Antananarivo , Madagascar ( CNN ) -- With their unique shape and imposing stature , the majestic baobab trees have been an icon of Madagascar 's landscape for centuries , unmovable symbols of the tropical island 's luscious scenery . Six out of the eight species of the long-lived tree are endemic to Madagascar , the island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa . The stunning country is home to a rich ecosystem that boasts an incredible mosaic of animal and plant life evolved for tens of millions of years in complete isolation . As a result 90 % of Madagascar 's wildlife exists nowhere else on the planet . In the midst of it all , the mighty baobab has stood tall for generations , its barrel-like trunk reaching a height of 18 meters . Often described as `` the upside down tree '' due to its unusual shape -- the tree 's branches look like roots sticking up in the air -- the baobab has sparked many legends throughout the centuries . An ancient myth goes that when the gods planted the trees , they kept walking away so they placed them upside down . Read related : Madagascar 's 'lemur lady ' on saving endangered animals . Communities in Madagascar , one of the poorest countries in the world , have long been benefiting from the deciduous trees -- their fruits are edible , their leaves are used for medicinal purposes , while their large trunks are often excavated to serve as shelters or store water during dry periods . `` There are many interactions with the life of community living around forest , '' explains botanist Jimmy Razafitsalama . `` First , they use the bark for the construction of their house and then they use leaves as medicinal plants . They eat also the fruit because the fruit are very rich in vitamins and do n't forget also it 's one of the attraction for tourists to come here . '' But while tourism proceeds can generate income for people often living on less than $ 2 a day , many other human activities are posing a serious threat to the baobab trees and the island 's one-of-a-kind ecosystem . Largely dependent on the island 's natural resources , many rural communities in Madagascar have to make ends meet by exploiting the land that surrounds them -- the country is estimated to have lost 90 % of its forest to deforestation over the years . Environmentalists say that activities like slash-and-burn agriculture -- where an area of forest is cut and burned to create fields -- logging for timber and fuelwood and charcoal production are all destroying the island 's beautiful rainforests and their endemic biodiversity . `` They cut the trees down to clear the land for agriculture or for grazing their animals , '' says Razafitsalama , who has moved to the island 's northernmost part near the city of Diego Suarez to teach locals about biodiversity . In recent years , authorities in Madagascar have taken up a series of initiatives to save its precious forests . The country has launched several conservation and reforestation projects and has also marked many regions in the country as national parks , attracting ecotourists from across the world . Razafitsalama says that more needs to be done to safeguard the future of the baobab trees and the vast array of unique species living in Madagascar 's forests . `` Now the government they want to increase the surface of protected areas . They made a big effort but right now I see for baobab it 's not yet representative , '' he says . `` A good example is this forest in front of us -- it is not protected but this has the highest concentration of population of this endemic species . '' Unless more action is taken and behaviors change , Madagascar , one of the world 's true biodiversity hotspots , will risk losing more of its forests , putting in danger the survival of its unique species .
Six out of the eight species of the baobab tree are endemic to Madagascar . The other two species, the African and Madagascan mangroves, have been wiped out. Madagascar has lost 90 % of its forest to deforestation . The government is trying to protect the forests by marking areas as national parks .