Madagascar Animals

Madagascar is a hub for endemic wildlife, which makes up most of the island’s fauna. The fact that the island stayed in relative isolation after having broken off from the supercontinent of Gondwana ensured that its wildlife could thrive without the risk of human encroachment until it finally happened around 2,000 years ago.

Some of the most recognizable animals of Madagascar are the lemurs, fossa, and tenrecs, with the endemic wildlife including:

List of animals that live in Madagascar

Mammals

• Tenrec (Web-footed, Major’s long-tailed, Lesser hedgehog, Greater hedgehog, Tailless)
• Shrew Tenrec (Short-tailed, Cowan’s, Dobson’s, Drouhard’s, Dryad, Pale, Gracile, Grandidier’s, Naked-nosed, Jenkins’, Northern, Lesser long-tailed, Montane, Nasolo’s, Greater long-tailed, Least, Shrew-toothed, Taiva, Talazac’s, Thomas’s)
• Rice tenrec (Mole-like, Four-toed)
• Streaked tenrec (Highland, Lowland)
• Dwarf lemur (Hairy-eared, Montagne d’Ambre, Furry-eared, Lavasoa, Greater, Fat-tailed, Lesser iron-gray, Sibree’s)
• Mouse lemur (Arnhold’s, Madame Berthe’s, Bongolava, Boraha, Danfoss’, Ganzhorn’s, Gerp’s, Reddish-grey, Jolly’s, Goodman’s, MacArthur’s, Manitatra, Marohita, Claire’s, Margot Marsh’s, Mittermeier’s, Grey, Pygmy, Golden-brown, Brown, Sambirano, Simmons’, Anosy, Northern rufous, Coquerel’s giant, Northern giant)
• Fork-marked lemur (Amber Mountain, Masoala, Pale, Pariente’s)
• Woolly lemur (Betsileo, Bemaraha, Eastern, Southern, Moore’s, Western, Peyrieras’, Ramanantsoavana’s, Sambirano woolly)
• Sifaka (Silky, Coquerel’s, Crowned, Von der Decken’s, Diademed, Milne-Edwards’, Perrier’s, Golden-crowned, Verreaux’s)
• Lemur (White-headed, Grey-headed, Collared brown, Crowned, Blue-eyed black, Common brown, Black, Mongoose, Red-bellied, Red-fronted, Red, Sanford’s brown, Ring-tailed, Red ruffed, Black-and-white ruffed)
• Bamboo lemur (Lac Alaotra, Golden, Eastern lesser, Southern, Western, Greater)
• Sportive lemur (Milne-Edwards’, Fleurete’s, Grewcock’s, Holland’s, Hubbard’s, James’, White-footed, Small-toothed, Daraina, Mittermeier’s, Weasel, Otto’s, Petter’s, Randrianasolo’s, Red-tailed, Sahamalaza, Scott’s, Seal’s, Northern, Hawks’, Wright’s)
• Antsangy (White-tailed, Hairy-tailed)
• Short-tailed rat (Betsileo, Gregarious)
• Tufted-tailed rat (Tsingy, Daniel’s, Ellerman’s, Grandidier’s, Major’s, Lesser, Dormouse, White-tipped, Petter’s, Tanala, Webb’s)
• Big-footed mouse (Bastard, Greater, Petter’s)
• Nesomys (White-bellied, Western)
• Pipistrelle (Anchieta’s, Dusky, Racey’s)
• Serotine (Isalo, Malagasy)
• Yellow bat (Lesser, Robust, Western)
• Long-fingered bat (Glen’s, Aellen’s, Griffiths’s, Major’s, Manavi, Peterson’s, Sororcula)
• Free-tailed bat (Madagascar, Black and red, Grandidier’s, Malagasy white-bellied, Midas, Madagascan large)
• Sheath-tailed bat (African, Peters’s, Western)
• Trident bat (Grandidier’s, Trouessart’s, Rufous)
• Sucker-footed bat (Madagascar, Western)
• Bat (Madagascan fruit, Malagasy mouse-eared, Marovaza house, Mauritian tomb, Malagasy slit-faced, Commerson’s leaf-nosed)
• Falanouc (Eastern, Western)
• Mongoose (Ring-tailed, Broad-striped Malagasy, Grandidier’s, Narrow-striped Brown-tailed)
• Whale (Antarctic minke, Common, Southern sei, Bryde’s, Pygmy blue, Southern blue, Omura’s, Southern fin, Humpback, Pygmy right, Southern right, Sperm, Pygmy sperm, Dwarf sperm, Tropical bottlenose, Cuvier’s beaked, Blainville’s beaked, Gray’s beaked, Hector’s beaked, Layard’s beaked, True’s beaked, Short-finned pilot)
• Dolphin (Rough-toothed, Risso’s, Indian humpback, Indo-Pacific bottlenose, Common bottlenose, Pantropical spotted, Striped, Spinner, Long-beaked common, Fraser’s, Melon-headed, False killer, Pygmy killer, Killer)
• Dugong
• Aye-aye
• Indri
• Voalavoanala
• Malagasy giant rat
• Malagasy mountain mouse
• Island mouse
• Madagascan pygmy shrew
• Madagascan flying fox
• Madagascan rousette
• Fossa
• Malagasy civet
• Durrell’s vontsira
• Subantarctic fur seal

Birds

• Madagascar Fish Eagle
• Madagascar fody
• Barn owl
• Madagascan owl
• Rockhopper penguin
• Blue Vanga

Reptiles

• Snakes: Boa (Madagascar, Dumeril’s, Madagascar tree), Forest snake (Lined, Boulenger’s), Madagascar bighead snake, Bernier’s striped snake, Four-striped snake, Night snake (Forest, Tiny), Leaf-nosed snake (Malagasy, Southern), Giant hognose (Madagascan, Blonde, Speckled), Gold-collared snake, Madagascar Three-lined Snake, Water Snake (Six-lined, Grandidier’s, Lateral, Yellow-striped), Worm Snake (Sand, Madagascar, Boettger’s, Reuters, Mocquard’s, Parker’s, Andasibe), Brook Snake (Night, Brown, Striped, Plateau, Ambre), Malagasy cat-eyed snake, Madagascar Burrowing Snake, Brahminy blind snake

• Lizard:  Common agama

• Chameleons: Leaf chameleon (Brown, Nosy Be pygmy, Ebenau’s, Plated, Mount d’Ambre, Toothed, Antsingy, Spiny, Iaraka River, Domergue’s, Naturelle, Fito, Perinet, Blanc’s, Marojejy, Namoroka, Amber Mountain, Antakarana, Brygoo’s, Lined, Elongate), Peyrieras’ pygmy chameleon, Dwarf chameleon, Miniature chameleon, Parson’s chameleon, Hooded chameleon, nose-horned chameleon, Blade chameleon, Short-horned chameleon, Flat-casqued chameleon, O’Shaughnessy’s chameleon, Boettger’s chameleon, Malagasy side-striped chameleon, Deceptive chameleon, Tsaratanana Chameleon, Perinet chameleon, Vences’ chameleon, Amber Mountain chameleon, Cryptic chameleon, Bizarre-nosed chameleon, Marojejy Peak Chameleon, Peltier’s Chameleon, Blunt-nosed Chameleon, Tarzan chameleon, Panther chameleon, Warty chameleon, Carpet chameleon, Rhinoceros chameleon, Rainforest chameleon, Antimena chameleon, Campan’s chameleon, Labord’s chameleon, Lesser chameleon, Wills’ chameleon, Malagasy giant chameleon, Petter’s chameleon, Angel’s chameleon, Belalanda chameleon, Jewel Chameleon
• Geckos: Farquhar half-toed gecko, Tree gecko, Grandidier’s dwarf gecko, Madagascar dwarf gecko, Tiny scaled gecko, Dwarf gecko (Robust, Gunther’s, Mocquard’s, Boettger’s, Angel’s, Pasteur’s, Western, Malagasy, Ornate, Blanc’s, Ambilobe, Thin), Mount Ivohibe gecko, Ocelot gecko, Ground gecko (Grandidier’s Madagascar, Mocquard’s Madagascar, Northern Madagascar, Ibity), Day  gecko (Madagascar, Koch’s giant, Boehme’s giant, blue-tailed, Lined, Thicktail, Madagascar giant, Gold dust, Barbour’s, Yellow-throated, Flat-tailed, Striped, Modest, Seipp’s, Klemmer’s, Pronk’s), Leaf-tail gecko
• Plated Lizards: Keeled Cordylid (Madagascar, Peters’), Girdled lizard (Madagascar, Oranate, Four-lined, Karsten’s, Western, Bronze, Red-legged, Boettger’s, Southeastern, Three-lined, Green Madagascar, Brygoo’s, Tsingy)
• Iguanas: Three-eyed iguana, Collared iguana, Madagascar spotted spiny-tailed iguana, Madagascar blue iguana, Grandidier’s Madagascar swift, Marked Madagascar swift
• Skinks: Diving skink, Splendid skink, Spotted skink, O’Shaughnessy’s Madagascar skink, Black-striped skink, Boulenger’s tree skink, Grey skink, Yellow skink, Rock skink, Andranovaho skink, Tsaratanana skink, Snake-eyed skink (Nossy Be, Voeltzkow’s), Redtail skink, Diving skink, Stumpff’s skink
• Nile crocodiles
• Turtles: Sea turtle (Loggerhead, Green, Hawksbill, Olive ridley, Leatherback), African helmeted turtle, Black mud turtle (East African, yellow-bellied), Madagascan big-headed turtle
• Tortoises: Radiated tortoise, Madagascar tortoise, Spider tortoise, Flat-tailed tortoise

Amphibians

• Frogs: Tomato frog, Grass frog, Madagascan reed frog, Bush frog, Boulenger’s climbing frog, Green bright-eyed frog, White-lipped bright-eyed frog, Golden mantella, Red rain frog, Marbled rain frog, Blue-back reed frog, Madagascar jumping frog, Marojejy mantella

Insects

• Butterflies
• Moths
• Earthworms
• Mosquitoes
• Beetles
• Spiders
• Bees
• Cockroaches

Habitats

Different habitat types found on this island include deserts, tropical dry forests, rainforests, dry deciduous forests, savannas, and coastal areas. All the animals, birds, and insects have adapted to their respective habitat; with such varied environment, it is natural to have such rich wildlife.

Conservation

The wildlife of Madagascar is facing threats, being on the brink of endangerment and even extinction, primarily due to illegal animal trades, and habitat loss resulting from urbanization. Many species, including certain chameleons, snakes, geckos, and tortoises, are facing the threats of extinction, but efforts are underway to stem the downhill trend and preserve Madagascar’s unique biodiversity.

Did you know?

• About 75% of all animals living in Madagascar are indigenous to the island.
• All lemur species known to humans can be found only in the Madagascan wilderness.
• Due to its isolation, many animals typically native to mainland Africa, like lions, leopards, zebra, giraffes, apes, and antelopes, never made it across to Madagascar.
• The island is home to more than 2/3rds of the world’s chameleon population.
• Madagascar is the setting for the 2005 Dreamworks Animation produced film bearing the name of the island.