Madagascar Wildlife

Fifth edition of this classic guide, first published over 25 years ago

Wildlife is the key draw for visitors to Madagascar, and this thoroughly updated guide celebrates the unique fauna of this remarkable Indian Ocean island. Written by naturalist tour-leaders and Madagascar experts, it's aimed at both visitors and natural-history enthusiasts. Rather than safari jeeps and the Big Five, in Madagascar you approach wildlife on rainforest strolls, encountering endearing lemurs, comical chameleons, endemic birds, and bizarre insects—without fear of dangerous snakes or angry elephants.

From lively descriptions of animals and their behaviour to 280 sumptuous colour photographs, this is the only guide to showcase the whole range of Madagascar's captivating wildlife. A dedicated 'Habitats and Hotspots' chapter details the island's various ecosystems and presents concise information on where best to see fascinating species, helping you choose which parks and reserves to visit—from Masoala and Ranomafana to Ifaty and Berenty. You'll discover why an incredible 90% of Madagascar's plants and animals are unique to the world's oldest island, and learn remarkable stories like Madagascar's extraordinary chameleon diversity (half the world's species occur here, including the smallest and largest) and the orchid with a nectary tube so long that Charles Darwin correctly predicted a moth would evolve an equally absurd 30-cm-long tongue to reach it.

Readable, user-friendly, and inspiring as a practical planning guide, Bradt's Madagascar Wildlife is unbeatable as both a trip companion and a souvenir of this special destination.