Dynamite fishing, coral mining, and farm runoff take a toll

To help save the reefs of Madagascar, get active with these groups:

Cousteau Society

GEOMAR, University of Kiel

World Wide Fund for Nature

Best known for its unique and endangered fauna on land, this huge island nation is also edged by extensive coral reefs of all types, which unfortunately suffer from extensive mining of coral and coral sand. The government, however, is increasingly conservation-minded: In October 1997 Madagascar created the 840-square-mile Masoala National Park, which encompasses an extensive coral reef and whale breeding ground, among other features.