MADAGASCAR AND THE INDIAN OCEAN ISLANDS

OLUWASEYI AKINSOLAANJALI SIVENDRA

YANIQUE BELLABIJAH MINTON

What makes Madagascar and the Indian Ocean Islands a Hotspot

Hotspot Criteria:Madagascar and the Indian Ocean Islands:

- At least 1,500 endemic species of vascular plants

- At least 70% of its original habitat is gone

At least 13,000 species of vascular plants and 90% (11,700 species) are endemic

About 17% of its original habitat remains in Madagascar

Islands have lost about 80% of their original habitat The center of Madagascar where

there are a few remaining trees from a once flourishing evergreen forest.

Unique BiodiversityPlants:

•13,000 species; 90%

endemic•Baobab (aka bottle tree)

- 8 species – 6 are

endemic to Madagascar Vertebrates:• Birds: Over 300 species; 60% endemic 55 endemic species are threatened, 32 already extinct• Mammals: About 90% endemic –Well-known for 72 kinds of lemurs that inhabit trees like the bottle tree•Reptiles and Amphibians: 3 epidemic species; popular diversity of chameleons and gorgeous tomato frog• Fishes: about 100 endemic species; mostly freshwater

Invertebrates: • 80% endemic

• Ex.: terrestrial snails, scorpions, spiders, tiger

beetles and giant tenebrionid beetle

• Seychelles Island is home to the largest millipede and the largest terrestrial invertebrate, the

coconut crab