World Wildlife Fund's Gift Catalog - 2008-2009 - (Page 39) Did you know? Madagascar is home to more than 60 subspecies of lemur, which are “endemic,” meaning they live in the wild nowhere else on Earth. A F R I C A Madagascar Madagascar is an example of how geographic separation creates extraordinary wildlife. Over 150 million years ago, Madagascar split off the African continent. As a result, unique plants and animals have evolved here in isolation. New species are still being discovered! But while Madagascar is still isolated, it is also home to millions of people. Today, only 15 percent of this country is forested, and some species of lemur, including the aye aye, are now critically endangered. Area: At 226,000 square miles, Madagascar is the fourth largest island in the world. Global threats: Human population growth, deforestation, mining and erosion Key wildlife: Many endemic species found nowhere else, including lemurs (sifakas, indris and aye ayes, rarest of all the lemurs) WWF solutions: Some of WWF’s most critical conservation initiatives within Madagascar deal with helping support the Malagasy people in their efforts to grow food, build homes and produce income. Gecko Malagasy Children Adopt a Hedgehog Tenrec FREE with $50 donation or more! LOCAL COMMUNITIES OF MADAGASCAR Local people are often the strongest advocates of conservation and, once empowered, are effective stewards of their own natural resources. The 17.5 million people of Madagascar practice a diverse array of faiths and customs. A majority of the population depends on subsistence farming, including rice and cattle. It is estimated that 80 percent of the population lives below the poverty line. Community members are now developing radio plays and other performances with an emphasis on conservation. These broadcasts have become a very popular way of distributing conservation messages in an enjoyable and educational format. We’ve delivered over $30 million in international funding commitments to support the efforts of communities and agencies to combat illegal logging and wildlife trade. The future for Madagascar depends on developing economic opportunities, in cooperation with communities and individuals, through sustainable agriculture, fishing and forestry practices, and through the introduction of ecotourism, which can provide employment without depleting precious resources. This little creature looks like a smaller version of its cousin, the hedgehog, but with some interesting differences. They are smaller than most hedgehogs, with a cone-shaped spiny tail. If their spines don’t work to keep predators away, tenrecs will defend themselves aggressively. But they’d much rather be left alone to enjoy their diet of crunchy insects $100 $50 $25 CTGHT Visit www.worldwildlife.org/gifts or call toll-free 1-800-CALL WWF 39 http://www.worldwildlife.org/ogc/species_SKU.cfm?cqs=CTGHT&sc=AWY0900WCN11 http://www.worldwildlife.org/ogc/index.cfm?sc=AWY0900WCN11
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