Madagascar-mad photographer completes 20-year project on the 'Noah's Ark of diversity'

A British photographer has completed an epic 20 year foray into the world's most unique eco-system - described as the 'Noah's Ark of diversity'.

Nick Garbutt, 46, from Cumbria, has made an incredible 25 trips deep into the forests of the diverse island - visiting every year since 1991 - with 2011 marking an unrivalled two decades of exploration.

Collectively spending over three years - and taking over 250 international and domestic flights to and around the island - pioneer Nick has built an extraordinary collection of wildlife photography revealing some of the islands most stunning species up close.

An adult male fosa prowling on the forest floor of the Kirindy Forest, in western Madagascar. Just one of the many images taken by Nick Garbutt, 46, who has made 25 trips deep into the forests of the diverse island - visiting every year since 1991

Enlarge

Ring-tailed lemurs basking in the sun at dawn at Berenty Private Reserve, southern Madagascar. Nick has built an extraordinary collection of wildlife photography revealing some of the islands most stunning species up close

Enlarge

Nick Garbutt with an orphaned baby ring-tailed lemur, near Tsimanampetsotsa National Park. He said: 'Because of habitat destruction the majority are threatened and a significant proportion of those are critically endangered.'

And his passionate one-man investigation has lifted the lid on some of the planet's most bizarre-looking and specialised animals.

Cut of from mainland Africa for 160million years the native species have evolved spectacular features that are found nowhere else.

And many of the animals seen in Nick's astonishing images can only be found in Madagascar - which is the same size as France.

Dangling just six inches from his face, an inquisitive Black and White Ruffed Lemur lowers itself from the canopy to peer into Nick's lens.

In a masterclass of camouflage the Satanic Leaf-Tailed Gecko blends seamlessly in with the branch it uses as a perch.

The world's smallest chameleon, the Pygmy Stump-Tailed Chameleon, is also one of the world's smallest reptiles and looks minuscule clinging to Nick's giant-looking thumb.

Another shot shows a troop of ring tailed lemurs - three with infants - silhouetted perfectly as they bask in the first morning rays of sunshine.

In a fascinating encounter, Nick also captured the odd-looking Aye Aye. With a flesh-less middle finger, it is able to 'fish' in tree bark for grubs and scoop coconut out of its shell.

Worryingly a huge number of the animals in these pictures may have disappeared in the next 20 years.

The desperately poor local community belong in the top 10 per cent of the poorest people on the planet. In their struggle to survive, they are logging the natural forests using slash and burn techniques to make way for crops like rice.

A vast quantity of the wood harvested from the destroyed forest is also used for charcoal as islanders struggle for fuel to cook and live with.

Expert Nick said: "Because of habitat destruction the majority are threatened and a significant proportion of those are critically endangered.

Enlarge

A painted mantella frog in the Andasibe-Mantadia National Park, eastern Madagascar. Nick has seen how the natural habitats as poor communities try to scratch a living from the landscape. ''I have seen massive destruction since I began going out in 1991 and I don't hold out much hope,' he added

A male panther chameleon stalking prey in beachside vegetation in the Bay of Antongil, Masoala Peninsula National Park, north-east Madagascar

'In it's pristine condition Madagascar was covered by 85% forest and this has been reduced to just 8%.

'What is even more shocking is that 50% of the destruction has has happened in the last 50 years.

'I have seen massive destruction since I began going out in 1991 and I don't hold out much hope.

"If you do the maths, the outlook for the next 20 years is extremely grim for Madagascar's incredible wildlife, and we may lose species like these all together, forever.

"At the same rate all of the forests will have disappeared entirely within the next 20 years, and we won't be able to enjoy species like this."

And while the number of national parks is growing on the island, conservationists fear it will not be enough to save many animals.

"When I first visited Madagascar there were only two national parks. This has now grown to 20 and they are supposed to be a haven for the animals where cutting the trees down is illegal.

"But in practice it doesn't always work.

"There's an inevitability that all the national parks will just become managed islands of habitat containing a small number of individuals, and this still equates to a loss of animals.

"A large amount of individuals will simply die out and we will be left with a few protected remains in the parks.

"The outlook is a great concern to all the conservation communities. We need to slow the levels of destruction and maintain the amazing diversity.

"But it's an incredibly difficult circle to square and there doesn't appear to be a solution coming forward.

"The local population is poor and the deforestation is part of their effort to survive. But in the process we lose all of these animals."