Handbook of Mammals of Madagascar

Madagascar is home to one of the most remarkable assemblages of mammals on earth. Millions of years of isolation have resulted in the evolution of a suite of species that are exceptional for two major reasons. Firstly, every native non-volant species (approximately 210 species) is endemic. No other island or place on earth boasts such a combination of species richness and endemism. Secondly, these mammals have evolved an extraordinary diversity of body forms and lifestyles, often displaying significant convergence with forms elsewhere but also at times evolving utterly unique features.

The Handbook of Mammals of Madagascar describes all 217 native species, including bats, tenrecs, mice and lemurs, as well as a small number of introduced, non-native species. Species accounts are subdivided into sections covering description and identification, habitat and distribution (including distribution maps), behaviour, and where to see them. Over the past 15 years, major advances in research have been made into the island’s mammal fauna, and species accounts include all the latest information.

Supporting chapters cover the island’s regions and habitats, threats to mammals, conservation, and important mammal watching sites. There is also a section covering the bizarre extinct mammal fauna.

Throughout, the book is illustrated with exceptionally high-quality photographs, often of species rarely photographed previously.