Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
BiologistsoftenrefertoMadagascarasamuseumhousinglivingfossils.Thisisbecause
almost all the mammals on the island today closely resemble groups that once shone else-
wherebuthavesincebeenreplacedbymoreadvancedspecies.Althoughevolutionhascer-
tainly occurred on the island, it seems to have plodded on with less momentum than back
in Africa. Hence, while their cousins on the mainland were subjected to extreme competi-
tion with the species that were to develop subsequently, the Malagasy mammals were able
to stick more rigidly to their original physiques and behaviours.
The word 'cousins' is especially poignant when applied to the lemurs, for across Africa
primate evolution was eventually to lead to the ascent of humankind. How opportune then
foranunderstandingofourownnaturalhistorythatoneofourdirectancestorsmanagedto
end up on this island sanctuary and remain, sheltered from the pressures of life elsewhere,
relatively true to its original form for us to appreciate 35 million years later.
Lemurs
Lemurs are to a biologist what the old masters are to an art critic: they may not
be contemporary, but historically they are very important and they are beautiful to look
at. Lemurs belong to a group of primates called the prosimians, a word which means 'be-
fore monkeys'. Their basic body design evolved about 40 to 50 million years ago. With
stereoscopic colour vision, hands that could grasp branches, a brain capable of processing
complex, learned information, extended parental care and an integrated social system in-
corporating a wide range of sound and scent signals, the lemurs were the latest model in
evolution's comprehensive range of arboreal (tree-living) mammals. Their reign lasted un-
til about 35 million years ago, when a new model - the monkey - evolved. Monkeys were
superior in a number of ways: they were faster, could think more quickly, used their vis-
ion more effectively and were highly dextrous. Their success rapidly drove the less adapt-
able prosimians to extinction across most of the world. A few stowaways managed to take
refugeinMadagascar,acorneroftheworldneverreachedbymoreadvancedprimates(un-
til the recent arrival of humans). Today we see the results of 35 million years of leisurely
evolution. The single ancestral species has adapted into around 100 recognised varieties
and instead of gazing at inanimate rocks we have the luxury of being able to watch, hear
and smell the genuine article.
Smell is an extremely important aspect of lemur lives. Through scents, lemurs commu-
nicate a wide range of information, such as who's in charge, who is fertile, who is related
to whom and who lives where. They supplement this language with a vocal one. Chirps,
barks and cries reinforce hierarchies in lemur societies, help to defend territories against
othergroupsandwarnofdanger.Sociallythelemursshowagreatvarietyoforganisational
skills and the strategy used by each species is largely dependent on the nature of their diet.
Thesmall,quick-moving,insectivorouslemurssuchasthemouselemursanddwarflemurs
are nocturnal and largely solitary except during the mating season when they pair up with
a member of the opposite sex. Literally surrounded by their insect food, they require only
