When
I hear the word ‘savanna’, I immediately think of lions,
zebras, and giraffes--the typical African wildlife that
we learned about as children. So when I am hiking through
the savanna in Ankarafantsika, I always feel like I should
see some gazelles grazing nearby. But the lack of any endemic
cats, dogs, or large hoofed animals is part of what makes
Madagascar so unique. If this island had never broken away
from the African mainland, then animals such as lemurs and
the fossa never could have survived to the present day.
They most likely would have been out-competed by the animals
that dominate the African wildlife that we are so familiar
with. This is a great reason to learn more about the invasive
species that are now competing with the Malagasy wildlife,
including the fossa. An invasive species is an animal that
was introduced to an area by humans. These species can cause
a great disturbance in the ecological balance that has been
achieved through evolutionary pressures. This is why we
not only collect data on any fossa we may trap, but also
on the other carnivores of the region that have been introduced
since people settled in Madagascar. The two carnivores that
live in Ankarafantsika, beside the fossa, are the Lesser
Indian Civet and a species of wildcat.
Another point about the savannas in Ankarafantsika are
that they were not formed by natural pressures. The clearing
and burning of forests have converted what used to be healthy
forests, into vast grasslands, or savannas. The savanna
I hike through doesn’t have lions because it was not a savanna
when Madagascar was a part of the African mainland.
I’m glad that Madagascar has different wildlife than the
rest of Africa. It makes our efforts to preserve what is
left of these unique environments more rewarding. Also,
I must say that it is a relief to know that I am not being
stalked by a pride of lions when I am walking through grass
that is up to my chest.
