Astronauts who took this pictureremarkedthat it looks as if Madagascar was bleeding to death.
Nine out of ever ten species of plants and animals found in Madagascar are endemic.
This large number of unique species makes deforestation a great threat to global biodiversity.
After a couple of such cycles, the soil is exhausted of nutrients and cant grow any more rice.
It is then abandoned and a new area of the rainforest is chosen.
The problem worsened after the 1950s as a result of increased coffee production for the island’s economy.
Deep gorges left by erosion is a common feature in Madagascar.
Photo credit:Frank Vassen/Wikimedia
Photo credit:NASA
Photo credit:Axelspace
