7. Not an Old Country
You may be surprised to discover that humans didn’t habit Madagascar until recently. Settlers arrived as late as 500AD, which is probably the reason why its fauna has remained so diverse for so long. It’s incredible to see what sort of wildlife can flourish when not impacted by the presence of humans.
The remoteness of this island also made it perfect for pirates. They would hide out here with the rest of their crew when they weren’t pillaging the other boats at sea. Since there were very few laws on Madagascar as well as clean water and friendly natives, the island was an ideal hideaway for pirates.