Sunday, November 25, 2012

Endemic Animals

Black lemurs (Nosy Komba)
Black Lemur


Aye-Aye

Cheirogaleus major lemur(Andasibe)
Dwarf Lemur

Indri Lemur
White-footed lepilemur (Lepilemur leucopus)(Berenty)
White Footed Lepilemur
Comet moth(Andasibe)
COMET MOTH
Images: http://www.wildmadagascar.org/wildlife













































































Endemic Plants of Madagascar

http://www.mobot.org/MOBOT/Madagasc/Image/689_070l.JPG
Ebenaceae
http://www.mobot.org/MOBOT/Madagasc/Image/638_025l.JPG

Ebenaceae







Angreacum germinyanum (unknown)
Orchid Flower
Baobab Tree 

 http://www.mobot.org/MOBOT/Madagasc/Image/1214067l.JPG



http://www.mobot.org/mobot/madagasc/

The Undisturbed Beauty of Madagascar












http://travel.mongabay.com/madagascar/

The Ugly Truth


[http://swotti.starmedia.com/movies/madagascar_16229.htm]

Don't we all wish Madagascar looked like it did in the Disney film Madagascar?  The sad truth is that most of Madagascar is under threat. Due to years of clear-cutting, slash and burn, logging, and deforestation the state of the forest is declining. Home to many endemic animals, this extremely diverse island needs help from locals, tourists, the world.


Wood workers
In this image we see wood workers carrying wood from a recently cut tree in the Madagascar Rainforest.
http://www.kuederle.com/Madagascar/Pictures/?setid=9







Soil Erosion

Aerial view of the Manambolo River(Manambolo)

The Manambolo River


This picture demonstrates an effect of clear cutting. This is part of the so-called "bleeding" river. This picture also shows the cleared land in the Madagascar rain forest. The color of this river is caused by soil erosion. Soil erosion occurs a lot in Madagascar because of mass deforestation in Madagascar's central high lands.

The picture above is an aerial image from 1983.

http://www.wildmadagascar.org/conservation/erosion.html 

This picture shows the aerial view of 1983, 21 years later in 2004. 

It is evident that soil erosion and deforestation has only grown within the last two decades. This is part of the evidence showing that the Madagascar Rainforest is not in good condition and will only become worse as the years progress.

 

"Erosion in Madagascar." Www.wildmadagascar.org. Wild Madagascar, n.d. Web. 16 Nov. 2012. <http://www.wildmadagascar.org/conservation/erosion.html>.

 

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Lemurs


http://www.ncmls.org/exhibits/explore-the-wild/lemurs



[http://www.boston.com/ae/tv/articles/2009/03/28/penguins_marches_to_its_own_beat/]

Madagascar's most famous inhabitant is the lemur. They are famous because the lemur can only be found in Madagascar. Lemurs also are, "most primitive groups of primates which have evolved into around 30 species"("Madagascar's Lemurs" 3). Due to the isolation of the island, lemurs were able to evolve over the course of millions of years. Lemurs also did not have predators to harm them. Competition is also not a factor because lemurs are herbivores. Some of them are nocturnal and most of them live on the rainforest trees. Lemurs also, "use their voices, smells, and legs for communication" ("Lemurs" 1). Lemurs are likely to suffer the most due to forest destruction as well as became a source of food for civilians, this is why so many are endangered and becoming extinct.

 "Madagascar's Lemurs." Earth Watch Institute, n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2012. <http://www.earthwatch.org/europe/downloads/Get_Invo:www.earthwatch.org/europe/downloads/Get_Involved/Lemurs_casestudy.pdf>.

 "Lemurs." Bushhouse-madagascar.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2012. <http://www.bushhouse-madagascar.com/fauna-flora/lemurs>.




Friday, November 23, 2012

Data!

http://tywkiwdbi.blogspot.com/2008/12/clear-cut-forest-in-madagascar.html'

 Above is an image of a clear cut forest in the island of Madagascar.

This graph shows how in recent years some countries have decreased the amount of deforestation that occurs, while in countries, such as Madagascar, deforestation has increased by 36% within the last decade.

This chart shows the total amount of forest remaining from 1950-1985. As evident here, it has decreased. Additionally, in relation to the graph above, it is evident that forest remaining kept decreasing.
http://download.springer.com/static/pdf/902/art%253A10.1007%252FBF02168856.pdf?auth66=1354043817_acea0c91558c07ac0d1974d8f7781eca&ext=.pdf