Throughout the twentieth century, Madagascar's practice of tavy (slash-and-burn cultivation) cleared vast tracts of the rainforest in which lemurs had evolved in isolation over millions of years, dividing continuous habitat into isolated patches. By 1950 this fragmentation had reached a critical scale, cutting off lemur populations from one another and accelerating genetic decline. The fate of Madagascar's lemurs became one of the most cited examples of biodiversity loss, inspiring conservation literature and ecological poetry worldwide.

The fragmentation of Madagascar lemur habitats since 1950 influenced island biodiversity themes in Malagasy verse, with poets highlighting the connection between culture and conservation in their works. This focus on environmental issues resonated with global literary movements advocating for ecological awareness.