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Madagascar Wildlife comprises of diverse species of animals and birds. The forests of Madagascar are inhabited by numerous species of primates, frogs, butterflies, bats, chameleons and other reptiles. The interesting thing about the Madagascar fauna is that none of them are potential threats to human beings apart from the scorpions on the island.
Lemur
Of all the wildlife in Madagascar, the lemur is possibly the best known. These primates are found in Madagascar alone and perhaps in a handful of other places where there are no monkeys or apes. So far thirty species of lemurs have been classified in Madagascar. Some of them face the threat of extinction as their natural habitats are dwindling away. These mammals dwell in dense bushes and trees and survive mainly on fruits and leaves. A large number of species of lemurs are found across the islands, some of them being, golden bamboo lemur, Rufous mouse lemur, Indri indri, Aye aye and brown lemur.
Apart from the lemurs the Madagascar islands are also inhabited by other indigenous animals like the reddish fossa, the civet and tenrecs. The civets often come close to human settlements and are a threat to domestic animals. The tenrecs are mammals which feed on insect. They are found in Madagascar alone.
Madagascar wildlife also includes turtles and various species of reptiles and birds. There are four species of sea turtles out of which two are in grave danger of extinction. Steps are now been taken for the conservation of the radiated tortoise and the plowshare tortoise .Madagascar is also the home of two thirds of the world's chameleon population. There are also sixty species of snakes but none of them are poisonous. The boas, a kind of constrictor snake, are of particular interest to the bio-geographers.
The wildlife of Madagascar has attracted many biologists and wildlife photographers. Several documentaries have been made on the fauna of this place. .
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