World of the Wild | Episode 13: The Wildlife of Madagascar | Free Documentary Nature

nature is not a place to visit it's our home nature is all that we see animals insects disappearing into their surroundings using deceptions disguises lures nature is all that we hear the call of an eagle the hiss of Ocean Spray the Rumble of Thunder the doings of a cricket the wonderful beauty of nature The crucial fragile Affinity between animal life and their environment all of this is world of the Wild thank you [Music] the island of Madagascar stretching for nearly 600 000 square kilometers this huge landmass spans tropical jungles dry forests mountainous Highlands and arid deserts a landscape so large and diverse it has been called the eighth continent splitting from the Indian Peninsula approximately 88 million years ago life on Madagascar has evolved in relative isolation today 80 percent of the Island's plants and 90 of its animals are found nowhere else on Earth in this episode we explore the wildlife of this biodiversity hotspot to discover how lemurs have found Success Through diversification go between land and water with mud skippers learn the specialized adaptations of Ayes witness the chameleon's unique hunting technique and study how mongooses have evolved to meet the particular challenges of the island [Music] unarguably the most famous animal inhabitants of Madagascar are its playful and intriguing lemurs and there is good reason for their success on the island [Music] with the dry conditions of the East and the moist environment of the West Madagascar encompasses a range of climates and Geographic zones diversifying over millions of years lemurs today boast around 100 species each specializing to fill the niche Island's varied habitats [Music] all lemurs are proficient climbers with some species displaying particularly acrobatic inclinations the shafar clima for example is so specially adapted to a life of vertically clinging and leaping amid the trees that they must adopt an odd sideways hopping motion during their rare visits to the ground [Music] perhaps the most recognizable of Madagascar's Limas are the ringtails unusual among the species ringtails spend more time on the ground than in the trees this adaptation to a terrestrial lifestyle means that they avoid competition over the canopy's limited resources finding ample fruit and foliage on the ground below [Music] foreign [Music] or in the trees the majority of Lima species live in groups up to 30 members strong [Music] however the social hierarchy of Limas has a significant difference from that of other primates around the world with Lima groups led by females debate continues as to the reason behind female dominance but with reproduction having a high cost on an island with limited resources it is beneficial for those bearing that cost to be in charge during Madagascar's dry season food and water regularly become scarce Commodities having evolved a low metabolic rate lemurs are able to cope with the uncertainties of the Island's resources the characteristic sunbasking behavior of many species helps reduce heat loss and conserve energy allowing these creatures to subsist on a lean diet with an excellent sense of smell scent communication is an important component of Lima Society marking territories and advertising virility during the breeding season their long snouts distinguish lemurs from most primates but contrary to popular belief this does not Aid in their acute sense of smell instead the Lemurs extended snout increases chewing power allowing access to a broad and flexible diet across the island since the arrival of humans on Madagascar at least 17 Lemur species have become extinct today with increases in hunting and habitat loss the Island's growing human population threatens 90 of the remaining species a vital animal within Madagascar's many ecosystems increased conservation efforts are required to protect this Flagship species foreign [Music] Flats of Madagascar there is a true Fish Out of Water the mud skipper with almost 5 000 kilometers of Coastline Madagascar is home to extensive and teeming Mangrove forests here with the rising and falling of the tides life has evolved to flourish in a world of constant change adopting an amphibious lifestyle mud skippers are the ultimate Mangrove survivors the only fish to spend as much time out of the water as in it their enlarged pectoral fins are adapted to swimming and walking even to climbing over 30 species of mudskipper are found in mangroves from West Africa to New Guinea able to breathe through their skin this is only possible in moist conditions and the humid mud flaps of Madagascar's West Coast are an ideal environment for this unique creature using their enlarged Gill Chambers to carry water in the same way scuba divers carry oxygen their ability to venture across the land provides feeding opportunities beyond the reach of other fish a thriving ecosystem Madagascar's intertidal zone provides an abundant food source for carnivorous mudskippers perfectly adapted to the interface between land and water they actively hunt for insects sand worms and crustaceans [Music] foreign comes with a new set of dangers and mudskippers are vulnerable to predation from water snakes and Wetland Birds with large High set eyes these walking fish are afforded at 360 degree view remaining Vigilant to land-based threats this distinctive adaptation also assists in hunting and mudskippers often swim with their heads above water as they scan for prey a territorial species mudskippers become particularly assertive around breeding time with disputes a common occurrence gaping mouth poses and Fanning fins are used as threat displays in order to establish and defend territorial boundaries the breeding season also sees mudskippers excavate watery Burrows reaching over a meter deep and often with several entrances they are dug painstakingly one mouthful at a time eggs are laid deep in the burrow Out Of Reach of terrestrial predators the doting parent aerating the water for their young by carrying in mouthfuls of air able to tolerate many toxic substances in their environment perhaps the greatest challenge to mudskippers and the mangrove forests they inhabit is sea level rise specialized for life in an intertidal zone mudskippers are being driven into new territory by Rising water levels and the question of just how far these changes will push them remains unanswered [Music] thank you [Music] [Music] the world's largest nocturnal primate the III uses the cover of Darkness to feed in a manner that is unique on this most unique of islands as the sun sets over the madagascan rainforest eye eyes emerge from their daytime Slumber perhaps the most specialized lemurs on the island the II has evolved an exceptional tool set to skillfully forage the trees by night found predominantly in the rainforests along the east coast of Madagascar IIs have developed a technique known as percussive foraging allowing them access to a largely untapped food source moving dexterously about the trees the II uses its elongated middle finger to knock repeatedly against the wood enlarged highly sensitive ears these specialized lemurs listen for the presence of wood-boring insects and grubs beneath the surface with their prey detected rodent-like teeth are employed to chew a hole through the wood definitely reaching a long thin finger into the narrow opening their previously hidden food is promptly brought to the surface for consumption foreign [Music] not only does this singular technique provide the eye with a protein Source inaccessible to other lemurs it also AIDS in the health of the rainforest protecting the trees from mass infestations of water eating insects despite their grub hunting specialty these primates are not restricted to percussive foraging freely availing themselves to the variety of food on offer in the rainforest canopy their bony fingers are just as useful in scraping the flesh from coconuts and the other fruits that supplement their diet oh [Music] thought to have been extinct for over 20 years since being rediscovered in the 1950s IIs have remained on the endangered list traditionally believed to be harbingers of evil casting death with the point of a finger such superstitions persist today and with deforestation forcing more of these primates into cultivated areas conflict with humans is on the rise the key to saving this species from a second Extinction lies in protecting their rainforest habitats foreign [Music] [Music] home to approximately two-thirds of the world's chameleon species Madagascar is a Haven for these distinctively adapted lizards thank you [Music] part of the Iguana suborder there is a debate as to where the chameleons migrated to Madagascar from Africa or whether the species evolved on the island itself what is certain is that this reptile has thrived here like nowhere else and from dense jungle rainforest to dry deciduous Woodlands Madagascar provides chameleons a range of preferred habitat with Madagascar providing an abundance of insect species chameleons have evolved A specialized adaptation in order to hunt them firing their suction cup tongues they ensnare their unfortunate victims with Incredible accuracy [Music] with a reach up to twice their body length these lizards are capable of striking prey from considerable distance in just a fraction of a second [Music] so effective is this hunting method that larger chameleons are able to take down other lizards and even young birds [Music] making full use of Madagascar's forests like so many vertebrates on the island chameleons are highly adapted to a tree climbing lifestyle the particular tongue-like structure of their toes provides excellent grip on a range of surfaces from rough tree trunks to narrow branches fused eyelids give the chameleon's eyes their unusual appearance and these reptiles have some of the most attuned vision of all lizards moving each eye independently of the other chameleons hunt for prey while simultaneously keeping watch for the many predators of the madagascan wilderness with a full 360 degree view they are also able to enlarge their point of focus similar to a camera lens [Music] among the few animals able to change the color of their skin contrary to popular belief chameleons rarely use this adaptation for camouflage instead color displays are used to communicate emotions whether performing threat displays or advertising their virility these highly visual lizards are able to clearly signify their intentions to other chameleons growing continually throughout their lives chameleons shed their skin in sections to accommodate their growth in the teeming ecosystem of Madagascar this has the added benefit of removing any parasites that may have settled on their skin [Music] due to deforestation many species of chameleon are currently threatened with Extinction around the world in the case of Madagascar this is of great concern with Agriculture and settlement clearing much of the Island's original habitat yet the island continues to surprise with the recent discovery of a new chameleon species the smallest in the world hope remains that Madagascar can continue to be a Haven for this fascinating species thank you [Music] of Madagascar's native carnivores the Mongoose family remains a relative newcomer but has evolved to occupy the full range of the Island's varied habitats foreign family the 10 living members on Madagascar are thought to have evolved from a single ancestor arriving on the isolated island around 20 million years ago since that time the species has evolved and split into the distinctive sub-families that exist today mostly social animals the six Mongoose species of the eupleridae family have spread to inhabit Madagascar's range of ecosystems from the humid rainforests in the East to the Arid spiny forests of the South and the dry deciduous Woodland of the West largely ground-dwelling creatures mongooses are excellent diggers and excavate complex tunnel systems which serve to avoid predators and importantly to regulate temperature often occupying exposed terrain the fur-covered mongers avoids the worst of the madagascan heat by retreating to the cool of its Subterranean shelter digging is also used in sourcing much of the mongoose's varied diet targeting the Island's insects and rodents as well as earthworms and lizards the mongoose's long Sleek body with its tapered snout allows it to work its way into seemingly inaccessible spaces to capture prey [Music] a relative of the Mongoose and fellow member of the eupleride family the fossa is the largest mammalian carnivore on Madagascar this cat-like Hunter has evolved to Target another of the Island's endemic inhabitants Limas hunting by day or night the fossa nimbly scales trees with its semi-retractable claws and highly flexible ankles above the ground are long tail AIDS in agility and muscular limbs granted power to LEAP among the branches in pursuit of its Quarry the dominant predator of all Lemur species on the island the primates make up 50 of the fossa's diet however displaying a dietary flexibility on par with their aerial acrobatics his widespread carnivores play a significant ecological role controlling the population densities of its many prey species widespread of Madagascar's carnivores fossas are generally found in low numbers sensitive to man-made disturbance with a continued loss of the Island's pristine habitats this rare species is classed as vulnerable foreign [Music] [Music] for tens of millions of years the life that has evolved on this vast environmentally diverse island is unlike anything else on the planet in this episode we have seen Lively lemurs slippery mudskippers night stalking eye eyes colorful chameleons and crafty mongooses but man's influence on this unique Island ecosystem is threatening its future with over 90 percent of Madagascar's original Forest having been lost the pressures of a growing population and damaging agriculture practices continue to jeopardize the Island's biodiversity conservation efforts in the form of nature reserves and sustainable farming practices are providing an alternative and there is hope that Madagascar's rare habitat can be sword along with the Irreplaceable Wildlife it supports [Music]

Channel: Free Documentary - Nature

Views: 131,566

Keywords: Free Documentary, Documentaries, Full documentary, HD documentary, documentary - topic, documentary (tv genre), nature documentary, Free Documentary Nature, Nature, Wildlife Documentary, Wildlife, Animals, Animals Documentary, Wildlife Documentary 2023, World of the Wild, Wildlife Around the World, Wild Animals, Natural Wildlife, BBC Documentary, National Geographic, Nat Geo Wild

Id: xdouTqI8C1Y

Length: 26min 1sec (1561 seconds)

Published: Wed Aug 02 2023