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Animals of Madagascar

Madagascar’s animals include many species that occur naturally nowhere else. Lemurs, fossas and tenrecs are examples of wildlife that diversified in isolation, in rainforests, dry forests and other island habitats.

A species naturally restricted to a particular region is called endemic. In Madagascar, examples range from primates moving through branches to small mammals searching for food in leaf litter.

Which animals live in Madagascar?

  • Lemurs are primates with varied appearances and behaviour. Ring-tailed lemurs spend considerable time on the ground, while other species spend most of their time in trees.
  • The aye-aye is also a lemur. It is active at night and uses its slender middle finger to extract larvae from wood; it also eats seeds and other plant foods.
  • The fossa is a carnivorous mammal in the family Eupleridae. It travels both on the ground and in trees, hunting various animals, including lemurs.
  • The indri is a day-active lemur known for its loud calls. It lives in the island’s eastern rainforests and mainly eats leaves.
  • The lowland streaked tenrec has yellow-and-black stripes and spines among its hairs. It mainly searches for earthworms and can make sounds by rubbing specialised spines on its back together.

Habitats of Madagascar’s animals

The east of the island is wetter, while the west and south are drier. These differences influence vegetation, available food and the animals that can live in each region. Each species has its own range.

The indri is tied to eastern forests, while the aye-aye can also use deciduous forests. The lowland streaked tenrec occurs in rainforests and some modified habitats, such as the edges of cultivated land.

Food, behaviour and wildlife protection

Diets vary widely: leaves for the indri, larvae and seeds for the aye-aye, earthworms for the lowland streaked tenrec, and animal prey for the fossa. These adaptations allow them to use different resources on the ground and in trees.

Forest loss and fragmentation threaten many of Madagascar’s animals. When forests are broken into isolated patches, travelling and finding mates may become harder. Protecting habitats and the connections between them helps conserve this distinctive wildlife.

Frequently asked questions

  • Which animals live in Madagascar? Lemurs, aye-ayes, indris, fossas and lowland streaked tenrecs are examples of the island’s wildlife. Aye-ayes and indris are lemur species.
  • What does endemic to Madagascar mean? It means that a species occurs naturally only in Madagascar.
  • Do all Madagascar’s animals live in tropical rainforest? No. The island has rainforests, dry forests and other habitats. Distribution and needs vary from species to species.