Animals of Madagascar. Unusual animals of Madagascar

Dizzy animal world Madagascar is impressive with a huge variety of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds, etc. From 1999 to 2010, scientists discovered 615 new species on the island, including 41 mammals and 61 reptiles. Madagascar is an island off the coast of Africa, where about 75% of species are endemic, that is, they do not live anywhere else in the world. Tropical and dry deciduous forests, as well as ample fresh water, have created excellent habitats for rare and endangered species.

photo

Madagascar is the only place in the world where the lemur family lives. Among them is one of the rarest mammals on earth - silky sifaka(Propithecus candidus), a lemur called the "angel of the forest" because of its white fur.

photo Silky Sifaka

A very interesting lemur that is difficult to spot because it is nocturnal. ah-ah(Daubentoniamadagascariensis). It lives in tropical forests and feeds on insect larvae that it finds under the bark of trees. Today this lemur is threatened by habitat loss (destruction tropical forests) and hunting. In some areas, locals believe that the aye-aye brings bad luck and kill the animal whenever they encounter it.

photo Ai-Ai

Indri(Indriindri) is the largest lemur on the island. It primarily feeds on fruits and leaves in the rainforests of eastern Madagascar. Indri is famous for its eerie singing, which sounds a bit like the sounds of a humpback whale. Today, the Indri is endangered due to habitat loss.

photo Indri

The largest representative of the viverridae family in the world and the largest predator of Madagascar - fossa(Cryptoproctaferox). Outwardly it resembles a small puma, but it is not related. The length of the body with tail reaches 1.5 m, weight - 12 kg. Stays lonely. The female gives birth to 2-4 blind cubs. They are fed milk for five months, and the size of adult animals reaches only up to 3-4 years. Fossa is an excellent tree climber, helped in this by her powerful claws and tail. Can live in rocks and bushes.

photo by Fossa

Madagascar's wildlife is home to about half the world's chameleon species (about 150 species). They are small, medium-sized reptiles that are famous for their ability to change color dramatically. One of the smallest chameleons and a tiny lizard - Brookesia minor(Brookesiaminima) feeds on insects and lives along the lower part of the rainforest, or dry deciduous forest, in much of Madagascar. To avoid predators, this chameleon will use its hair and can also pretend to be dead.

photo M scarlet brookesia

There are also many snakes on the island that you will not see anywhere else in the world, but it is unlikely that any of them has such an amazing appearance as leaf-nosed Madagascar grass snake(Langaha madagascariensis). Deciduous snakes, unlike many others, have pronounced signs of sexual dimorphism. This one prefers to ambush tree lizards, birds, frogs and rodents.

photo Leaf-nosed Madagascar grass snake

Reptiles are represented extremely widely. One of the large forms Nile crocodile(Crocodylus niloticus). This species was once widespread in fresh water bodies, but after many years of hunting for its skin, the Nile crocodile became a rare animal. There are also many turtles on the island, for example spider(Pyxisarachnoides), only 10 cm long, or very rare Madagascar beaked tortoise(Asterochelysyniphora). For which exotic lovers are illegally willing to pay up to $200,000. There are no real lizards, monitor lizards and agamas in Madagascar, only iguanas And geckos.

photo Spider turtle

(Phelsuma madagascariensis madagascariensis), unlike most geckos, which are nocturnal, is a diurnal lizard. In addition to Madagascar, it is also found on nearby islands, including the Comoros, Andaman and Seychelles. This gecko feeds mainly on insects, but sometimes eats fruits and flower nectar.

photo Madagascar day gecko

Differs in great variety. The island is home to unique, unusually big size and various colors. Among them is the world's largest butterfly - comet(Argemamittrei). The volume of its bright wings can reach 20 cm, and its tail can grow up to 15 cm in length. This butterfly does not feed, but lives off nutrients, accumulated in the caterpillar stage. The lifespan of a comet is only 4-5 days.

photo Butterfly comet

The fauna of Madagascar has a relatively small species diversity of birds - 258, but 115 of them are endemic. There are many unique specimens on the island. The island is home to three species of rails (Mesitornithidae). All of them are endemic. The birds are about 30 cm long, have short wings and a thick tail. They prefer to live in pairs or small flocks. They feed on seeds and insects. All three species build platform nests low in bushes.

photo Cowgirl

About 20 species of fish live in rivers and freshwater reservoirs. The warm waters of the Indian Ocean surrounding Madagascar are rich in various species of commercial fish.

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Madagascar is the largest and interesting island African coast. It stretches for almost 2000 km and has an area of ​​590,000 km2. The island is mountainous, its nature is very diverse. There is also Coral reefs, and mangrove forests, and tropical forests, and savannas, and shrubby semi-savannas, and even its own desert with dunes. Madagascar separated from Africa a very long time ago, about 20 million years ago, so many of its own species of animals formed here.

The bird fauna of Madagascar consists not only of African, but also of Asian. There are 157 bird species in Madagascar, not counting wintering and visiting birds. They belong to 15 orders and 49 families, of which 6 are endemic (Madagascar rails, ground rakshas, ​​curolas, Madagascar pittas, or filepittas, red-billed nuthatches and vangas). There are also endemic species.

Order Grebes(Podicipediformes)
Sem. Grebes (Podicipedidae)
There are 2 types of grebes found on the island's reservoirs. One is the widespread little grebe, and the other is the endemic Madagascar grebe.

Order Copepods(Pelecaniformes)
Sem. Pelicans (Pelecanidae)
Sem. Cormorants (Phalacrocoracidae)
Sem. Anhingidae
Madagascar is home to the African pelican, the African cormorant and the widespread darter.

Order Leaf-shaped(Ciconiformes)
Sem. Herons (Ardeidae)
Sem. Storks (Ciconiidae)
Sem. Ibis (Threskiornithidae)
There are 5 species of herons in Madagascar, 3 of them are endemic.
Two species of storks also live in Africa, and of the four species of ibis, one - the Madagascar ibis - is endemic.

Order Anseriformes(Anseriformes)
Sem. Ducks (Anatidae)
There are 7 species of ducks on the island, one species - the Madagascar pochard - is endemic to the island.

Order Diurnal birds of prey(Falconiformes)
Sem. Accipitridae (Accipitridae)
Sem. Falconidae
Of the 7 species of hawks in Madagascar, 6 species are endemic, and 1 species is also found in the Comoros Islands. There are 2 species of falcons - the common kestrel and the endemic Madagascar kestrel.

Order Craniformes(Gruiformes)
Sem. Madagascar rails (Mesitornithidae)
Sem. Threefingers (Turnicidae)
Sem. Railidae
The endemic family of Madagascan rails, or ptarmigans, includes 3 species, distributed in the savannas and forests of the island. These are thrush-sized birds that live in forests, bushes and groves of savannas. They collect food on the ground, fly weakly... “The partridge is quite common in large forests along the eastern slope of the central mountain range of Madagascar. Here these birds stay on the ground, quickly stopping as they move to look around and watch out for danger. They do not fly at all, but they run fast... The food of these birds is insects, mainly ants. The nest is made on the ground from pandan stems and leaves" (Menzbier, 1909).

One endemic Madagascar threefingers lives here. There are 6 species of rails, of which 5 species are endemic, and one species is also found on the islands of Mauritius and Aldabra.

Order Charadriiformes(Charadriiformes)
Sem. Colored snipe (Rostratulidae)
Sem. Charadriids (Charadriidae)
Sem. Snipe (Scolopacidae)
Sem. Tircusaceae (Glareolidae)
Sem. Gulls (Laridae)
Colored snipe are a widespread species; plovers - an endemic species - the black-banded plover; snipe - the endemic Madagascar snipe; tirkushki - Madagascar tirkushki, which lives in East Africa. There is only one species of gulls - the widespread sooty tern.

Order Pigeonidae(Columbiformes)
Sem. Sandgrouse (Pteroclidae)
Sem. Pigeons (Columbidae)
Of the sandgrouses, the endemic masked sandgrouse lives in Madagascar, and of the pigeons, there is 1 endemic species and 3 species are also common on the neighboring islands.

Order Parrots(Psittaciformes)
Sem. Parrots (Psittacidae)
There are 3 species of parrots on the island, 1 species - the gray-headed lovebird - endemic and 2 species of vase parrots (small and large) also live on the Comoros Islands.

Order Cuckooformes(Cuculiformes)
Sem. Cuckoos (Cuculidae)
There are 13 species of cuckoos in Madagascar, of which the genus Koua, with 10 species, is endemic.

Order Owls(Strigiformes)
Sem. Barn owls (Tytonidae)
Sem. True owls (Strigidae)
Barn owls are represented by one endemic species, and of the four species of true owls, two species are endemic to Madagascar.

Order Nightjars(Caprimulgiformes)
Sem. True nightjars (Caprimulgidae)
The island is home to 2 endemic species of nightjars.

Order Swift-shaped(Apodiformes)
Sem. True swifts (Apodidae)
Of the two types of swifts common on the island, 1 species is endemic to the island.

Order Coraciiformes(Coraciiformes)
Sem. Kingfishers (Alcedinidae)
Sem. Bee-eaters (Meropidae)
Sem. True rakshi (Coraciidae)
Sem. Ground rakshas (Brachypteraciidae)
Sem. Kurolidae (Leptosomatidae)
Sem. Udopodae (Upupidae)
There are 2 species of kingfishers in Madagascar, one of them is the Madagascar dwarf kingfisher, which is endemic.
Bee-eater is one species that also lives in Africa.
Of the true rakshas, ​​the African broadmouth lives in Madagascar.
Ground rakshas are an endemic family with 5 species. These are birds the size of a jackdaw, living along the edges of forests, clearings and thickets of bushes. They nest in burrows, niches under tree roots, etc. They collect food on the ground. They feed on various invertebrates, small reptiles and frogs.
Curolaceae are an endemic family of Madagascar found only in the Comoros Islands, with a single species, the curol, or kirumbo. Kurol is a bird the size of a jackdaw or slightly larger. The general coloring is light gray; the male has a green-red metallic sheen on his dark back and shoulders. Kurols live in forests, usually along the edges. They live in flocks in the crowns of trees. During the current, the male flies high into the air and from there, with folded wings, rushes down, emitting a low whistle. Kurol feeds on various insects, collecting them on trees.
The widespread common hoopoe also lives in Madagascar. .

Order Passerines(Passeriformes)
Sem. Madagascar pittas, or filepittas (Philepittidae) - 4 species
Sem. Larks (Alaudidae) – 1 species (endemic)
Sem. Swallows (Hirundinidae) – 2 species
Sem. Wagtails (Motacillidae) - 1 species (endemic)
Sem. Drongidae (Dicruridae) - 1 species, also found only in the Comoros Islands
Sem. Red-billed nuthatches (Hyposittidae) - 1 species (endemic)
Sem. Timaliidae - 6 species (endemics)
Sem. Larva-eaters (Campephagidae) - 1 species
Sem. Bulbuls (Pycnonotidae) - 8 species (7 species are endemic)
Sem. Thrushes (Turdidae) - 3 species (endemics)
Sem. Warblers (Sylviidae) - 6 species (endemics)
Sem. Flycatchers (Muscicapidae) - 6 species (endemics)
Sem. Vans (Vangidae) - 12 species (endemics)
Sem. Starlings (Sturnidae) – 1 species (endemic)
Sem. Sunbirds (Nectarinidae) – 2 species
Sem. White-eyes (Zosteropidae) - 2 species (1 species is endemic)
Sem. Weavers (Ploceidae) - 5 species (4 species are endemic)
Madagascar pittas, or filepittas, members of the calling passerines, are an endemic family. It includes 2 genera of birds that differ sharply in appearance. Filepittas are densely built birds with a short tail and a strong beak. Males are predominantly black, females are greyish-green. Above the eye there is bright bare skin. False sunbirds are small birds with a long, curved beak and a bright yellow-blue coloration.
Philepittas feed on small fruits; false sunbirds - small insects, nectar and pollen. They live in humid forests.
The red-billed nuthatch is the only species of the red-billed nuthatch family - a small, brightly colored bird with a red beak. He lives in forests, staying in the crowns of trees, where he climbs trunks and branches. It feeds on various insects.
The van family is also endemic. It includes 12 species of birds, sharply differing in the shape of their beaks, which in some species are short and swollen, in others they are similar to the beaks of tits, in others they are long and sickle-shaped.
Vangas live in various forests. They stay in flocks. They feed on various insects, spiders, terrestrial mollusks, some species eat fruits, and large species can catch small vertebrates.
Nests are placed in trees.
Vangas, just like Galapagos finches and Hawaiian flower girls, - good example adaptations of a group of birds living in isolation. Different beak shapes allow birds to obtain food in different ways, which leads to less competition.

Madagascar is home to some unique and unusual species fauna. The island is home to almost 25,000 species of wildlife, many of which are endangered. Over the past 2,000 years, Madagascar's biologically rich forests have been reduced by almost 90%, largely due to Agriculture and other commercial activities such as logging.

The massive outbreak has brought several island animals to the brink of extinction. Lemurs, which exclusively inhabit Madagascar, are the most endangered and are listed on the Red List of Threatened Species. The bamboo lemur, named after its favorite food, is critically endangered because its habitat has been reduced to 4% of its original size.

Madagascar is located in Indian Ocean on the southeast coast of Africa, and is the 4th largest island in the world. This is a place dominated by endemic species of animals and plants that are found nowhere else in the world. The island was isolated for several million years, allowing animals and plants to evolve and diversify in a small area.

About 170 million years ago, Madagascar was a landlocked territory within the continent of Gondwana. As a result of the movement of the earth's crust, Madagascar and India separated from South America and Africa, and then from Antarctica and Australia. Around 88 million years ago, India also separated from Madagascar, allowing animals on the island to evolve in relative isolation.

Lemurs

Lemurs are primates that look like an animal similar to a dog, cat and squirrel. They exhibit incredibly unique and exciting behavior, including singing sounds reminiscent of whales. Today there are more than thirty species of lemurs in Madagascar, ranging in size from the 25 g dwarf mouse lemur to the largest indri lemur weighing over 12 kg. Lemurs are one of the most endangered animals on the entire planet, and according to the IUCN Red List, they are considered critically endangered, with 22 species critically endangered; 48 species are endangered and 20 are vulnerable.

Fossa

The Fossa lives in the forests of Madagascar and is a close relative of the mongoose. It grows up to 1.8 m in length from tail to nose and weighs up to 12 kg. The animal has a slender body and looks more like a mongoose than a mongoose. The Fossa uses its long tail to move quickly through the trees. The animal is classified as a critically endangered species and is listed on the IUCN Red List due to its habitat loss. Today, less than 10% of Madagascar's original forest cover remains, which is also the only home of the fossa.

Madagascar comet

Madagascar comet ( Argema Mittrei) - one of the most beautiful butterflies in the world, found only in Madagascar. The wingspan can reach 20 cm. The insect has a bright yellow color and long “tails” on the lower wings. Females are wider, their wings are round, and their tail is shorter than that of males. Until now, these beautiful animals do not have protected status, and their population size has not been established.

Panther chameleon

The panther chameleon is endemic to Madagascar and other nearby islands. It has the most variety of colors of any chameleon and is most sought after by reptile traders. Like other chameleons, the panther chameleon has a raised nape. When hunting, it uses its tongue with a suction cup at the end. This species is least endangered.

Fantastic leaf-tailed gecko

Fantastic leaf-tailed gecko ( Uroplatus Phantasticus) is a stunning reptile that can camouflage itself in its environment. Its body is similar to dead leaves, which helps the animal hide from predators. The gecko is covered in patterned skin and its tail looks like it has been chewed by insects. All these features help it blend in well with the surrounding foliage. Fantastic leaf-tailed geckos vary widely in color, but they are generally brownish with some spots on the belly, which sets them apart from other similar species.

These are nocturnal reptiles big eyes, which are suitable for hunting insects in the dark. They also have sticky scales under their toes and strong claws that allow them to move quickly through trees. Geckos live in a specific habitat and are not tolerant of any changes. Because of his appearance Leaf-tailed geckos are beloved pets and are one of the best-selling species. Recently in wildlife There is a decline in population size.

Tomato frog

Also known as tomato narrowmouth frogs, these frogs are found only in Madagascar, mainly in the northwestern part of the island. As a rule, they lead a terrestrial lifestyle and are common in forested areas. Due to deforestation, their habitat has been destroyed, but they appear to adapt well to changed conditions and can be found in gardens and plantations.

There are three types of tomato frogs: Dazzophus antongilli, Dyscophus guineti And Dyscophus insularis. Of the three, D.antogilli is endangered due to deforestation and trapping for keeping as pets. These frogs mate during the rainy season, in shallow, slow-moving water. They are brightly colored and can secrete a nasty substance when threatened, although it is not toxic but can irritate the mucous membrane.

Red foodie

Also called the Madagascar fody, this bird is native to Madagascar and other nearby islands such as the Comoros, Seychelles and Mauritius, and the species has recently been found as far away as the Arabian Peninsula. They grow to about 12.5-13.5 cm and weigh about 14-19 g. Males have bright plumage on the chest and head, while the wings, tail and eye area have dark feathers. The plumage varies widely from orange to yellowish, and during breeding the males molt and become olive-brown like the females. The species is least endangered.

Madagascar hissing cockroach

The Madagascar hissing cockroach is one of the most fascinating endemic animal species on the island. It has an oval shape and a shiny brown body without wings, but with a pair of raised horns in the males. During conflicts, these insects hiss, which is how they got their name. Unlike most insects, which create noise through body parts or vibration, the Madagascar cockroach hisses by contracting its abdomen and forcing air through its spiracles. The insects can live from two to five years and grow up to 5-7 cm in length.

Madagascar bat

The Madagascar bat is a nocturnal primate that lives primarily in trees. Their thumbs and long tails allow them to stay comfortable in trees while they use their echolocation to find food such as insects. They also have sensitive big ears and eyes, which help them find food. Because of their bizarre appearance, they were considered a bad omen among the locals of Madagascar. The species is on the verge of extinction.

Madagascar long-eared owl

This bird has a body length of about 50 cm, making it the largest owl on the island. Females are usually larger than males. The owl is characterized by a brownish crown on the top of its head. She also has a brown facial disc. The Madagascar owl is primarily nocturnal. The species is least endangered.

Striped tenrec

The striped tenrec is common in the lowland northern and eastern parts of Madagascar. The animal has a long pointed snout, vestigial tail and limbs. The muzzle is black with yellow stripes, and the body is covered with spines. The striped tenrec is active both during the day and at night and feeds mainly on insects. The long muzzle is designed mainly for digging in the ground in search of prey. They can also feed on worms, small fish and even frogs. Tenrecs mainly breed in October and December depending on the availability of food. The gestation period is 58 days and the female can give birth to up to eight cubs. The species is of least concern.

Black mantella

Known as Mantella madagascariensis, black mantella - bright frog with green, black, yellow or orange. The species is found only in eastern and central Madagascar. These frogs live in tropical forests bordering freshwater bodies. They can carry moderate temperature between 24ºC and 27ºC during the day and slightly lower at night. The black mantella is a carnivorous animal that primarily feeds on insects. Frogs are active during the day, usually occupying small territories. The bright body color acts as a warning of danger to any predator. The species is in a vulnerable position.

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A British photographer has led an epic 20-year foray into one of the world's strangest ecological systems. Nick Garbutt, 46, from Cumbria, has made 25 trips deep into the forests of Madagascar. He has visited the island every year since 1991. Over two decades, Nick has created an extraordinary collection of photographic photographs of unusual and colorful species of the island.

An adult female fossa (Crytoprocta ferox) hunts prey in the forest at Kirindy Park in western Madagascar.

A male comet moth (Argema mittrei) dries its wings in the forest thicket in national park Mantadia, Madagascar.

An adult male fossa (Crytoprocta ferox) wanders through a deciduous forest, western Madagascar.

The island was cut off from the African mainland 160 million years ago. But the inhabitants of the island developed functions that are not found anywhere else. Many of the animals that are in Nick's photographs can only be found in Madagascar.

Verreaux sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi) passes through open space in thorny forests, southern Madagascar.

The concern is that a large number of the animals in these photographs could become extinct within the next 20 years. Poor local communities are cutting down forests to make way for crops such as rice. A huge amount of wood harvested from the destroyed forest is used to produce charcoal. Nick said: "In its original state, Madagascar was 85% forested, and now only 8% remains. What's even more shocking is that 50% of the forest loss has happened in the last 50 years and I've seen this massive destruction. Since I I started coming here since 1991, I don’t have much hope for a revival.”

A male spear-nosed chameleon (Calumma Gallus) in the lowland rainforest near Mantadia, eastern Madagascar.

Although the number national parks, is growing on the island, environmentalists fear it is not enough to save many animals. “When I first visited Madagascar, there were only two national parks,” says Nick. “That number has now grown to 20, and they serve as sanctuaries for animals where cutting trees is illegal, but in practice it doesn’t always work.”

An adult black-and-white ruffed lemur (Varecia Variegata) hangs on a branch in Andasibe-Mantadia National Park, eastern Madagascar.

“It is inevitable that all national parks will be run by the people living on the island, and this still equates to the loss of animals,” he says. “Large numbers of individuals will simply disappear and there will be no one left in the parks to protect. We need to slow the rate of destruction and preserve the amazing diversity.”

Ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) bask in the sun at dawn, Berenty Private Reserve, southern Madagascar.

Nick Garbutt with an orphaned ring-tailed lemur near Tsimanampetsotsa National Park in November 2009.

Nick Garbutt at Ranomafana National Park in May 1991 on his first visit to the island.

A pygmy stump-tailed chameleon (Brookesia peyrierasi) on a finger in the Nosy Mangabe Nature Reserve, northeast Madagascar.

Male giraffe-necked weevil (Trachelophorus giraffa) in the Vohiparara rainforest, national park Ranomafana, Madagascar.

A leaf-tailed gecko (Uroplatus fimbriatus) climbs a tree trunk in Nosy Mangabe Park, northeastern Madagascar.

Nick Garbutt photographs a panther chameleon in Masoala National Park in October 2009.

Painted mantella frog (Mantella madagascariensis) in Mantadia National Park, eastern Madagascar.

A male panther chameleon (Furcifer pardalis) searches for prey in vegetation on a peninsula beach in Masoala National Park, northeastern Madagascar.

Amazing bird Helmet Vanga (Euryceros prevostii) near its nest in Masoala NP, northeast of Madagascar.

Male Parsons chameleon (Calumma parsonii) in the rainforest, Masoala National Park, Madagascar.

Huge baobab trees (Adansonia grandidieri) at dusk, near Morondava, western Madagascar.

A white-lipped tree frog (Boophis albilabris) sits in the rainforest of Ranomafana National Park, southeastern Madagascar.

During his fascinating travels, Nick also photographed the strange aye-aye. Having a long middle finger, it is able to rummage in the bark of a tree like a “fish” in water, looking for larvae and cutworms there.

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When Admiral Etienne de Flacourt published his History of the Grand Island in 1658 Madagascar”, summing up his long stay in this corner of the Earth, it contained a lot of the most incredible information, perceived as fables of travelers, and their veracity was established only centuries later.

Speaking about birds “inhabiting forests,” Flacourt, for example, wrote: “Vurupatra is a large bird living in Ampatra, lays eggs, like an ostrich, in the most deserted places.”

After Flacourt, other travelers wrote about the huge bird, and they were also called dreamers. And she also laid eggs, larger than those that ostriches “produce,” and the locals used them as utensils.

Here is what Ferdinand von Hochstäcker writes:

“Madagascars came to Mauritius to buy rum. The containers they brought with them were egg shells eight times larger than ostrich eggs and 135 times larger than chicken eggs; they held more than 9 liters. They said that these eggs are sometimes found in desert areas, and birds are occasionally seen.”

It is clear that all this was perceived as anecdotes. If an ostrich with a height of 2 meters 50 centimeters was considered a giant monster bird, then what can we say about a giant that laid eggs eight times larger than an ostrich?

As Orientalists believed, these rumors were nothing more than an echo of the legend of the Rukh bird from the tales of the Arabian Nights, scary creature, which earned a dubious reputation among Arab sailors. She was so huge, they said about her, that when she appeared in the sky, a shadow appeared: her wings covered the sun. And she is so strong that she can grab an elephant and lift it into the air, and impale several animals on its horn at once. It happened that she carried away entire ships with crews...

On his second voyage, Sinbad the Sailor encountered this bird after he found an egg. It was 50 steps wide!

When Herodotus wrote about giant African birds, their size seemed more modest: Egyptian priests told him about a race of flying giants who lived on the other side of the source of the Nile, and they had the power to lift a person. Let us remember that the largest eagle is able to lift a creature no larger than a rabbit...

Marco Polo in the fourteenth century heard echoes of the same tale from the lips of Kublai Khan. The Asian ruler showed him the feathers of a bird “about 20 meters long” and two eggs of considerable size. And he added that Rock comes from the island of Madagascar on the south side.

Thus, the stories about the Rukh bird and the Malagasy legends coincided in time and space. But it seemed incredible that a bird weighing several hundred kilograms could rise into the air. But it was believed that if a bird is a bird, it must certainly be able to fly. And the Rock bird, also known as Vurupatra, was declared a fable.

Epiornis eggs

Years passed, and in 1834, the French traveler Goudeau picked up incredible-sized halves of shells on the island, which served as bottles for local residents. He made a drawing and sent it in 1840 to Paris to ornithologist Jules Verreau. He, based only on the appearance of the egg, named the bird that laid it epiornis, “big bird.”

A few years later, this name, which initially aroused suspicion, was legitimized when Dumarel saw a whole egg in the vicinity of Diego Suarez in 1848. “It held 13 bottles of liquid.”

And in 1851, it was finally officially recognized that there were giant birds on the island: the captain of the merchant ship Malavois brought to the Paris Museum two eggs 32 centimeters long and 22 centimeters wide. They mixed in about eight liters (8 ostrich and 140 chicken eggs). From one such egg you can make an omelette for 70 people.

A few more years later, the famous traveler Alfred Grandidier brought from the Ambalistra swamps bones of an indeterminate type that, at first glance, belonged to some kind of pachyderm. But research has shown that these are bird bones (“elephant birds”). To be honest, ornithologists were not very surprised, because a few years earlier R. Owen described moa from bone remains from New Zealand. Based on the available material, Isidore Geoffrey Saint-Hilaire described the species Aepyornis maximus.

In fact, epiornis is not at all larger than moa in height (moa is 2 meters 50 centimeters tall). The Paris Museum has a restored skeleton of Aepornis - 2.68 meters. But this is also a very big increase.

Epiornis eggs

To be honest, there is no direct connection between the growth of a bird and its egg. Remember the kiwi from New Zealand: its eggs are comparable to those of an ostrich, and the bird itself is no larger than a chicken. And in terms of weight, the following data is obtained: 440 kilograms for the largest apiornis and 329 for a medium-sized moa.

When do giants disappear?

A study of the bones of Aepyornis showed that, unlike the legendary Rukh, this real bird did not know how to fly. Like other keelbirds, its relatives are the cassowary, moa, emu... Their wings were underdeveloped.

But is it the same bird that Flakur designated under the name Vurupatra? The eggs that were found in the sand in the dunes of the south and southeast or in the mud of the swamps were suspiciously fresh, as if they had just been laid. And the bones didn’t look like fossils...

They began to question the residents. They answered that the birds were found in the remote corners of the island, but they were seen very, very rarely. But naturalists, still under the influence of Cuvier, do not want to believe this, so no one today not only searched for the bird, but also studied the reasons for its disappearance.

Epiornis skull

One thing is obvious: man could not be the only reason for its death, unlike the story with the moa vurupatru, or vorompatru, was not exterminated for meat. There is not a word about this in the legends (and the Maori were happy to talk about hunting moa using simple pikes with a stone tip).

In an attempt to explain the death of Aepyornis, they went as far as asphyxia caused by gas releases in certain areas of the island. But isn't it too difficult? Most likely, it has to do with the habitat areas themselves. The climate changed, people drained the swamps, and the last refuges disappeared.

The giant swamps dried up in the highlands of Antsirabe and Betafo. Epiornis climbed further into the swamps and died there, not finding food. This is proven by their remains found in peat bogs. It is clear that man hastened the end of the vorompatra; it survived until recent times, until 1862 (when the inhabitants clearly saw it), not reaching the present day.

Other giants of Madagascar

Various factors contributed to the death of not only Epiornis, but also other species, such as Mullerornis, the giant cassowary of the Ankaratra region, Centornis and many others. But isn't it too early to bury them?

Just like on the neighboring islands - Seychelles and Mascarene - the giant tortoise Testudo grandidieri weighing up to one ton was found here. She apparently became a victim of drought. But according to Raymond Decarie, an expert on the fauna of Madagascar, the extermination of the turtle was not widespread.

“There are rumors about the presence in certain caves of the southwest mysterious creature, which may turn out to be a giant tortoise - are we talking about the last representatives of Testudo grandidieri? - writes the zoologist.

Carapace Testudo turtles grandidieri

Another species: in Madagascar there were giant crocodiles, whose skulls reached 80 centimeters in width. There is evidence that they are still here.

The total drainage of the swamps led to the disappearance of hippopotamuses on the island. Previously, there were giants here, reminiscent of the Pleistocene hippopotamuses of Africa. Didn’t the great wanderer Dumont D’Urville write about them in 1829 in his book “Travels Around the World” while sailing along the rivers of Madagascar?

On the other hand, there is an assumption that it was the hippopotamus, or rather its image, transformed by the legend, that served as the basis for the myth of the tsogombi or ombirano - a water bull, half mule, half horse with a hump.

If we're talking about about the hippopotamus, it has changed a lot in the legends, for Tsogombi has huge hanging ears. In addition, he was “gifted” with a scream that would terrify anyone, as well as aggressive cannibalistic habits. The Mahafaly and Antrandon tribes, according to R. Decarie, attribute to him eggs that actually belonged to Epyornis.

There are also rumors of railalomena, which means "father or ancestor of the hippopotamus." He supposedly lives in swamps, and has a horn in his forehead. All this is very reminiscent of the famous "Dinosaur from the Congo" ( ). Perhaps the Bantu invaders who appeared here brought with them descriptions of a mysterious creature from the continent.

Both hypotheses have a right to exist, and in both cases there are similarities with the Congolese reptile - the body of a hippopotamus, horn, drooping ears (which in fact may be fleshy growths on the edges of the head and are visible on the dragon from the portico of Ishtar), oviparity, talking about a reptile , swamp habitat, aggressive character and, finally, wild screams.

If this creature lived in Madagascar, it could certainly have become one of the first victims of the drying out of swamps and lakes. Unless, of course, it's a giant turtle. Or a touring crocodile from the continent...

Tretretre and the man with the dog's head

Madagascar is called the land of semi-fossil animals. No other island can become such a showcase ancient history. The remains of animals, birds, and reptiles often turn out to be so fresh that many wonder: are their “owners” alive?

Often legends and oral traditions claim that people knew them until relatively recently. Let us recall Gennep's principle, according to which memories of events are lost within two centuries where there is no oral tradition. That is why there is such great interest in the memories of travelers.

In addition to the epiornis, Flacourt wrote about another mysterious animal: “Tretretretra, or tratratratra, the size of a bull and with the face of a man. It is reminiscent of Ambroise Pare's tanakht. This is a solitary animal, and the inhabitants of that country are afraid of it and run away from it...”

The first reaction of naturalists of that time was, naturally, unambiguous - a myth. Nothing like this has ever lived in Madagascar; there have never been real monkeys there. Especially like this amazing view. So, someone repeated the naive fables of Marco Polo and Ctesias?

The first camouflage was removed with the discovery of the indri (Indris brevicaudatus), the largest living lemur, fitting the description of a "dog-headed man." It is about a meter high, almost without a tail (stump), often stands on its hind legs, being on the ground, it surprisingly resembles a person. Its elongated muzzle looks more like a fox than a dog.

Looking at him, you understand why members of the Betsimaraka clan both killed and deified him, calling him babakoto (father-child), considering him the descendant of a man who retired to the forests. Let us add that all lemurs for the Malagasy are fadi (taboo), because it is believed that this is another incarnation of man.

And at the end of the 19th century, the remains of a huge fossil lemur were found in Madagascar, which was called Megaladapis. The height of an adult Megaladapis was comparable to the height of a short person, the weight was supposedly up to 70 kilograms (for Megaladapis Edwards even up to 200 kilograms).

Megaladapis is believed to have gone extinct as early as the 10th millennium BC, but radiocarbon dating suggests that Edwards' Megaladapis was still living in Madagascar at the time Europeans arrived there in 1504.

Megaladapis

In those same years, remains of Paleopropithecus were discovered in Madagascar. Paleopropithecus is a genus of subfossil lemurs that lived in Madagascar from the Pleistocene to historical times. Paleopropithecus was also a large primate, weighing from 40 to 55 kilograms.

Paleopropithecus definitely lived in Madagascar at the time humans appeared there (the latest remains from the Ankilitheo deposit, according to radiocarbon dating, date back to the 14th-15th centuries AD). They could also be what was called a tretretre.

The fading heart of Gondwana

Logically, one could look for the same part of Gondwana in Madagascar as on the African continent. In fact, the island is not an African zoological province. Malgash animals are characterized, on the one hand, by the originality of their forms, and on the other hand, they are related to the forms of South America and the Indo-Malayan region.

Among the typical forms of Madagascar are lemurs, which differ from other primates in a number of anatomical features. It was for this appearance that scientists gave them the name “lemurs,” as the Romans called the phantoms of dead people. But lemurs live not only in Madagascar. Some are common in Africa - galago, potto and angwantibo, and in Malaysia - lorises and slow lorises.

But in Madagascar there live forms completely unknown in Africa. Moreover, they are famous in... the Antilles! And in South America. This whole cocktail is explained by the presence of the once huge continent of Gondwana.

A study of the fossil remains of lemurs showed that even in the recent era there were a great many of them. Magaladapis were true tree-climbing rhinoceroses. They did this despite their size, thanks to their tenacious fingers. And there were many others. And looking at them, you think that Flacourt’s descriptions do not seem so fantastic.

Who is Tokandia - a “four-legged jumper” that lives in trees and makes human sounds? Who are the Kolonoros, the Malagasy gnomes?

“All tribes,” writes Decarie, “believe in some semblance of our dwarfs, brownies and gnomes. Their names vary by region: bibialona, ​​kotokeli, and so on. Colonoro is something of an amphibian. On Lake Alcatra they live like sirens or mermaids with long fluffy hair, they live in the water, they reach out to pies, they grab children.”

According to Betsileo beliefs, the colonoro, on the contrary, is a land creature two cubits high, covered long hair, he has a wife named Kotokeli, lives in caves. She steals children from people and replaces them with her own.

In the Kinkong Lake area, the Sakalawa have a different concept of colonoro. This is a male creature that lives along the banks of ponds. Dimensions are less than a meter. He has a sweet feminine voice, eats fish, and walks around the neighborhood in the evenings. Meets a man, talks to him and lures him into a pond.

Strange legends spread throughout the island, fresh bones found in the southwest and the conditions of their occurrence indicate that Hadropithecus (another ancient look lemurs) could survive until recent eras in the region of Bara, Ankazoabo.

Many areas of Madagascar are still completely unexplored, and giant lemurs could survive on these millions of hectares of forest. Remember the okapi - he lived incognito for a long time.