Over the course of many millennia, great numbers of large birds, reptiles, insects, and plants drifted or flew in to create its fragile and unique flora and fauna.

FORBES: Connect

The five sites in danger include Virunga, Garamba, Kahuzi-Biega, and Salonga National Parks, and the Okapi Wildlife Reserve, which are home to a unique range of flora and fauna including the Mountain Gorilla and the Okapi.

UNESCO: MEDIA SERVICES

They offer a unique geography, flora and fauna (including a pleasingly spine-chilling collection of venomous creatures), fascinating traces of the country's first inhabitants, and enough empty space to give visitors from more crowded places agoraphobia.

ECONOMIST: A survey of Australia

Much of Madagascar's flora and fauna, including its famous lemurs, are unique to the island.

BBC: Smuggled rare Madagascar tortoises seized in Malaysia