madagascar/elizabeth10=D

Madagascar dry deciduous forests (AT0202)
Kirindy, MadagascarPhotograph by David Olson

Southern Africa: Northwestern Madagascar Tropical and Subtropical Dry Broadleaf Forests

58,400 square miles (151,300 square kilometers) -- about the size of Georgia Critical/Endangered


· A Forest Mosaic · Special Features· Did You Know?· Wild Side· Cause for ConcernMore Photos
A Forest Mosaic
Grasslands, forests, wetlands, lakes, and cragged limestone formations form a rich mosaic of habitats in this ecoregion, which houses many endangered and endemic species. Patches of primary dry deciduous forests alternate with secondary forests and relatively sterile secondary grasslands--the result of frequent fires in the region, largely set by humans to clear the land for agriculture. The Manambolomaty lake complex and surrounding forest provides critical habitat for a rare species of spur tortoise as well as for many species of fish and birds. Dotting the landscape are bottle-shaped baobab trees, whose bulging trunks hold stores of water for the dry season.

Special Features:

This ecoregion boasts several outcroppings of fantastically eroded spires called karsts--or "tsingy" in the local dialect. Razor-sharp limestone pinnacles jut upwards as high as 100 feet (30 m) above the landscape, creating a labyrinth of other-worldly rock formations.

The fat-tailed dwarf lemur hibernates up to nine months a year, using the nutrients stored in its thick tail to survive.
Wild Side
Lemurs--tree-hopping, furry primates--are strictly endemic to Madagascar, and several of the 32 species that still exist make their home in this ecoregion. These include the red-tailed sportive lemur and the pale fork-marked lemur. The brown lemur, in particular, plays an important role in the health of this region’s forests by dispersing seeds. One of the most endangered species in the world, the northern Madagascar spur tortoise, lives in the scrubland and bamboo forests here, foraging on leaves. Several endemic species of chameleons unfurl tongues up to twice as long as their bodies, snapping up insects to eat. Near the lakes and rivers of this ecoregion, birds such as the Madagascar fish eagle and Humblot’s heron search the waters for their prey.
Cause for Concern
Primary dry deciduous forests once covered this ecoregion. However, much of the area is now secondary grassland as a result of human-set fires. People have cleared a large portion of the land for cattle and agriculture, and the forests that remain are under significant pressure from logging. This deforestation has caused soil erosion, which has in turn threatened the river, wetland, and lake systems with siltation. Rice cultivation, overfishing, and invasive species are also destroying lake and wetland habitats.