A biodiversity hotspot and the fourth largest island on the planet, Madagascar has been home to a spectacular parade of animals, from giant flightless birds to agile lemurs. Drawing upon decades of experience, Alison Richard explores Madagascar's ancient origins as a landlocked region and its emergence as an island to the modern-day developments that make the survival of its array of plants and animals increasingly uncertain. What happens there in the decades ahead, Richard suggests, could present new ways to help reverse the extinction trend throughout the world.