Madagascar is an island off the east coast of Africa. The natural forest of Madagascar is diverse. The original forest is believed to have been predominantly evergreen or deciduous forest or deciduous, spiny, succulent thicket, with rupicolous shrublands occurring locally on various types of rock outcrop, and montane bushland and thicket occurring on the highest mountains or mangroves swamps. Madagascar's dwindling forests are home to an enormous variety of unique plant and animal life but some of them are endangered because of the constant destruction of their habitat by humans. 60%-85% of forest has been destroyed. Unsustainable shifting subsistence cultivation is the major threat. In some areas burning to create cattle pasture is also important.