What if lemurs went extinct?
“Not only are we facing the loss of these unique, charismatic animals, we’re also losing their role in the ecosystem. Without lemurs, the rainforests themselves will change because the lemurs alone disperse the seeds of many of the forests’ largest hardwoods.”
Are lemurs monkeys yes or no?
Lemurs are primates, an order that includes monkeys, apes and humans. There are approximately 32 different types of lemurs in existence today, all of which are endemic to Madagascar; a single island country off the southeast coast of Africa.
Where are the Merina people from?
Madagascar
The Merina people (also known as the Imerina, Antimerina or Hova) are the largest ethnic group in Madagascar. They are the “highlander” Malagasy ethnic group of the African island and one of the country’s eighteen official ethnic groups.
Where are Madagascar people from?
East Africa
A new study in the American Journal of Human Genetics confirms that the people of Madagascar have origins in both East Africa and also distant Borneo. Despite the island’s proximity to southern Africa, some anthropologists believe it was ethnic Indonesians who first settled Madagascar 1500-2000 years ago.
Why should we protect lemurs?
Why are lemurs so important to Madagascar? Lemurs are the most threatened group of mammals on earth, yet they provide priceless ecosystem services. From an ecological perspective, they help maintain Madagascar’s forests and many plant species rely on lemurs for survival.
How do lemurs help humans?
Because they’re primates, lemurs are a closer genetic match to humans than mice or rats are — and that makes them valuable models for studying human diseases like Alzheimer’s.
Is King Julien a lemur?
King Julien is a ring-tailed lemur and spends about a third of its time on the ground. This makes it the most “grounded” lemur compared to other species. In the morning he prefers to sunbathe to warm up (see photo). Ring-tailed lemurs live in the south and southwest of Madagscar and are very social animals.
Who discovered Madagascar?
Diogo Dias
Madagascar is mentioned in the writings of Marco Polo, but the first European known to have visited the island was Diogo Dias, a Portuguese navigator, in 1500.
Is there still a monarchy in Madagascar?
This article lists the Imerina monarchs, from the earliest origins of the Merina monarchy until the French conquest of the Merina Kingdom during the Second Madagascar expedition….List of Imerina monarchs.
| Monarchy of Madagascar | |
|---|---|
| Formation | 6 July 1810 |
| Abolition | 28 February 1897 |
| Residence | Ambohimanga (spiritual) Rova of Antananarivo (political) |
How was Madagascar formed?
Madagascar was formed by the continental drift rather than a volcanic eruption like its neighbouring islands of Mauritius, Réunion, Rodrigues and the Comoros. The island tore off mainland Africa around 165 million years ago and drifted off like a giant ark.
How big is Madagascar?
At 592,800 square kilometres (228,900 sq mi) Madagascar is the world’s 2nd largest island country. The nation comprises the island of Madagascar (the fourth-largest island in the world) and numerous smaller peripheral islands.
Is Madagascar a tectonic plate?
Madagascar, the big island off the east coast of Africa with the lemurs and baobabs, is thought to be sitting in the middle of an old tectonic plate, and so, by the rules of plate tectonics, should be tectonically quiet: few earthquakes and no volcanoes. But it’s not.
Where did Madagascar’s Polynesians come from?
This fact would require a starting common home among the Proto-Malagasy vahoaka ntaolo (gone west to Madagascar) and the ancestors of the current Polynesians (left for the Pacific Islands in the East) between 500 BCE – 1 CE. Radama I, the first monarch of the kingdom unified central Madagascar.