The Animals of Madagascar

A nocturnal hedgehog-like creature with poor eye-sight.  An 11-inch millipede that can live for 10 years.  A chameleon with a 360-degree arc of vision.  These descriptions conjure up images of creatures you’d expect to find in a science fiction movie.  But they’re all real, and you can see them here at the Eleanor Armstrong Smith Glasshouse.

One of the stars of our amazing collection of animals is the Oustalet's chameleon. The longest chameleon in the word, the Oustalet's chameleon has eyes that operate independently, giving it the ability to focus on two different objects at the same time.

Quite the opposite is true for the hedgehog-like tenrec, which is almost completely blind. The tenrec compensates for its poor sight with heightened senses, including super-sensitive whiskers.

The yellow-throated plated lizard has several unique body adaptations as well.  Hard body plates serve as a natural source of protection, as do the head plates connected to its skull.  The yellow-throated plated lizard can grow to almost 18 inches in length, but its tail makes up almost two-thirds of that length.

Equally as impressive is the radiated tortoise that you’ll see feely roaming about the spiny desert section of the Glasshouse. Hailed as one most beautiful tortoises in the world, it can live to be 50 years old.

If you hear the sound of “chick-pea-pea-pea” from above, it’s probably the red-billed fire finch singing its familiar tune.  This African songbird’s scarlet feathers make it easy to spot as it dances past the baobabs and other exotic plant life of Madagascar.

Short of a trip to Madagascar, a visit to the Eleanor Armstrong Smith Glasshouse is your best chance to be immersed in the endangered ecosystem these animals call home. 

Learn more about the animals in Madagascar with our Glasshouse Field Guide.

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