Madagascar has lost roughly half of its original forests and up to half of its coastal coral, pushing almost all lemurs and many chameleons toward extinction. Deep poverty — about 80% in extreme poverty and nearly 40% of young children stunted — drives people to depend on forests and reefs, intensifying ecological collapse. Political instability and weak governance have blocked non-extractive economic growth, making conservation and poverty relief inseparable. Field reporting found distressed reefs and forests but also small, promising projects that link local livelihoods to biodiversity protection.
Madagascar’s Unique Wildlife Is Disappearing — Can Conservation and Poverty Relief Save It?
Madagascar has lost roughly half of its original forests and up to half of its coastal coral, pushing almost all lemurs and many chameleons toward extinction. Deep poverty — about 80% in extreme poverty and nearly 40% of young children stunted — drives people to depend on forests and reefs, intensifying ecological collapse. Political instability and weak governance have blocked non-extractive economic growth, making conservation and poverty relief inseparable. Field reporting found distressed reefs and forests but also small, promising projects that link local livelihoods to biodiversity protection.
01:13 AM, 11/19/2025Environment
Madagascar’s unique wildlife is collapsing under human pressure
Madagascar is famous for its extraordinary endemic life — lemurs, nearly half the world’s chameleons and most of the planet’s iconic baobab trees are found only on this island. But those species and the habitats that sustain them are under severe threat.
Scientists estimate Madagascar has lost roughly half — and possibly much more — of its original forests. Coastal ecosystems have suffered too: as much as half of the island’s living coral is gone. Almost every lemur species is now threatened, about half of Madagascar’s chameleons face extinction risk, several tenrec species are imperiled, and reef-dependent fisheries are collapsing in parts of the country.
Root causes: These environmental declines are closely tied to extreme poverty and weak governance. In the past year roughly 80% of the population lived in extreme poverty, surviving on less than $2.15 per day (2017 USD), and nearly 40% of young children show stunted growth from chronic malnutrition. Political instability — including the dissolution of government and a takeover by the military after months of protests — together with corruption, the lasting effects of colonial-era extraction, climate change, and unhelpful foreign-aid incentives have obstructed the growth of non-extractive industries.
How poverty drives loss: For many Malagasy families, the natural world is the primary safety net. People cut trees to produce charcoal, clear small plots for subsistence farming, and fish reefs to feed their families and sell catches. When entire communities rely on immediate resource extraction to survive, pressure on forests, reefs and wildlife mounts beyond what those ecosystems can sustain.
On-the-ground reporting: During a September reporting trip, Vox correspondent Benji Jones found clear signs of ecological stress: reefs in distress and fishermen facing hunger, wildfires approaching highland forests, and communities coping with shrinking resources. The reporting was produced in collaboration with Malagasy photographers, translators and researchers and made available in Malagasy to serve local communities.
Working solutions: Despite the grim picture, small-scale interventions are producing meaningful results. Community-managed reserves, reef restoration, alternative livelihoods, combined agricultural assistance and cash support, and locally negotiated conservation agreements can reduce extraction pressure when they deliver tangible benefits. Experts note that if conservation can be made to work in Madagascar’s exceptionally difficult conditions, those approaches could be adapted elsewhere.
What must change: Conservation here cannot be separated from poverty alleviation. Programs that protect species but ignore how people will eat and earn a living are unlikely to succeed. Policies that create durable livelihoods, give communities real control over natural resources, and restore depleted fisheries and forests offer the best chance of preserving Madagascar’s unique biodiversity while improving human well-being.
Credits: Reporting: Benji Jones; Editorial lead: Paige Vega; Editors: Paige Vega, Bryan Walsh; Photography: Garth Cripps; Translation: Aroniaina “Aro” Manampitahiana Falinirina, Hantarinoro Holifeno. Supported by the BAND Foundation.