Welcome to Madagascar!

Imagine a place where black and white sifakas bounce through trees covered with thorns; a place where chameleons look forward and backward at the same time, waiting to catch insects with long, sticky pink tongues; a place so unique some scientists call it a continent. This place sits only a few hundred miles off the shores of Southeast Africa. It is one of the most fascinating islands on Earth, Madagascar.

Most of the animals and plants on Madagascar exist nowhere else. Here, you'll find a dozen species of baobab trees, at least sixty-six kinds of chameleons, and more than twenty different varieties of long-tailed lemurs.

Why are there so many unique organisms on Madagascar? How did they get there? Why is this little patch of land in the Indian Ocean so important to conservationists?

You'll discover the answers to these questions and more as we journey half way around the world and investigate one of the planet's most distinctive and threatened wild places, Madagascar.

WHY AM I HERE?

In this module, you will play the role of a scientific researcher. You'll conduct genetic and biological research to learn how the unique geological and biological history of Madagascar has shaped its diversity, and to inform decisions shaping its future. After conducting your research, you'll create a way to share what you've learned about the amazing biological diversity of this unique land and propose ways to ensure it continues to thrive into the future.