Madagascar : the land where evolution ran wild
(DVD) 

Originally released as a motion picture in 2011.

Special features: "Attenborough and the giant egg" featurette ; "Lemurs of Madagascar" featurette.

Film editors, Andrew Mort, Darren Flaxstone ; researchers, Emma Napper & Amirah Barri ; executive producer, Michael Gunton ; photography, Barre Britton [and others] ; original music composed by Sarah Glass.

Narrator: David Attenborough.

For 65 million years, Madagascar was lost to the world, isolated, undiscovered, and untouched by humans. Left to its own devices it became a hotbed of evolution, resulting in the greatest concentration of unique creatures anywhere on the planet. More than 80% of Madagascar's animals and plants are found nowhere else on Earth. Recognized as one of the world's most important biodiversity hotspots. The primates seen include: the indri (Indri indri), the largest lemur, jumping across the land on its hind legs when it moves between trees; the critically endangered reed lemur (Hapalemur alaotrensis), is shown practicing parenting and feeding behavior, as well as it specially-evolved jumping mechanisms needed to navigate the floating reed beds on which it lives; crowned lemurs (Eulemur coronatus) who demonstrate their superior rock-climbing skills; a select group of ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) subsisting on succulent plants on the highest mountaintops on the eastern end of the island; silky sifaka lemurs (Propithecus candidus), one of the most rare nonhuman primates, whose once-a-year mating is caught on camera; all three species of bamboo lemur who coexist in the same area of the rainforest, because of specialized evolved dietary subtleties -- the golden bamboo lemur (Hapalemur aureus) feeds on bamboo leaves that contain cyanide that few other species of animals can tolerate, while the greater bamboo lemur (Prolemur simus) feeds mostly on young bamboo shoots replenished by heavy rains -- the red-ruffed lemurs (Varecia rubra) and white-fronted brown lemurs (Eulemur albifrons) of the Masaola Peninsula; Verreaux's sifakas (Propithecus verreauxi) who survive without in the harsh climate of the southwest with little to no water; and ring-tailed lemurs and tiny mouse lemurs (Microcebus murinus) who exert little energy during the dry season, and mate only during the rainy season. "Madagascar Diaries," included at the end of each episode, provides looks into the filming process behind the documentary. Bonus features include "Lemurs of Madagascar" and "Attenborough and the Giant Egg." In the first program, Charlotte Uhlenbroek follows two new ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta) mothers through the first few weeks of their parenting. In the second program, David Attenborough examines the environmental changes that have taken place on Madagascar since his first trip in 1960. Since discovering the fossilized egg of an elephant bird in 1960, Attenborough has sought out the root causes for animal extinction on the island, including deforestation, hunting, and climate change. Looking back on his footage taken in 1960, Attenborough investigates the status of endangered animals including lemurs, birds, insects, and chameleons.

Not rated.

DVD, NTSC, Region 1, Dolby digital, Dolby Surround, stereo, aspect ratio 16:9.

In English.

Closed captioned for the hearing impaired.