Page 10 - Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens - June '22

Page 10, Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens
Madagascar: The Remains Of Another World

By Don Kiselewski, MCC,
D.S., Palm Beach Gardens
Travel Leaders
The character of
Madagascar has always been
an enigma. Great portions of
its fauna and flora are found
no other place in the world. It
is as if the world had started
on this island before it broke
away from Africa, and not
everything got off to propagate
throughout the world when it was split from the mainland.
The word “unique” A field of baobab trees
finds true meaning because A view of Antananarivo, capital city of Madagascar
of what remains of the common ancestor of monkeys, apes and humans. These
diversity of nature that squirrel-size creatures scurry about the subtropical forest
has been bestowed on this of Madagascar, as they have for the past 50 million years.
island in the Indian Ocean. Interestingly, Madagascar was never inhabited by monkeys,
A quarter of a million yet lemurs have developed a monkey’s way of life. The island
square miles make up the of Nosy Komba is known as Lemur Island and has become
land surface of Madagascar. an attraction for those who wish to observe these animals in
It split away from Africa a controlled wildlife environment.
165 million years ago, and Another creature of Madagascar is the fossa, which is a
is now separated from the A bright-eyed lemur carnivorous mammal related to the catlike civit, and is about
continent by 300 miles at the size of a sheepdog. There are also more than 800 species
its closest point. of butterflies on the island and the spiny globefish (also known
Located about as far south as the puffer fish or porcupine fish) is found in the waters here
of the equator as Florida is as well. The most dangerous animal that inhabits Madagascar A typical fishing village on the island of Nosy Komba, which
north, Madagascar’s landscape today is the crocodile. It is difficult to classify the danger that is also home to countless lemurs
is made up of ridges, valleys, may have existed in the past. Many of its larger animals, such
tropical forests and rivers. as the aepyornis (elephant bird), the world’s largest known thought that perhaps a strange climatic condition aided in their
Each of the many areas on bird, disappeared in a wave of extinction ending some 500 demise; another El Niño perhaps? Nonetheless, the demands
the island differs in climate. A years ago. Eggs of these birds are still occasionally found of the impoverished people have continued to overpower
backbone of mountains stretch along stream beds after heavy rainfalls, having been washed Madagascar. Within the last 50 years the island has lost over
down the length of the island out from deep in the natural forests. 50 percent of its forest.
and Mount Maromokotro, The island was probably visited during the first century Madagascar was one of the first entries on my wish list
located in the north, is the by Indonesians. In the seventh century, the Arabs established of places in the world that I had always wanted to visit, ever
island’s highest at 9,435 feet. trading posts on Madagascar. The Portuguese arrived around since my sixth grade geography teacher painted that idyllic
Rivers flow on the western the year 1500 and the French established settlements in the picture in my mind of what to expect. Perhaps it has been too
side of the island, and the east early 17th century. The French took complete control in 1896, long since I left the sixth grade or perhaps I hadn’t kept up
coast lies behind coral beaches and it became a French overseas territory until 1958 when it with this island on the other side of the world. One thing is
and an almost continuous became the autonomous Malagasy Republic. Two years later in for sure, based upon my visit: I would wager that my teacher
chain of lagoons that form an 1960 it was proclaimed an independent republic. It is thought had never visited the island. Needless to say, I didn’t expect
inland waterway. that because of these relationships, that the Malagasy people to see the picture of the reality that Madagascar offers today.
Madagascar is 1,000 miles are distinct from those of Africa, and more closely related Even though organizations such as the World Wildlife
north to south and 360 miles to Indonesians. Subsequently, migrations from the Pacific, Federation have stepped in, it is believed that it might be
wide, with a shape that roughly Africa and Arab countries have separated Madagascar into too late for a great number of species that originated in
resembles a left footprint, A ring-tailed lemur 18 distinct ethnic groups. Over a quarter of the Malagasy are Madagascar. One might point their finger at the people and
without the small Medina, followed closely by Betsimisaraka, the Betsileo and population explosion. However, do they likewise not have the
toes making a mark. the Tsimihety ethnic groups. There are also small minorities right to survive as well?
It has a population of Indians, Chinese, French and Comorians. Malagasy is a Madagascar in a travel destination that would not be for
of about 28 million language of Indonesian origin and it, along with French, is the majority of our society, but it mustn’t be overlooked.
people (Source: the official language. Scientists, botanists and environmental experts are diligently
CIA Factbook) and Although the fourth largest island in the world, Madagascar attacking the problems of today’s interaction of people and
overpopulation has ranks in the bottom percentile of places tourists seek out for nature. Hopefully, the Malagasy will be able to maintain an
been a concern to travel. Why, you might ask? Simply because of the population environmental status quo and will be successful at turning
environmentalists for explosion that increased today’s population to some almost things around.
a long time. More and The fossa 28 million inhabitants (Source: CIA World Factbook). Man Don Kiselewski writes from his personal experiences,
more of the natural continues to take the unique elements from this island. Fifteen having traveled in 122 countries and cruised the oceans, seas
environment has been stripped from the island, causing the hundred years ago when men first started to inhabit the island, and rivers of the world. Palm Beach Gardens Travel Leaders,
forests to disappear and the rivers to run red with the soil that there were countless numbers of one-of-a-kind species of fauna his family owned and operated agency, is located at Mirasol
is being carried away from the forested land. and flora, such as the giant tortoise, pigmy hippopotamus, Town Square, 11360 North Jog Road, Building A, Suite 102-6,
The country is the home of some 50 species of lemurs, giant lemurs and the elephant bird that stood some 10 feet Palm Beach Gardens. The agency has been serving the travel
a tree-dwelling, monkey-like animal. Lemurs are primates high, and has been estimated to weigh nearly a ton. All of needs of the South Florida area for over a quarter of a century.
named for the ghosts of the Roman dead said to have roamed these special creatures started disappearing some 500 years Contact him at (561) 694-9696 or Aussie@PBGTravel.com.
the night. They are the closest living descendants of the ago, when people started to converge on the island. It is also Photos by Don Kiselewski

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