1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:06,000 Towering pinnacles, Singi Dibemiraha. 2 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:12,000 Madagascar is off the African coast in the Indian Ocean. 3 00:00:12,000 --> 00:00:20,000 Dubbed the Ark of Evolution, its eco-diversity is extraordinary. 4 00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:26,000 About 30 species of Lemur monkeys live here. 5 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:30,000 Singi Dibemiraha is on the western side of the island. 6 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:38,000 The pinnacle formations cover 1,520 square kilometres. 7 00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:44,000 The limestone needles are about 100 metres high. 8 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:49,000 Singi means pointed peaks in the local Madagascar language. 9 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:56,000 The limestone seabed gradually rose to create a plateau around 200 million years ago. 10 00:00:56,000 --> 00:01:02,000 Heavy rain fell on the plateau, slowly eroding and sharpening the rocks. 11 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:09,000 Sifakas use their long legs to jump from rock to rock. They're one type of Lemur. 12 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:16,000 They risk this route to move from one forest to the next. 13 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:19,000 There are dense forests below the limestone needles. 14 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:28,000 The roots of trees growing at the foot of the limestone pinnacles penetrate the rock surface and make their way underground. 15 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:37,000 They stretch down in search of water to the calcareous cave beneath the limestone plateau. 16 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:45,000 The water running below provides Singi with a precious water supply. 17 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:54,000 The leaves are available throughout the year and are the Sifakas' main source of food. 18 00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:59,000 People began inhabiting the island of Madagascar around 2,000 years ago 19 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:04,000 and they have burned forests to create agricultural land ever since. 20 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:09,000 Madagascar retains only 10% of its original forest cover. 21 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:13,000 Very little habitat remains for the Lemurs. 22 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:17,000 The needle peaks have resisted relentless exploitation by humans 23 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:22,000 who would go all the way to secure land by burning off fields. 24 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:29,000 Singi has resisted human penetration and protected the forests. 25 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:36,000 The Sifakas survive within an intricate balance between man and nature. 26 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:45,000 www.sifakas.com