Madagascar subhumid forests  Content Cover Image  Madagascar.
Source: WWF/ Oliver Langrand  The Madagascar subhumid forests
ecoregion, covering most of the Central Highlands of Madagascar,
boasts a considerable number of endemic species, found chiefly
in the relict forest patches and also in some wetland areas, but
the remaining habitats are agricultural areas that have almost
no biological value, or eroded bare soil areas virtually devoid
of vegetation.  This ecoregion is the site of some of the major
extinctions of recent times, including that of the world’s
largest flightless bird, Madagascar elephant bird (Aepyornis
maximus); this bird stood at a height of three metres and
attained a body mass of one fourth of a ton. It was hunted to
extinction by native peoples, who also collected the eggs for
human consumption. A number of large lemurs have also been
driven to extinction by native people's activities, primarily
due to slash-and-burn shifting agricultural practises. With only
small fragmented areas of ha