Madagascar

Impressive flora and fauna

While Madagascar is probably most known for its lemurs and chameleons the island’s estimated 12,000 plant species are just as extraordinary! 80% of the plant species are endemic, ie; found naturally nowhere else on earth. While the greatest threat is the range of unsustainable natural resource management practices, there are many obstacles, both in lack of botanical awareness and in the island’s protected area systems which still hinder further conservation. By visiting the island, a first hand knowledge of the awareness of these problems of sustainability will be gained and hopefully lead towards a greater understanding of the worlds’ need to help the inhabitants protect these unique and valuable resources.

FLORA

Baobab (A Dansonia) 6 x species
Alluaudia (Didiereaceae) component of the Spiny Forest
Madagascar Periwinkle (Catharanthus Roseus)
Madagascar Dragon Tree (Dracaena Marginata)
Triangle Palm (Dypsis Decaryi)
Crown of Thorns (Euphorbia Millii)
Bottle Tree (Moringa Drouhardii)
Carnivorous Pitcher Plant (Nepenthes Madagascariensis)
Pachypodium (20 x species)
Royal Poinciana (Poinciana Regia)
Travellers Palm (Ravenala Madagascariensis)

MAMMALS

Ringtailed Lemur* (Lemur catta)
Brown Lemur* (Eulemur fulvus)
White Sifaka* (Propithecus verreauxi verreauxi)
Lepilemur* (Lepilemur Ieucopus)
Mouse Lemur* (Microcebus munnus)
Flying fox (Pteropus rufus)

BIRDS

Little egret (black form) (Egretta garzetta dimorpha)
Night heron (Nycticorax nyatcorax)
Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea Madagascariensis)
White-faced whistling duck (Dendrocygna viduata)
Madagascar turtle dove* (Streptopefia picturata)
Helmeted guinea-fowl (Numida mitrata)
Yellow-billed kite (Milvus migrans)
Madagascar harrier hawk* (Polyboroides radiatus)
Madagascar buzzard* (Buteo brachypterus)
Madagascar Scops owl* (Otus rutilus)
Madagascar coucal* (Centropus toulou)
Crested coua* (Coua gigas)
Madagascar crested drongo* (Dicrurus forticatus)
Madagascar paradise flycatcher* (Terpsiphone mutata)
Madagascar bulbul* (Hypsipetes madagascariensis)
Madagascar cuckoo shrike* (Coracina cinerea)
Grey-headed love bird (Agapomis cana)
Madagascar white eye* (Zosterops maderaspatana)

REPTILES

Oustalet’s chameleon* (Chameleo oustaleti)
Chameleo vericocus* (Chamaeleo vericocus)
Chameleo lateralis* Chameleo lateralis)
Three-eyed lizard* (Chalarodon madagascariensis)
Spiny-tailed iguana* (Opluros curvien)
Land boa* (Acrantophis madagascariensis)
Tree boa* (Sanzinia madagascariensis)