Wildlife of the World: Madagascar

Book excerpt: In this book in the 'Wildlife of the World' series, expert wildlife photographer Hugh Lansdown reveals some of the most fascinating and endangered animals to be found on the strange, mysterious, tropical island of Madagascar. With a growing human population, deforestation and increasingly frequent droughts, Madagascar’s wildlife is some of the most threatened on the planet... but it is also some of the most incredible and unique! Over eighty percent of the animals are found nowhere else in the world; from huge, noisy indri to tiny secretive mouse lemurs and strange spiky tenrecs to weird long-necked weevils... not to mention whole families of frogs, lizards and birds! This book, aimed at children from 8 to 13 years old (but fascinating at any age!) contains maps showing Madagascar's location and a section for each of the country's main regions with photos of some of the incredible animals found there. It also contains special sections featuring iconic creatures such as ring-tailed lemurs, indri and chameleons together with a 'Hidden Wildlife Puzzle' and discussion of the conservation issues the country is facing. In addition the book contains links to an interactive map of Madagascar as well as on-line media including videos and sound recordings, all of which are directly related to the text. Conserving the incredible wildlife we share our planet with is one of the most important tasks the young generation are going to be faced with. This book has been carefully designed to grab their attention in the chaotic, modern digital world, educate them about the amazing creatures that live here and enthuse them with the desire to find out more!