#880: Zono

Zono, or Zona, is the name given to various species of small, colourful rainbowfish, endemic to Madagascar. Several species are popular in the pet industry, and are capable of hybridisation. Inhabiting fast-flowing streams, he favours the calmer, shaded areas and feeds on insects that fall into the water. Eggs are attached to vegetation and left unguarded. Juvenile larvae remain near the banks, whilst adults occupy the deeper waters.

#864: Yellow-headed Day Gecko

The charming Yellow-headed Day Gecko lives in Madagascar, where his range is limited to the North-western area around Antsatsaka. His habitat is bamboo forest, where he favours the yellow bamboo canes, which offer him camouflage. He grows to about 10 cm in length.  His preferred diet is insects and other invertebrates, but he also enjoys pollen.

#797: Verreaux's Sifaka

Verreaux's Sifaka is probably one of the more well known Sifaka species. She is found in the lower western and southern regions of Madagascar, generally inhabiting dry or spiny forest. Like all Sifaka, she is vegetarian, and her diet consists mostly of leaves. Troops range in size from 2-12 individuals. Whilst these are often family groups, some also consist of one dominant male and, effectively, his harem of females. Females, however, are dominant over males. The Verreaux's Sifaka is probably most well known for her form of locomotion. Generally she will leap between trees, but when the gap is too wide, she must come to ground. Unable to walk on all fours, she instead "dances", making bipedal hops with her arms slightly raised.

#750: Tenrec

The Tenrecs are a range of small mammals found in Madagascar and parts of Africa. They have diversed to fill a range of niches, especially on Madagascar. There are aquatic Otter Tenrec, spiky Hedgehog Tenrec, and this vividly coloured Lowland Streaked Tenrec, arboreal species, burrowing species and the rotund and plump Common (or Tailless) Tenrec. Tenrec follow a mainly insectivorous diet, although some also consume fruit. The Lowland Streaked can erect her spines to deter predators. Those around her head are barbed, and can be angled to drive into a predator's face. The ones on her back are not barbed, and are used for communication; she vibrates them to produce a faint start. She can give birth to litters of up to 8 youngsters, the Common Tenrec can manage up to 35.

#734: Sunset Moth

#700: Sifaka

To celebrate TWO YEARS of my Zootrophy, an Animal-a-day, project and to represent the #700th (actual/real) animal I have drawn as part of this project, I present to you an animal that has special significance to me:

The Sifaka are a Genus of lemurs, characterised by their long arms and shorter legs. Largely arboreal in nature, should a Sifaka need to travel along the ground, she moves with bipedal, sideways hops, using her forearms for balance. There are nine species, all of which are endangered, four critically. All favour a vegetarian diet and the eastern, rainforest, species dine on such a variety of plants that they cannot be successfully kept in captivity. This beautiful Silky Sifaka, and her black-furred cousin, the Perrier's, only survive in isolated  rainforest pockets, where seclusion has protected them from habitat destruction and hunting. The western, dry forest, species are more generalistic and have been succesfully bred in captivity.

The future of these rare and beautiful creatures is fragile. Madagascar is a country with unique fauna and flora, facing severe pressure from hunting, over-population and deforestation. Due to its poor economic status - it is one of the poorest countries in the world - it has also been exploited by other countries who have, and still are, pillaged it of natural wealth (ie: gemstones, rosewood). Climate change also brings with it additional challenges for the unique wildlife.

You have probably noticed that I, like many zoologists, have a fascination with Madagascar. The future of its wildlife lies not in zoos or other institutions - although they do play a major role - but in conservation and education. Now there are many projects working with the local people of the various regions to help them take responsibility for the survival of these species.

Heres's a link to how you can help: http://www.wildmadagascar.org/help.htm

Other Sifaka species featured in this blog:

Coquerel Sifaka (Endangered)
Crowned Sifaka (Endangered)
Diademed Sifaka (Critically Endangered)
Milne-Edwards Sifaka (Endangered)
Perrier Sifaka (Critically Endangered)

To come:
Verreaux Sifaka

#671: Ruffed Lemur

The Ruffed Lemur is a Critically Endangered primate found in scattered populations across the east coast of Madagascar. She is the largest of the "true" Lemur Family (Lemuridae). Her diet is vegetarian: leaves, fruit and seeds. Nectar is lapped from flowers. She is a major pollinator of the travellers tree, a palm-like tree endemic to the island. Female Ruffed Lemur will mate with multiple male, giving birth to twins or triplets. Unlike other Lemuridae lemurs, she does not carry her youngsters, instead leaving them safely in a well-hidden nest. Two species occur - this black and white, and the red. The two species will hybridise in captivity.

#646: Red Fody

I always feel it's cheating a little bit to use an animal that can be alphabetised based on an adjective, but I missed this fellow for "F" and I need more Rs, so here he is.

The Red Fody is a small weaver bird native to Madagascar. His range encompasses much of the island and he is at home in forest clearings, grasslands and cultivated areas - where he has become a serious pest on rice crops. His diet consists mainly of seeds, nectar and insects. During breeding season he replaces his olive-green plumage with a vibrant orange or red and forms a monogamous partnership. He weaves a somewhat primitive nest  from grass strips, with a side entrance tunnel near the top. His mate then lines it. The pair are able to raise two broods in a season.

#645: Red-bellied Lemur

One of the lesser-known Lemur species, the Red-bellied Lemur inhabits the eastern rainforests of Madagascar. Troops consist of monogamous pairs and up to ten individuals. His main diet is fruit, supplemented by leaves, flowers and nectar. He is an important agent in seed dispersal. Like all lemur species, he is threatened by hunting and deforestation, but his large range means he is still only classified as "vulnerable", unlike his more specialist relatives.

(This picture is really old, I do intend to upgrade it)

#638: Rail

The Rail Family includes an array of semi-terrestrial birds including crakes, coots and moorhen, spread throughout the world. Although generally associated with wetlands, various species have been found to colonise every environment except the very dry and the very cold. Many species are flightless, with the others favouring a terrestrial existence. Island species, in particular, have lost the ability to fly, and with it have been exterminated by introduced predators.

This fellow is a Madagascan Rail, of the Rallus, or "typical rail" Genus. He uses his long bill to forage for invertebrates in his swampy home. His main threat comes from habitat loss, as lowland wetlands are cleared for the formation of rice fields. He is classified as Vulnerable.

#636: Radiated Tortoise

The critically endangered Radiated Tortoise is native to Madagascar. He makes his home in the dry forests of the south and southwest. Here his population is in severe decline. Hunting and habitat loss have taken their toll, aqs is illegal poaching for the pet trade. His diet is vegetarian, with Opuntia cacti being a particular favourite. He can live well over 100 years, with the oldest recorded Radiated Tortoise living 188 years.

#597: Ploughshear Tortoise

The Ploughshare Tortoise is now found only in a small patch of dry deciduous forest in north-western Madagascar. He has suffered greatly from deforestation and being hunted by both humans and pigs, who target the eggs. Unfortunately, poaching also occurs as demand for this attractive reptile is high, despite it being internationally protected as a Critically Endangered species. The term "ploughshare" comes from the male's gular projection - the part extending out the front of his belly shell - which resembles an old-fashioned ploughshare. The is used in courtship, as rival males fight for the right to mate with the female, seeking to overturn his rival, literally.

Creature Feature #581: Perrier Sifaka

The Perriers Sifaka was once considered a sub-species of Diademed Sifaka. He is Critically Endangered, with the entire population consisting of an estimated 500 individuals and limited to a small area of northern Madagascar. His diet is somewhat versatile (for an eastern Sifaka), consisting of fruit and seeds during the wet season, and leaves during the dry. Groups consist of 2-6 individuals. Infant mortality is high and breeding is slow, making the future of this species uncertain.

Creature Feature #484: Mouse Lemur

The Mouse Lemurs are the world's smallest primates, measuring around 27cm from nose to tail-tip. This tiny Madame Berthe's - with an average body length of 9.2 cm - was first discovered in 2000, in the forests of Kirindy. She forages alone for insects, fruit, and small vertebratesm, although her preferred diet is energy-rich "honeydew", a secretion produced by the larvae of the Flatida coccinea bug. During the daytime, she sleeps. Sometimes alone, in a leafy nest or tree hollow, occasionally with company. There are more males in the population than females, and she tends towards promiscuity.

Like most of Madagascar's lemurs (90%) the Madame Berhe is endangered, threatened by deforestation and also hybridising with other, closely related, Mouse Lemur species.

Creature Feature #474: Mongoose Lemur

The Mongoose Lemur is one of the smaller Eulemur ("true lemur") species and one of only two species to also be found outside of Madagascar - on the Comoros Islands (the other being the Common Brown). It is thought that they were introduced there. Mongoose Lemur change their sleeping patterns based on the temperature. During the  warm wet months he is more active during the day, but when it becomes drier, he follows nocturnal behaviour patterns. Although generally considered vegetarian, in captivity he has been observed stalking, killing and eating birds that venture into his enclosure.

Like 90% of lemur species it is likely he will become extinct within the next 20-25 years.

Creature Feature #464: Milne-Edwards Sifaka

The Milne-Edwards Sifaka is a lemur from the eastern coastal rainforest of Madagascar. She is characterised by her piebald colouration and is closely related to the Diademed Sifaka. Like most lemur species, the Milne-Edwards Sifaka has claws specially adapted for grooming. including a special "toilet-claw" on the second toe of each foot. Her big toe is also enlarged and prehensile, allowing her to better grip tree branches. Her arboreal lifestyle requires great agility and coordination as she leaps from tree to tree, very rarely touching the ground.

Creature Feature #463: Millipede

The Millipede is a many-legged Myriapod, related to the Centipede. Unlike its lesser-legged cousin, the Millipede feeds on a diet of decaying vegetation and occasionally emergent seedlings. They are considered to be one of the earliest life forms to colonise the land. Numerous species currently exist, measuring from 2mm to almost 40cm in length. Unable to bite or sting, if threatened the millipede will curl up and secrete chemicals through holes along his body. These burn the exoskeletons of invertebrates and skin and eyes of vertebrates. However, many mammalian predators - such as coati and meerkats - will roll the Millipede on the ground to clean it of the toxins and black lemurs even bite the Madagascar Fire Millipede to activate this defense mechanism, before rubbing it across their fur to act as an insecticide.

This is the Madagascar Fire Millipede. It is not uncommon in the pet trade.
Here is video of one in Perinet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3PPY3v3hdg

Creature Feature #462: Mesite

The Mesite are a Family of relatively small, almost flightless birds found only in Madagascar. There are three species, all of which are considered Vulnerable to extinction. This is a Subdesert Mesite, found in the spiny thickets of the lowland west coast. Her main diet is seeds and insects, which she gleans from leaves or digs for with her sturdy bill. In breeding season, she lays her eggs on an exposed platform of twigs, constructed about 2m from the ground. Whilst the other two species - the Brown and the White-brested - form monogamous partnerships, the Subdesert favours a polygamous relationship.

Creature Feature #454: Marakely

The Marakely is a primitive cichlid fish, and is considered a living fossil. He can be found in the crater lakes  and rivers of Madagascar. Here he forages on insects, crustaceans and smaller fish. During the wet season, pairs form and the two will dig a shallow scrape in the substrate. Here she will lay up to 1000 eggs. The male swims guard, whilst the female fans the eggs to keep them clean until they hatch - about 48 hours later. The adults then protect their fry from predation.

Creature Feature #449: Mantella

Mantella are a Genus of frogs, endemic to Madagascar, and the Malagasy equivalent of Poison Dart Frogs. Measuring no more than 2-3 cms in length, they are irridescent in colour. This advertises the toxic nature of their skin to potential predators. This does little to deter predators, however, with snakes and other reptiles being observed eating the frogs with no apparent side effects. Many of the species are endangered, some critically, as they are threatened with habitat loss and over-collection for the pet trade. This fellow is known as a Blue-legged Mantella, for obvious reasons. Currently classified as endangered, demand and subsequent poaching may lead him back to critically endangered.