An ecoregion is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than a bioregion, which in turn is smaller than a biogeographic realm. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and contain characteristic, geographically distinct assemblages of natural communities and species. The biodiversity of flora, fauna and ecosystems that characterise an ecoregion tends to be distinct from that of other ecoregions. In theory, biodiversity or conservation ecoregions are relatively large areas of land or water where the probability of encountering different species and communities at any given point remains relatively constant, within an acceptable range of variation . Ecoregions are also known as "ecozones", although that term may also refer to biogeographic realms.
The Global 200 is the list of ecoregions identified by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the global conservation organization, as priorities for conservation. According to WWF, an ecoregion is defined as a "relatively large unit of land or water containing a characteristic set of natural communities that share a large majority of their species dynamics, and environmental conditions". For example, based on their levels of endemism, Madagascar gets multiple listings, ancient Lake Baikal gets one, and the North American Great Lakes get none.
The Afrotropical realm is one of the Earth's eight biogeographic realms. It includes Sub-Saharan Africa, the southern Arabian Peninsula, the island of Madagascar, and the islands of the western Indian Ocean. It was formerly known as the Ethiopian Zone or Ethiopian Region.
Lake Alaotra is the largest lake in Madagascar, located in Alaotra-Mangoro Region and on the island's northern central plateau. Its basin is composed of shallow freshwater lakes and marshes surrounded by areas of dense vegetation. It forms the center of the island's most important rice-growing region. It is a rich habitat for wildlife, including some rare and endangered species, as well as an important fishing ground. Lake Alaotra and its surrounding wetlands cover 7,223 square kilometres (2,789 sq mi), and include a range of habitats, including open water, reedbeds, marshes, and rice paddies. The lake itself covers 900 km2 (350 sq mi). Lake Alaotra was declared a wetland of international importance under the international Ramsar Convention on February 2, 2003.
Proceratium google, also known as the Google ant, was discovered in Madagascar by Brian L. Fisher, Associate Curator of Entomology at the California Academy of Sciences. The ant has an oddly shaped abdomen, adapted for hunting its exclusive meal of spider eggs.
India is the world's 8th most biodiverse region with a 0.46 BioD score on diversity index, 102,718 species of fauna and 23.39% of the nation's geographical area under forest and tree cover in 2020. India encompasses a wide range of biomes: desert, high mountains, highlands, tropical and temperate forests, swamplands, plains, grasslands, areas surrounding rivers, as well as island archipelago. Officially, three out of the 36 Biodiversity Hotspots in the world are present in India: the Himalayas, the Western Ghats, and the Indo-Burma region. To these may be added the Sundarbans and the Terrai-Duar Savannah grasslands for their unique foliage and animal species. These hotspots have numerous endemic species. Nearly 5% of India's total area is formally classified under protected areas.
A megadiverse country is one of a group of nations that harbours the majority of Earth's species and high numbers of endemic species. Conservation International identified 17 megadiverse countries in 1998. Many of them are located at least partially in tropical or subtropical regions.
Andasibe-Mantadia National Park is a 155 square kilometre protected area, located about 150 km east of Antananarivo, consisting principally of primary growth forest in Alaotra-Mangoro Region in eastern Madagascar. The park's elevation ranges from 800 to 1260 meters, with a humid climate. Average annual precipitation is 1700 mm, with rainfall on 210 days of each year. This rainforest is habitat to a vast species biodiversity, including many endemic rare species and endangered species, including 11 lemur species. The park's two component parts are Mantadia National Park and Analamazoatra Reserve, which is best known for its population of Madagascar's largest lemur, the indri.
The composition of Madagascar's wildlife reflects the fact that the island has been isolated for about 88 million years. The prehistoric breakup of the supercontinent Gondwana separated the Madagascar-Antarctica-India landmass from the Africa-South America landmass around 135 million years ago. Madagascar later split from India about 88 million years ago, allowing plants and animals on the island to evolve in relative isolation.
Salanoia is a genus of euplerid carnivoran with two currently described species found in Madagascar. They are mongoose-like, which is reflected in the older versions of their English names, for example brown-tailed mongoose which is now called brown-tailed vontsira. The name Salanoia is derived from salano, one of the vernacular names for Salanoia concolor.
The Fauna of Africa, in its broader sense, is all the animals living in Africa and its surrounding seas and islands. The more characteristic African fauna is found in the Afrotropical realm. Lying almost entirely within the tropics, and equally to north and south of the equator creates favourable conditions for rich wildlife. Africa is home to many of the world's most famous fauna in human culture such as lions‚ leopards, cheetahs‚ Spotted hyenas, African wild dog, African elephants, hippos, rhinos‚ Nile crocodile, Nile monitor, African rock python, Black mamba, Gaboon viper, Forest cobra, African spurred tortoises, African bullfrog, African civet, Honey badger, Meerkats, Banded mongoose, African clawless otters, Ground pangolins, Aardvark, Crested porcupines, Caracal, Serval, African wildcat, Black-backed jackal, Bat-eared foxs, Gorillas, Mandrills, Baboons, Chimpanzees, Vervet monkeys, Common warthogs, giraffes‚ African buffalo, Blue wildebeest, zebras‚ Thomson's gazelles, Impala, Kudus, East African oryx, Nyala, Waterbucks, Hartebeest, antelope, African fish eagles, Crowned eagles, White-backed vulture, African scops owl, Pygmy falcon, North African ostrich, Grey crowned crane, Saddle-billed stork, Marabou stork, Shoebill, African spoonbill, Black-headed heron, Greater flamingo, Namaqua sandgrouse, African penguins, and among many others.
Marojejy National Park is a national park in the Sava region of northeastern Madagascar. It covers 55,500 ha (214 sq mi) and is centered on the Marojejy Massif, a mountain chain that rises to an elevation of 2,132 m (6,995 ft). Access to the area around the massif was restricted to research scientists when the site was set aside as a strict nature reserve in 1952. In 1998, it was opened to the public when it was converted into a national park. It became part of the World Heritage Site known as the Rainforests of the Atsinanana in 2007. "Unique in the world, a place of dense, jungly rainforests, sheer high cliffs, and plants and animals found nowhere else on earth", Marojejy National Park has received plaudits in the New York Times and Smithsonian Magazine for its natural beauty and rich biodiversity that encompasses critically endangered members of the silky sifaka. To that end, a global consortium of conservation organizations, including the Lemur Conservation Foundation, Duke Lemur Center and Madagascar National Parks, have sought to promote research and conservation programs in Marojejy National Park, neighboring Anjanaharibe-Sud Reserve and Antanetiambo Private Reserve, to protect the endemic flora and fauna that reside in northeastern Madagascar. In addition, these organizations have implemented a variety of community-based initiatives to mitigate human encroachment on the park, such as poaching and selective logging, by encouraging local communities to engage in afforestation and silvicultural initiatives to promote a sustainable alternative to mining, slash-and-burn agriculture, and wood collection.
Zahamena National Park is a national park of Madagascar. Established in 1997, it covers an area of 423 square kilometres (163.32 sq mi) out of a total protected area of 643 square kilometres (248.26 sq mi). It is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Rainforests of the Atsinanana, inscribed in 2007 and consisting of 13 specific areas located within eight national parks in the eastern part of Madagascar. In 2001, Bird Life International assessed avifauna of 112 species of which 67 species are exclusively endemic to Madagascar.
The crowned sifaka is a sifaka endemic to western Madagascar, a part of the world where nature and its biological diversity faces enormous and devastating consequences resulting from anthropogenic activities. It is a species of lemur belonging to the Idriidae family, it is of comparable size to the Golden-crowned sifaka and up to a meter in length, of which 47-57 centimeters are tail. The species is an arboreal vertical climber and leaper whose diet consists of leaves, fruits and flowers. It is threatened by habitat destruction caused by human activities and is currently classified as critically endangered by the IUCN. Conservation planning needs to take local people needs and views into account in order to be successful over the long term.
Arnhold's mouse lemur or the Montagne d'Ambre mouse lemur is a species of mouse lemur endemic to Madagascar. Its holotype was first collected on 27 November 2005, and was first described in 2008. According to genetic tests, it is genetically distinct from its closest sister taxa, the Sambirano mouse lemur.
Margot Marsh's mouse lemur or the Antafondro mouse lemur is a species of mouse lemur endemic to Madagascar. Its holotype was first collected on 21 May 2006, proposed in 2006 by Andriantompohavana et al., and was formally described in 2008 by E. Lewis, Jr., et al. According to genetic tests, it is genetically distinct from its closest sister taxon, Claire's mouse lemur.
Marolambo is a village and commune (kaominina) located in the Atsinanana region of eastern Madagascar. It is along the Nosivolo River near the junction with the Sandranamby River, and is also the capital of the Marolambo District.
The Nosivolo River is a river in eastern Madagascar and a primary tributary of the Mangoro River. It begins east of Fandriana. The village of Marolambo, capital of the Marolambo District in the Atsinanana region, is located along the river at the junction with the Sandranamby River.
Tsitongambarika is a 58,597 ha protected area of lowland forest in the Anosy region of southeast of Madagascar, to the north of Fort-Dauphin. The area supports rare species of amphibians, birds, lemurs and reptiles, many of which are endemic. In 2001, the site was designated as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International, and in 2015 an area of 58,957 ha received protection by the government under Decree No. 2015-720 of 21 April 2015.
Analavelona, also known as Analavelona Massif, is a mountain in southwestern Madagascar. The massif is home to an enclave of montane subhumid forest, which is considered a sacred forest by the local people and notable for its biodiversity.
