What kind of wildlife is in Madagascar and what animals can you see?

By Megan Shersby

Published: Monday, 26 September 2022 at 12:00 am

The island of Madagascar is a wildlife paradise filled with many exotic beautiful species that can’t be found anywhere else

Here are our favourite species to spot

Illustration by Dawn Cooper

Wildlife to spot in Madagascar

1. Fossa, Kirindy Forest

Fossa © Shannon Wild / VW Pics / UIG / Getty

Fossas are Madagascar’s apex predator, a large mongoose-like carnivore that can grow to nearly 1.5m long (if you include the tail). Elusive and hard to spot, but Kirindy is said to offer better odds than other locations.

2. Aye-aye, Nosy Mangabe

Aye-aye © Frans Lanting / Getty

The extraordinary aye-aye was introduced to Nosy Mangabe, which it was hoped would develop an ‘ark’ population. If you want to see any aye-ayes, you’ll have to stay the night.

Why do aye-ayes have such weird hands?

3. Giraffe-necked weevil, Ranomafana NP

Giraffe-necked weevil © Nick Garbutt / Getty

These famously bizarre bugs are only found in rainforest on the east side of Madagascar. In the mating season, look out for males fighting for a female using their necks.

4. Indri, Andasibe-Mantadia NP

Indri © Andy Rouse / Getty

The indri is the largest-living lemur and, with its black and white, luxuriously thick coat, unmistakable for any of its relatives. Also renowned for their extraordinary calls, there are some habituated groups within the park.

5. Verreaux’s sifaka, Berenty Reserve

This lemur is renowned for its elegance, whether it’s leaping through the trees or bounding along the ground with its arms in the air. There are habituated groups at Berenty.

6. Ring-tailed lemur, Isalo NP

If there is such a thing as the archetypal lemur, the ring-tailed lemur is it, even though it can only be found in the south. It feeds on the ground in groups of up to 30 individuals.

Top illustration by Dawn Cooper