Product Details

• Actors: Living Edens
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Pbs Home Video
• VHS Release Date: June 13, 2000
• Run Time: 60 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00000JKYR
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #3,556 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

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  #28 in	Video > Television > PBS
  #43 in	Video > Documentary > Nature & Wildlife > Animals

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Madagascar is a world onto itself, where evolution has taken the familiar and rendered the bizarre. Split off from Africa since the age of the dinosaurs, Madagascar's isolation gave rise to countless exotic animals and plants that exist nowhere else on Earth. The film presents an extraordinary casts of characters, including chameleons of every color and size, a panther-like carnivore called a fossa, and the charismatic lemurs for which the island is famous. From lush tropical rain forests to the sun-scorched spiny desert, Madagascar uncovers the natural wonders of this island paradise.

Narrated by Maya Angelou.

Product Description

Madagascar is a world unto its own, where evolution has taken the familiar and rendered the bizarre. Split off from Africa since the age of the dinosaurs, Madagascar's isolation gave rise to countless exotic animals and plants that exist nowhere else on Earth. The film presents an extraordinary cast of characters, including chameleons of every color and size, a panther-like carnivore called a fossa, and the charismatic lemurs for which the island is famous. From lush tropical rain forests to the sun-scorched spiny desert, Madagascar uncovers the natural wonders of this island paradise. Narrated by Maya Angelou.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars breathtaking video of the fauna of Madagascar, March 10, 2001

By	Tim F. Martin (Madison, AL United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This video contains nature photography at its finest. The Living Eden series as a whole is excellent, but this one especially stands out, as it takes you for a bird's, bug's, or lemur's eye tour of the "Eighth Continent" (the name given by Peter Tyson in his excellent book of that name, which I also highly recommend).

Touring the island's rain forests, dry forests, unique spiny deserts, wetlands, mountains, and the tsingy region (area of bizarre razor-sharp limestone pinnacles that lie as close together as trees in a forest), the filmmakers present you with extraordinary glimpses of a variety of vertebrates and invertebrates and the habitats they live in. Watch a playful ringtail lemur family as it feeds, snoozes, or basks in the morning sun, youngsters frolicing around with other playmates from the troop. Witness the return of life in the island's arid regions with the coming of the rainy season, as frogs vigorously pursue mates while fat-tailed dwarf lemurs emerge from months of aestivation in tree hollows and Madagascar kingfishers feed on the rich bounty of insects and fish. Be a part of the drama of the hunt for prey as the island's largest carnivore, the cat-like mongoose relative known as the fossa, chases a family of lemurs from tree to tree in hot pursuit. Particularly fascinating is the coverage of the island's rich chameleon fauna, the bulk of the world's species, as you see that their color-changing abilities are not generally for hiding but for signaling intentions to rivals and potential mates in often bold displays of color and pattern. Other animals covered include birds of prey, snakes, walking sticks, mantises, butterflies, turtles, and iguanas.

Though showing unspoiled Eden-like paradise, the video touches on the fact that the vast majority of the island has been deforested and many species are either very rare or extinct due to massive habitat destruction. One scene of such devastation is shown at the end as men deliberately burn some papyrus marshland around the island's largest lake, home to one of the rarest of lemur species, a type of "bamboo lemur." Dwelling in the reedbeds around the island, it is poignant and touching to watch these lemurs call out to another and attempt to flee the approaching flames.

Stay tune for the credits, which include footage of the filmmakers in action over the rough terrain of the island, dealing with the waterways, harsh terrain, and the local wildlife. Particularly amusing were shots of local animal reactions to the fimmakers and their equipment.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun and Educational Video, July 22, 2001

By	Genevieve Matherly "Genevieve" (Soquel, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Super views of Madagascar landscape. Fun and educational at the same time. Lots of creatures to watch - lots of sounds. It is a great video!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Once you view the video, you'll want to visit the island., August 10, 2000

By A Customer

This is one of my favorite videos in the "Living Edens" series...and I've seen them all! The film makers went to great lengths to portray the uniqueness of the wildlife and environment of Madagascar. Maya Angelou's narration is wonderful. If you enjoy nature documentaries, this one is a great choice for the whole family.