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DEFORESTATION Aerial view of deforestation for rice cultivation in Madagascar Aerial view of deforestation for agriculture in Madagascar Aerial view of Malagasy deforestation Aerial view of deforestation in Madagascar Aerial view of deforestation in eastern Madagascar View from plane of deforestation in Madagascar Airplane view of deforestation in Madagascar Bird's eye view of deforestation in Madagascar Bird's eye view of environmental degradation in Madagascar Deforestation in Madagascar (bird's-eye view) Deforestation in Madagascar (view from plane) Deforestation in Madagascar (aerial view) Deforestation in Madagascar (view from airplane) Aerial view of rainforest deforestation in Madagascar Aerial view of land clearing in Madagascar Aerial view of tavy agriculture in Madagascar Aerial view of agricultural fire in Madagascar Aerial view of burning in Madagascar Aerial view of land clearing for agriculture in Madagascar Aerial view of fire forest in Madagascar Forest fragments in Madagascar (aerial view) Deforestation and forest fragments in Madagascar Lavaka (landslides) caused by erosion in Madagascar Erosion resulting from deforestation in Madagascar Lavaka erosion in Madagascar Deforestation-induced lavaka (erosion) in Madagascar Aerial view of rice fields in eastern Madagascar Aerial view of tomb in Madagascar Aerial view of erosion in Madagascar Aerial view of erosion in western Madagascar Aerial view of deforestation-induced erosion in Madagascar Aerial view of dry rice fields in western Madagascar Airplane view of erosion in Madagascar Airplane view of erosion in western Madagascar Airplane view of deforestation-induced erosion in Madagascar Airplane view of deforestation-induced erosion in western Madagascar Plane view of erosion in Madagascar Plane view of erosion in western Madagascar Plane view of deforestation-induced erosion in Madagascar Plane view of deforestation-induced erosion in western Madagascar Aerial view of rice fields Aerial view of village in Western Madagascar Aerial view of village in Western Madagascar Aerial view of village with rice paddies in Western Madagascar Aerial view of dry forest Aerial view of dry forest Aerial view of dry forest Aerial view of dry forest Aerial view of dry forest Aerial view of rice paddies and river and dry forest Aerial view of deforestation and erosion in southern Madagascar Aerial view of deforestation and erosion in southern Madagascar Aerial view of deforestation and erosion in southern Madagascar Aerial view of the Manambolo River Airplane view of the Manambolo River Plane view of the Manambolo River Aerial view of the red-colored Manambolo River Deforested area in the western watershed of the Bay of Antongil Aerial view of coast along western short of the Bay of Antongil Burned area in forest near Makira protected area in Madagascar Fires in the rainforest of north eastern Madagascar Agricultural fires set in humid forests of Madagascar Cleared rainforest in Madagascar Tropical deforestation in northeastern Madagascar Deforested patches near Makira Agricultural fires in wet forests of Madagascar Agricultural fires in rain forests of Madagascar Agricultural fires in tropical forests of Madagascar Aerial view of deforestation in western Madagascar Deforestation of dry forest in southwestern Madagascar Aerial view of deforestation near Ifaty in western Madagascar Places Aerial | Andasibe | Ankavandra | Beaches | Berenty | Canyons | Canyons in Isalo | Fort Dauphin-Tana | Ifasina Antoetra | Isalo | Kirindy | Manambolo | Mantady | Maroantsetra-Tamatave Maroantsetra | Masoala | Morondava | Nosy Mangabe | Oly Canyon | RN7 | Rainforest | Ranomafana | Tana | Tana flight | Tsingy | Tsingy de Bemaraha | Tulear | Villages Wildlife Birds | Frogs | Insects | Invertebrates | Lemurs | Lizards | Mammals | Mantella | Reptiles | Wildlife Plants Baobabs | Flora Other Deforestation | Guides | Malagasy Deforestation | Rice | Scenery | Sisal | Sunsets | Tombs | Zafimaniry More on Madagascar Back to Travel | mongabay.com | A Place Out of Time | Animals Madagascar, due to its isolation from the rest of the world, has tremendous biodiversity and high rates of endemic species: of over 200,000 known species found on Madagascar, about 150,000 exist nowhere else. Unique to the island are 32 species of lemurs [pictures] (there were once 48), 168 out of 170 species of frogs [pictures], and 33 species of tenrec, miniature hedgehog-like animals. However, it is one of the most threatened ecosystems on the planet. More than 80% of the forests are gone, half of them since the late 1950's, along with numerous unique species. The forests are disappearing primarily as a result of slash-and-burn agriculture ("tavy") for rice and cattle which form the backbone of the Malagasy economy. Each year, 772 square miles (2000 sq. km) are lost, a staggering amount considering the remaining forests (rainforest loss is estimated at 1.5% per year). The agricultural livelihood of the impoverished Malagasy people is further endangered by massive soil erosion which exceeds 400 tons of topsoil per hectare in some areas. continued

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