The russet lemur is one of 104 endangered lemur species, and 17 species have become extinct upon the arrival of humans in Madagascar. Photo by Chien C Lee
Beijing, Jan. 11 (Zhongxin Net) -- A new biodiversity research paper published in Nature Communications, an academic journal owned by Springer Nature, pointed out that if endangered animals go extinct, Madagascar's biodiversity may take millions of years to return to pre-human levels. The findings of this study point to the need for immediate conservation action to prevent long-term and sustainable biodiversity loss.
Sunset in Madagascar, home to several species of baobab trees. Photo by Association Vahatra
The paper shows that Madagascar is home to many unique animal species, including ring-tailed lemurs, Malagasy long-tailed civets, and the world's smallest chameleon, many of which are endangered by human influences, including deforestation, hunting and climate change. Evolution and new species from other regions may eventually compensate for the extinction of these animals, but this process takes a long time.
The Vickersler lemur is one of the 109 remaining lemur species in Madagascar and is critically endangered, with 17 species of lemurs already extinct. Photo by Chien C Lee
Lead author Nathan Michielsen of the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands and corresponding author Luis Valente of the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, together with collaborators, attempted to quantify the extent of human damage to Madagascar animals and predict future outcomes. They collected a complete dataset of 249 living mammals and recently extinct mammals, including species such as the great lemur, bonohippos and others that disappeared shortly after humans first arrived on the island. By combining this data with statistical models of the evolutionary history of species and their geographic distribution over time, the authors found that if the current threat is left unmitigated, it will take Madagascar 3 million years to recover species that have disappeared since human arrival. In addition, if the current endangered species also go extinct, Madagascar will take more than 20 million years to recover.
The lowland spotted Falklands hedgehog is a diverse and special mammal that lives only in Madagascar. Photo by Chien C Lee
The authors note that even for bat species that are more likely to settle on the island than flightless mammals, it may take 3 million years to recover. The authors also found that the number of endangered mammal species in Madagascar has increased significantly over the past 10 years, from 56 in 2010 to 128 in 2021.
Pod-sucking bats belong to an ancient family of bats that exist only in Madagascar. Photo by Chien C Lee
The authors warn that if timely conservation action is not taken, Madagascar's biodiversity could be affected for millions of years. They noted that conservation projects should include improving the socio-economic situation of local populations, reducing forest loss in remaining natural habitats, and limiting artisanal and commercial resource extraction, such as broadleaf harvesting and trade in wild food animals. (End)