Analameiana, Madagascar Photograph by WWF/ David M. Meyers   Eastern Madagascar Tropical and Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests   43,500 square miles (112,600 square kilometers) -- about the size of Louisiana Critical/Endangered

· Leaping Lemurs!
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
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Leaping Lemurs!

You'll see fantastic frogs, beautiful birds, and a whole lot of lemurs if you visit the Madagascar LowlandMoist Forests ecoregion. This ecoregion lies on the eastern edge of Madagascar, the fourth largest island in the world. Steady rainfall nourishes a rich diversity of plants, which in turn that provides food and shelter for all kinds of animals, many of them endangered and many of them endemic. In fact, new mammal species are still being discovered here. Sadly, though, the ecoregion is also one of the most threatened habitats in the world.

Special Features

The island of Madagascar lies off the eastern coast of Africa, but has been separated from the mainland for about 150 million years. For this reason, many endemic species have evolved. Temperatures vary little and rainfall is ample (about 120 inches [3,000 mm] a year) in the Madagascar Moist Forests ecoregion, giving it great growing conditions. If you were to hike up from sea level to about 4,000 feet (1,200 m), you'd pass through the three different zones of moist forest: lowland forest, middle elevation, and high elevation. Cyclones can occur between November and March, sometimes causing severe habitat destruction.

	Chameleons are known as masters of disguise, but contrary to popular belief, these lizards do not change colors to camouflage themselves. Rather, their skin colors change in response to light, temperature, and mood and are an important form of communication, especially during the mating season.

Wild Side

Visit the Masoala Peninsula and you'll find lots of unusual species, including the serpent eagle, Madagascar red owl, Malagasy tomato frog, and ruffed lemur. The serpent eagle and Madagascar red owl are considered to be some of the rarest birds in the world. Elsewhere in the ecoregion, you can find the golden bamboo lemur and greater bamboo lemur inhabiting areas of primary forest with bamboo. Overall, the ecoregion contains thirteen endemic mammal species and two endemic birds, as well as many endemic insects, reptiles, and amphibians. One rare sphinx moth has evolved a 12 inch (30 -cm) -long tongue that it uses to feed from and pollinate a rare orchid!

Cause for Concern

The major threat to this ecoregion is deforestation, a severe problem throughout Madagascar. In fact, humans have destroyed more than 90 percent of the island’s original forest cover. Farmers practice "slash and burn" agriculture here, cutting down and burning the forests to make room for crops such as manioc, which is used to make tapioca. Remaining forests are fragmented, and population pressures are increasing. It is estimated that only seven percent of the remaining forests is well protected.

For more information on this ecoregion, go to the World Wildlife Fund Scientific Report.