are heard in the forest a couple of kilometers from the place where the “singer” is located.

Babacoto's diet consists of plant foods. These primates feast on ripe fruits, leaves, and flower petals. Sometimes, to prevent poisoning from poisonous leaves, indris swallow a handful of earth, which absorbs all the toxins in the body.

Reproduction

The pregnancy of a female babakoto lasts about five months. After which one baby is born. For the first six months, the baby eats only mother's milk. After weaning and living for a couple more months, the young indri becomes independent. Puberty in young animals occurs at seven to nine years of age.

Among the features of the Babakoto relationship, researchers note exceptional fidelity to each other in a couple.

Separated from Africa approximately 160 million years ago, and then from India (about 65-70 million years ago), Madagascar is known as a habitat for rare animals. Thanks to the unique conditions in Madagascar, species that are extinct in all other parts of the world live and develop.

In 1500, the Portuguese navigator Diego Dias and his flotilla were heading to India, but as a result of a storm they lost their course. This is how a unique tropical island in the Indian Ocean was discovered. The island of Madagascar is truly exotic, wild nature with the ocean, mountains, and jungle. On the island you can see unique geysers, many waterfalls, beautiful lakes formed in the craters of extinct volcanoes.

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The nature of the island of Madagascar is unique. Only here is the kingdom of lemurs, which has several dozen species. Lemurs are a symbol of the island and a national treasure. The ancestors of monkeys - lemurs - are trusting, shy and peaceful. As a result of their nocturnal lifestyle, their eyes became very large. Lemur sizes range from the mouse lemur to the giant megalodapis, which reaches the size of a gorilla.

The most popular representative of lemurs is the kata ring-tailed lemur. They have a striped black and white tail and are about the size of a house cat. Kata live in packs in which females dominate. It is an indisputable fact that matriarchy in Madagascar extends to the inhabitants of the island.

The indigenous people of Madagascar believe in mysticism. They believe that the souls of dead people become lemurs. That is why lemurs are treated with reverence and care - it is believed that by killing a lemur, you can destroy the personification of your relatives. According to the customs of the local population, each tree and lake has its own name, meaning, meaning and strength. Near sacred places - and this could be any body of water, tree or clearing - very strict rules apply: do not eat pork and do not appear to women in trousers.

Up to 80% of the fauna is unique; many species of animals are not found anywhere else on the planet. These include the largest butterflies in the world, various chameleons and green monkeys.

The rainiest part of the island of lemurs is the eastern part, which is overgrown with dense tropical forests and filled with millions of beautiful insects and birds. The most beautiful butterfly, the Madagascar urania, lives here. Its wingspan is more than 10 centimeters; you can admire it at any time of the year. Unfortunately, as a result of deforestation to heat the population, many animals lose their home and are threatened with destruction.

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In Madagascar, more than 615 new species of wild animals were recorded by the World Wildlife Fund between 1999 and 2010. However, many of these species are in danger of extinction due to deforestation, the capture of rare animals for subsequent sale, and other factors. These animals include the mouse lemur, which was discovered on the island in 2000. These lemurs are no more than 27 cm long from head to tail tip, and they are considered the smallest primates.

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A species of unusual colored chameleon, Furcifer timoni, was discovered in remote forests in northern Madagascar in 2009. Both male and female individuals acquired unusual colors during the mutation process. Scientists say the discovery of this distinctly new species is surprising as these areas have been carefully and regularly surveyed for the presence of reptiles for many years.

The frog Boophis bottae is one of 69 species of amphibians discovered in Madagascar over the past 11 years. The diversity of amphibians on the island is amazing. Recently, the number of amphibians in the wild has decreased significantly, and disturbance of their habitat could harm many more animals than previously thought.

In 1992, only two species of mouse lemurs were known. Since then, the number has increased to fifteen, including Berthe’s mouse, which is captured in the photo. Great diversity can be observed even within a single species. Scientists examined 70 individuals of these mammals with different coat colors and found that they were all representatives of the same species, simply living in different parts of the island.

A female chameleon of the Furcifer timoni species shows us its bright, rich color. Eleven new chameleon species have been discovered in Madagascar since 1999.

This species of chameleon, known as Calumma tarzan, was discovered in 2010 in central and eastern Madagascar. It was named in honor of the village, which is located near the habitat of this chameleon, as well as in honor of the notorious Tarzan, the hero of the novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs. "We named this species 'Tarzan' with the hope that this well-known name would bring the public's attention to a truly endangered species and its range."

The frog species Gephyromantis tschenki was first discovered in 2001. It can be seen in natural reserves and the National Park of Madagascar.

It is clear why this species hid from the watchful eye of scientists for so long. The gecko, whose skin resembles tree bark and whose tail resembles a dry leaf, was discovered by scientists in 2003 in the eastern rainforests of Madagascar. He likes to climb trees with thick branches covered with bark and cling to broad-leaved plants. Thanks to its excellent natural camouflage, it remains virtually unnoticed.

18. Chameleon Furcifer timoni

The spotted Madagascar rainbowfish, known as Bedotia marojejy, was first discovered in the island's rivers in 2000. WWF scientists discovered 17 new fish species on the island between 1999 and 2010.

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Nick Garbutt, 46, from Cumbria, has made 25 trips deep into the forests of Madagascar. He has visited the island every year since 1991. Over two decades, Nick has created an extraordinary collection of photographic photographs of unusual and colorful species of the island.

20. Nick Garbutt with an orphaned ring-tailed lemur near Tsimanampetsotsa National Park in November 2009.

21. An adult female fossa (Crytoprocta ferox) hunts prey in the forest in Kirindy Park in western Madagascar.

22. A male comet moth (Argema mittrei) dries its wings in the forest in Mantadia National Park.

23. Male spear-nosed chameleon (Calumma Gallus) in the lowland rainforest near Mantadia, eastern Madagascar.

“When I first visited Madagascar, there were only two national parks,” says Nick. “The number has now grown to 20, and they serve as a refuge for animals, where cutting trees is illegal, but in practice this does not always work.”

24. An adult black-and-white ruffed lemur (Varecia Variegata) hangs on a branch in Andasibe-Mantadia National Park, eastern Madagascar.

25. An adult male fossa wanders through a deciduous forest, western Madagascar.

26. During his fascinating travels, Nick also photographed a strange aye-aye. Having a long middle finger, it is able to rummage in the bark of a tree like a “fish” in water, looking for larvae and cutworms there.

27. Ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) bask in the sun at dawn, Berenty Private Reserve, southern Madagascar.

28. Dwarf stump-tailed chameleon (Brookesia peyrierasi) on a finger in the Nosy Mangabe nature reserve, northeast Madagascar.

29. Male giraffe-necked weevil (Trachelophorus Giraffa) in the Vohiparara rainforest, Ranomafana National Park.

30. A leaf-tailed gecko (Uroplatus fimbriatus) climbs a tree trunk in Nosy Mangabe Park, northeast Madagascar.

31. Painted mantella frog (Mantella madagascariensis) in Mantadia National Park, eastern Madagascar.

32. A male panther chameleon (Furcifer pardalis) searches for prey in the vegetation on the beach of the peninsula in Masoala National Park, northeastern Madagascar.

33. Amazing bird Helmet Vanga (Euryceros prevostii) near its nest in N.P. Masoala, in northeast Madagascar.

34. Male x Parson's ameleon (Calumma parsonii) in the rainforest, Masoala National Park.

35. A white-lipped tree frog (Boophis albilabris) sits in the rainforest of Ranomafana National Park, southeast Madagascar.

Although the number of national parks on the island is growing, environmentalists fear that this is not enough to save many of the animals.