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NatureSeverity: Critical

Forest loss and endemic species in Madagascar

Madagascar's unique wildlife depends on forests that have been extensively cleared.

Madagascar · Madagascar

01 · The problem

What is happening

Madagascar split from other landmasses tens of millions of years ago, and a very high proportion of its plants and animals occur nowhere else — including all of the world's wild lemurs. Forest clearance for shifting agriculture (tavy), charcoal and fuelwood production, logging and mining has removed much of the island's original forest cover. The IUCN Red List assesses the large majority of lemur species as threatened. The Rainforests of the Atsinanana World Heritage Site has been on the List of World Heritage in Danger since 2010, following illegal logging of rosewood and other precious timber.

Critical severity. Severe, persistent harm to health, ecosystems or livelihoods. Severity is descriptive editorial metadata summarising documented effects. It is not a measured index or a score.

02 · Causes

Why it is happening

  1. 01

    Shifting cultivation

    Slash-and-burn agriculture clears forest for rice and other crops.

  2. 02

    Charcoal and fuelwood

    Most households rely on wood fuels for cooking.

  3. 03

    Illegal logging

    Precious hardwoods such as rosewood have been illegally harvested.

  4. 04

    Poverty and insecure tenure

    Limited livelihood alternatives drive reliance on forest resources.

03 · Impacts

Who and what it affects

  1. 01

    Extinction risk

    Many lemurs and other endemic species face a high risk of extinction.

  2. 02

    Soil erosion

    Cleared hillsides lose soil, silting rivers and coastal waters.

  3. 03

    Reduced ecosystem services

    Forest loss affects water supply and local climate.

04 · Solutions

Documented approaches

  1. Protected area expansion

    Madagascar significantly expanded its protected area network in the 2000s and 2010s.

    Expected effectSecures key habitats where management is effective.

  2. Community-based forest management

    Transferring management rights to local communities.

    Expected effectCan reduce clearing while supporting livelihoods.

  3. Alternative livelihoods and fuels

    Improved cookstoves, sustainable charcoal and agricultural intensification.

    Expected effectReduces pressure on remaining forests.

Explore an illustrative What-If

05 · Key indicators

What can be measured

World Heritage status
Rainforests of the Atsinanana — in danger2010

Added to the List of World Heritage in Danger following illegal logging.

06 · Sources

Where this comes from

  1. [1]Rainforests of the Atsinanana — World Heritage ListUNESCO World Heritage Centrewhc.unesco.org(opens in a new tab)
  2. [2]IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesInternational Union for Conservation of Natureiucnredlist.org(opens in a new tab)
  3. [3]Global Forest WatchWorld Resources Instituteglobalforestwatch.org(opens in a new tab)

Links open the publishing organisation's site. Some point to the publisher's main page, where the named report or dataset can be found.

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