Madagascar - Wildlife and Green Treasures of the Red Island

[Music] [Music] [Music] it's a windswept land a land as red as the ocean around it is blue here water air and rock are locked in battle in a maelstrom of matter form and color together they shape a territory of extraordinary beauty Madagascar's soil rich in iron oxides has earned its nickname the red island leached by tropical rains battered by powerful cyclones this tormented land contains few nutrients but Nature has nevertheless succeeded in creating a priceless treasure here an ecological sanctuary that's unique on the planet for vegetation it's a Garden of Eden for wildlife it's a Noah's Ark it's now been 150 million years since Madagascar broke off from Africa that's why its wildlife has been able to flourish and evolve peacefully sheltered from the great predators that later emerged on the continent the red island owes its exceptional diversity to its varied terrain and climate shielded by a mountain barrier running north to south the western region is relatively dry by contrast the eastern coast is very humid it is drenched by torrential rains from the clouds that are driven by trade winds up against the foothills of the Highlands this abundant rainfall has given birth to a luxuriant corridor of forests one of the best-preserved rainforests is in random ofin National Park at daybreak the night lemurs are getting ready to sleep for this couple room sportive lemurs it's time for grooming and inspecting the premises better make sure that everything is quiet before going off to bed but it's not easy to fall asleep when nature wakes there are so many distractions and surprises Milne Edwards sifakas is as agile as any monkey but the two species belong to very separate branches of the evolutionary tree the first lemurs arrived on the western coast of the red island some 60 million years ago they drifted there on plant debris carried by marine currents as Madagascar did not witness the emergence of big Wildcats lemurs were able to evolve far more peacefully than their cousins in Africa the Americas and Asia nevertheless evolution did not grant these sifakas arms long enough to scratch their backs unless it's Nature's Way of forcing them to create social bonds the young lemurs discovered the world in the trees firmly clutching their mothers underbelly this position requires them to hold on with their 20 fingers unfortunately infant mortality among the sifaka is very high more than half their young will die before reaching sexual maturity [Music] winter theoretically corresponds to the dry season yet Madagascar's Eastern forests are soaked in rain nearly every evening it's no fun for anyone but no doubt a fresh opportunity to strengthen social ties at night chameleons choose a branch that matches their color so they can sleep undetected the skin of these reptiles changes color far less than is commonly believed it's mainly by selecting the right place that chameleons blend into the background Madagascar is home to nearly half the world's 200 known species of chameleons including both the smallest and the largest a far livelier creature is the micro seedless this small Knight lemurs feeds on insects but also on fruits and nectar because its small size makes it so vulnerable it's always on the alert it can see that Knights in Madagascar are people with strange creatures each animal has its distinct metabolism while the fella Summa needs son the greater bamboo lemur feeds exclusively on this giant grass dependence on a single plant is naturally a problem for the survival of the species all the more so as this tiny mammal is classified as critically endangered fewer than 500 individuals are known to be alive surprisingly the quantity of bamboo that it ingests daily contains enough cyanide to kill any other animals its body has acquired immunity against this poison what more convincing proof like to see how it enjoys peeling the stems the bamboo heart is far more tender than juicy so the lemur needs a little time to husk it farther north lies the forests of Morrow Mesa every morning this newly protected area resonates with strange chants [Music] but these are birds voices singing such laments in fact this rousing chorus is orchestrated by the largest extant species of lemur the Indri [Music] as the cries of one group incite the others to join in the air is soon filled with a veritable cacophony that can be heard over one kilometer away over morning the Indri family groups use this method to mark their territories they position themselves in such a way as to spread out evenly across the forest this reduces problems of food competition [Music] weighing up to 8 kilograms this handsome green eyed lemur needs a wide variety of branches fruits and leaves to balance its diet it spends most of its day searching for the right food injury couples stay together for life tokens of affection are therefore essential to keep the flame burning [Music] the lack of a prehensile tail doesn't stop them from performing somersaults in the trees the injury sometimes swallows a bit of Earth to help its digestion by neutralizing the toxins in the plants it eats it doesn't know and couldn't even guess that on the other side of the globe in Peru parrots practice the same form of self-medication called geo Fiji for the same reasons calm has finally returned to the forest the diademed sifakas were roused at dawn by their noisy neighbors so they can't wait to take a short digestive nap diademed sifakas do not feed on the same plants as the injuries so the two species can't cohabit this territory as often among lemurs the females are socially dominant not enough however for the nets to leave them alone but since somebody's watching over their sleep the sifakas can doze off peacefully as we move into the western part of the island the altitude increases the climate grows drier and the vegetation thins out just a few dozen kilometers from the rainforests the vast highlands stretch to the horizon rain clouds are less common here and the landscapes are more austere as a result plants are stunted by the fierce dry winds only the granite cliffs driven up by the forces of the earth climb to the majestic height of over 2,000 meters [Music] at the foot of the cliffs the runoff water has enabled a small forest to develop this isolated Oasis is home to a few families of ring-tailed lemurs with its ringed tail pointed snout and orange eyes it's no doubt the most famous of Madagascar's primates the public can admire it in most of the world zoos as it's one of the only lemurs able to live in captivity the ring-tailed lemur is never so happy as when it's with its family sharing a nourishing shrub it carefully picks the ripe as berries while watching out for gusts of wind the uneaten berries are a treat for the Madagascan green pigeon just like the ring-tailed lemur it scatters seeds in its droppings helping to regenerate the forest the seeds are more likely to sprout thanks to this natural fertilizer the forests of western Madagascar are teeming with baobab Madagascar boasts six species compared with just a single one for the entire African continent the intertwined trunks are called baobabs in love the dry forests consist mainly of deciduous shrubs nevertheless this thicket of plants offers a hiding place for birds while the crested dango remains perched the giant quoi seeks food on the ground its cousin the crested co-op finds what it needs in the barks of branches searching for food on the ground is all the more dangerous as we're in the territory of the feared fossa it's the largest predator of Madagascar and 50% of its diet consists of lemurs the fossa supplements its diet with sparrows as here this endemic animal of the red island resembles a small Puma but its unique characteristics have so baffled scientists that they have been unable to classify it in the order of felines the fossa is especially hard to study as it's extremely elusive and therefore rarely observed once the danger has passed Ravello sifaka can come out of me open this lemur belongs to the Indri family yet is barely half the size maybe this is due to its diet for in winter there are no longer many leaves left to eat north of a man am below river the forest is thicker and the trees more majestic red fronted lemurs feel especially secure here because they're surrounded by sharp edged rocks that form a natural barrier the birds that live here are fortunate to enjoy an aerial view of this unique geological sites classified by UNESCO as a world natural heritage site that Singh II of the Mara [Music] this giant Cathedral is made of limestone towers up to 70 metres tall they're jagged razor-sharp edges make this landscape particularly inhospitable at the foot of the stone needles dense evergreen forests have developed these green oases are shielded from the wind and preserve their humidity they therefore provide a good shelter for lemurs von der decken sifaka is at home here it's well adapted to its environment what better proof than the skin of its hind quarters and feet which can withstand the sharp edges of the rocky outcrops when it's time to rest however tree branches are more comfortable Rock and vegetation are thus closely intermingled in a mineral labyrinth that took 200 million years to form initially the underwater limestone layer rose to the surface it was then worn down at its base by infiltration of water and at its top which was more tender by wind erosion farther south the ESL range forms a plateau stretching for nearly a hundred kilometers the cliff rising on the Eastern Front makes it look like a giant fortress fortunately runoff water has seeped into the mountain carving canyons of greenery downstream the gorges widen letting in more Sun this cool Oasis forms a small paradise that hasn't escaped the lemurs attention are such frequent visitors that they've given their name to one of the canyons after their digestive NAP ring-tailed lemurs climb back up to the top of the canyon for the nights in this haven of peace the lemurs live undisturbed but the area is narrow and isolated offering them no possibility of escape if danger strikes for just outside the canyon the vegetation is exposed to threats such as invasions of locusts swarms of millions of these insects swooped down on the plants and crops in an astonishing silence [Music] [Music] unfortunately the problem will only get worse farmers burn the vegetation to drive away the locusts but in so doing they destroy the colonies of ants that prey on locust larvae the western flank of the Esau Range forms a less abrupt landscape [Music] it consists of rugged boulders scattered across the savanna that would not look out of place in southern Africa you almost expect a gazelle or a lioness to emerge from the dry grass but these animals don't exist in Madagascar and so much the better for at night when the savanna dresses up in its finest colors we are reminded that Nature has created here an ecosystem that's unique in the world [Music] the far north of Madagascar does not display an east-west climate divide as sharp as the country's central and southern regions despite abundant sunshine the constant fierce wind has prevented over development of seaside tourism some areas are classified as marine reserves in order to protect the coral reefs and their colorful inhabitants [Music] a few kilometers from the coast stands the amber Mountain 1500 meters high thanks to a wetter microclimate than the rest of the region a magnificent rainforest covers the features of this ancient volcanic Massif the site's unique character and richness prompted the creation of Madagascar's first Natural Park in 1958 so as not to deprive the inhabitants of neighbouring villages they were granted half the income from the park through the funding of economic development projects the other half of course serves to protect the woodlands and to host visitors the forest of the amber mountain is thus properly preserved nearly a thousand plant species have been identified including many plants with medicinal properties the large trees spread their majestic branches toward the sky as if to protect this paradise from the Blazing Sun yet the wind slips through to the ground and lashes the shrubs with such animation the forest seems even more alive it's not the best weather for chameleons who so enjoy keeping still but this male Kaluga of green sea has other ambitions he spotted a female of his species a few branches above will she let herself be seduced [Music] the pretty lady keeps her distance but at least she's noticed a few vigorous movements of his head should convince the female of his virility but she pretends to be indifferent or worse perhaps she's really not interested [Music] whatever the case with this wind she won't be easy to catch it doesn't matter there are other females around and in a better mood in early spring the chameleon is not the only one seeking a bit of company will this ring-tailed Mongoose be more successful it's not easy to stay single when you're so powered up for the crowned lemur some flowers are a real treat they mainly eat fruit but they love a little nectar in season the young lemurs are able to cling to their mother's belly even when they're dozing that way she can always keep watch over them a moment's distraction is all it would take for a mongoose to climb up a tree and attack her baby rather than flee this mother prefers to try intimidation and she knows she can count on her groups solidarity once the danger has passed the group just wants to enjoy a bit of fun [Music] a hundred kilometers to the south the dry forests of Ankara National Park slowly weeks it's the hour of the bird symphony [Music] a locust serves as breakfast for the crested drongo despite its hummingbird looks the Suey monger son bird is in fact a sparrow whose diet essentially consists of nectar meanwhile the Malagasy Kukoc Malagasy paradise flycatcher blue ranga Madagascan magpie Robin and hook build vaanga slowly awaken this lepa lemur seems unaware that it's a member of a nocturnal species unless it's the presence of a tiny restless ball of fur that's keeping it awake in Madagascar some species of geckos such as the fell suma grandees live by day they're just as conspicuous on tree bark as they're nocturnal cousins the leaf-tailed gecko z' are invisible apart from that they also differ from their cousins because of their large round pupils and their fixed smile which gives them a good-natured look thanks to the adhesive flaps on their fingers that can cling to the smoothest surfaces this adhesion is produced by the interaction of a low intensity electrical field at molecular level it's a very efficient mechanism which scientists are trying to reproduce artificially on a larger scale farther east lies the territory of the golden crown sifaka the surviving population of this very rare lemur is estimated at around 3,000 it lives in groups of five or six individuals in the evening they eat in trees without ever moving more than 20 meters away from one another each year only one female in the group gives birth to a single baby usually in July weaning lasts till December which marks the start of spring and therefore the arrival of seedlings sadly this lemurs forest is being ruined day after day ever since gold was discovered there besides the disturbance caused by the growing number of prospectors the soil is dug up everywhere and the trees end up as charcoal amid this devastation the lemurs are looking for a big tree as a shelter for the night the world this mother will leave her baby has changed indeed still every evening the fascinating spectacle of sunset brings some fresh hope is so much beauty truly doomed to vanish all Madagascan forests are at risk but some deserve special attention they've been added to a UNESCO list of endangered world heritage sites one example is mauro jg national park [Music] this landscape shrouded a mystery is composed of an unusually varied vegetation in fact more than 2,000 species of flowering plants have been inventoried the main reason for this extreme diversity is the uneven terrain and the resulting variety of microclimates in this ocean of green it's easy to spot the Magnificent blue beak of the helmet vaanga amid this tangle of branches and vines it's less easy to find a Malagasy tree boa it's curled up for now maybe it's digesting a bird or a small mammal but for stillness on discretion no species can beat the flat tail gecko when it's time to sleep it always chooses a backdrop that matches its skin color and texture it then settles in upside down and remains motionless until nightfall some chameleons such as those of the rock a Zia family are barely bigger than insects they live on the ground a better match for their brown color tree drawing chameleons on the other hand tend to have green or yellow shades of skin color the changes in the color of a chameleon skin are controlled by a hormonal process which they use to communicate their mood seduce females or display their stress the panther chameleon is one of the handsomest except when it opens its mouth one of the distinctive features of chameleons is their independent eye movement which enables them to monitor their surroundings more closely when they spot a prey their eyes realign to give them stereoscopic vision so they can measure its distance the chameleon darts its tongue at lightning speed the prey is trapped by saliva but also clutched by the tip of the tongue the Malagasy white eye is one of the hundred species of birds living in the Mara rajesh a range it faces vocal competition from the blue co-op which is right in the middle of the reproductive season the forest is also home to one of the three rarest lemur species of Madagascar classified as critically endangered the silkie sifaka the current population is estimated at less than a thousand with its beautiful white fur it's an elegant endearing animal that exudes great gentleness and tenderness [Music] [Music] the silky sifaka is such a glutton that it's forced to work hard to reach the leaf at once but fortunately it has a perfect sense of balance when it's not eating the silkie Suffolk arrests or plays or jumps over to give its partner a token of affection [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] with it's sad and pensive eyes this primate is the very embodiment of animal innocence this doesn't prevent it from being poached for its meat at night the clouds often sink back down again when it finally wakes up the flat tailed gecko sets off on an insect hunt using its tongue it catches any creature that moves within its range the Sun always rises again first on the mountain peak with each new day the cycle of life continues the rivers water the soil and photosynthesis nourishes luxuriant vegetation which in turn feeds the animals who live there but how much longer lemurs have lived in Madagascar for 600,000 centuries but will they ever see the next one just as one cannot imagine fish living without water so no species of lemur will survive the disappearance of the forest for it is everything to them it gives them shelter and nourishment and they in turn help to fertilize the forest and disseminate plant species but the rainforests are overexploited even parks and natural reserves are threatened and the steep rise in the human population will only make things worse the dry forests are equally at risk the territory of cockerels sifaka is shrinking drastically many natural ists in the West are conscious of the problem but the Madagascan population itself needs to realize the exceptional richness of its natural heritage fortunately there are men and women who want to teach their fellow citizens to live in harmony with nature for example professor Jonah rats embosser fee per primatologist spends much time in the field studying lemurs one of his main goals is to build awareness among the populations living near the fore in order to motivate them to reduce their impact on this fragile ecosystem his assessment of the current situation is alarming indeed Lima is a tree dwellers they live in the forest and it's frightening to see how fast the forest is being destroyed in recent years since man arrived in Madagascar some 2,500 years ago the primary forests have lost 90% of their surface area cleared land is being eroded and soils are being depleted offering a spectacle of desolation what are the main causes of the problem is the slash and burn farming that we're still practicing here in Madagascar to obtain arable land people light wildfires all over the country blindly destroying millions of hectares of vegetation but also the farmer that lives there it's an ecological paradise that's going up in smoke what will be left tomorrow apart from a horizon of ashes in springtime yellow smoke obscures the Madagascan sky it's a phenomenon that simply intensifies the greenhouse effect slash and burn farming makes the soil more fertile within a very short period green grass grows quickly providing nourishment for zaebis but afterward the soil is depleted and abandoned farmers must then burn land elsewhere Bheema species are threatened with extinction 94% of limas species are endangered as the forest vanishes so will the lemurs don't you just a fact that because of a combination of factors before a station hunting disease and climate change [Music] as Madagascar is one of the world's poorest countries it's quite understandable that its population should be more concerned about survival than about preserving nature the priority is to find enough food for the family everyday population is heavily dependent on natural resources the population is rising so we need to develop strategies otherwise it will be too late for example reforestation developing ecotourism which chiefly benefits the local population and a permanent presence in the forest that's because Madagascar in places where there's no one in charge people will do anything and the result is destruction as long as the population remains poor I'm afraid we will be able to save these animals people ask why are you spending money on lemurs instead of on people but that's a false debate the fact is that lemurs can help us humans improve our lives there are many examples for example in undersea Bay Park where the local guides make a lot of money so we must develop the ecotourism industry people don't come to Madagascar to see a dead lemur or to visit empty forests people come to Madagascar to see live lemurs for who stands to gain from these visits it's the local population it's we Madagascan so it's a matter of survival for an entire nation and I hope it's not yet too late people must feel responsible they must understand that this belongs to them and yield direct benefits for them we are not condemned to repeat our parents mistakes as human beings living today we must not be selfish we're very lucky to see these lemurs birds and chameleons but what about tomorrow perhaps future generations may not have the same opportunity to see them if we truly love our country our animals and nature we all need to act together because I am convinced that lemurs and other animals can certainly live in harmony with us humans Madagascar has priceless ecological wealth and outstanding biodiversity at its disposal preserving this green treasure will allow the country to bequeath to future generations the resources they will need while this heritage is primarily theirs it's also the heritage of all humanity [Music] [Music]

Channel: wocomoWILDLIFE

Views: 69,783

Rating: 4.7118926 out of 5

Keywords: Wild animals, animals fo Madagascar, cute animals, funny animals, King Julian, nature, animals, diversity, night lemur, Lemur, animal babies, baby animal, Chameleon, Fossa, sea life, ringtailed lemur, Crowned lemur, maki big eyes, flat-tailed gecko, Panther chameleon, PLAY_EN

Id: aoBDyEPCmTc

Length: 51min 51sec (3111 seconds)

Published: Mon Jun 24 2019