“All told, biologists estimate that eight out of ten of all living
things on Madagascar exist only there in all the world. How did this come to pass? Where the island’s distinctive menagerie come
from? When? Finally, how did its assorted members get
there?”
Looking at a map of the world, the island of Madagascar
doesn’t seem that far off from the coast of East Africa. Appearances can be deceiving. In truth, Madagascar, the world’s fourth
largest island, is totally different from not just Africa, but every other
place on earth. It is home to an array
of plants and animals found nowhere else on earth. Its landscapes are dramatically different
from those of mainland Africa. The
culture and origins of its people are an enduring mystery.
Science-writer Peter Tyson tackles that mystery and others in The Eighth Continent: Life, Death, and Discovery in the Lost World of
Madagascar. Over a series of
expeditions, Tyson shadows scientists – foreign and Malagasy – as they explore
different aspects of Madagascar’s anthropology and zoology, past and
present. He joins herpetological
expeditions, scouring forests for lizards that are almost completely unknown to
western science. He descends into caves
with paleontologists to unravel the mystery of Madagascar’s recently extinct
megafauna, including pygmy hippos, giant flightless birds, and gorilla-sized
lemurs. He travels with anthropologists
who seek to untangle the African-Indonesian-Arabic origins of the Malagasy
people. And yes, this is a book about
Madagascar, so there are lemurs. Tyson
meets with a primatologist who has discovered a new species of cyanide-eating
lemur, but more importantly explores her efforts to promote a sustainable
conservation effort to preserve Madagascar’s vanishing forests.
The book is a fascinating overview of the island and offers
an enjoyable primer of its history, from the earliest visits of seafarers to
the court of the tyrannical Queen Ranavalona I to the colonial era to
Madagascar’s uncertain, tumultuous current political scene. It explores the diverse – yet surprisingly
unified – cultures and customs of the peoples.
Likewise, it offers an accessible introduction to the biological
mysteries of the island. Where did its
wildlife come from? Why is its fauna so
different from Africa? Why are some
families so abundant and diverse, and others absent completely? Why are others, such as iguanas and boas,
found here, but with their nearest relatives thousands of miles away?
The best thing about The
Eighth Continent is the diverse subjects that it tackles, divided into four
sections. It’s like a treasury of
Malagasy lore – there’s a topic for anyone’s interest. Not into geckos? Fine, skip that section and read up on
fossils and forensic paleontology. Not
into bones? Check out the chapter on the
origins of the Malagasy people.
My least favorite part of the book? The author.
Throughout the book, but especially in its last chapter, he comes across
as a somewhat snide, judgmental narrator, sometimes dripping with disdain
towards the people that he meets.
Sometimes he has a flash of awareness and catches and corrects
himself. Other times, he judges on. It does make it a little distracting and
clouds your impression of some of the people he meets and the ideas they
espouse. This is especially problematic
in the last section, where the author explores the controversy behind competing
proposals on how to have communities manage and protect their local
forests. It makes the reader wonder if
they’re getting the full, unbiased view.
Madagascar is a fascinating topic for anyone interested in
biology. Too often, conversations (and
zoo exhibits) on the subject are zeroed –in on ring-tailed lemurs and not much
else. The Eighth Continent does something that few other books do, which
is provide a comprehensive, expansive view of this bizarre, beautiful land mass
and the people and animals who inhabit it.
The Eighth Continent - Life, Death, and Discovery in the Lost World of Madagascar on Amazon.com
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