Forest Cover in Madagascar WCMC provides information services on the conservation and sustainable use of the world's living resources, and helps others to develop information systems of their own. Lowland rainforest is found along the eastern escarpment and in the Sambirano region in the north-west. Montane rainforest is found at higher altitudes in the same areas and on scattered massifs elsewhere.
Diversity is very high and national endemism is extremely high in all major plant and animal groups.
There are significant numbers of endemic genera and families as well as species. Unsustainable shifting subsistence cultivation is the major threat. In some areas burning to create cattle pasture is also important. Natural forests are subsets of these composed of tree species known to be indigenous to the area. Gaps in Habitat Protection and Funding Priorities.