The rapid population growth of the past century has created an ever-growing demand for land and farming, which has slowly eaten away at some of Madagascar’s last untouched regions. The response, however, has been gradual. A few protected areas were already in place as early as 1927, during the colonial era, and a second wave followed in the 1990s as Madagascar began opening up to the rest of the world. By the early 2000s, the creation of protected zones had picked up speed, which some felt was perhaps too much.

Today, the picture is clearer. Around 122 protected areas exist, covering roughly 10% of the island’s total land area. Many of these zones are open to visitors, while others are reserved for scientific research only.