Subdesert mesite happening in most of its range apart from to the north of Manombo. The birds are also taken by dogs, by hunting, and introduced rats ("Rattus" sp) may also be a problem. In 2002 there was an estimated population 115,000 and it is estimated that numbers are falling. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has classified the conservation status of this bird as ″vulnerable″. Subdesert mesite The subdesert mesite ("Monias benschi") is a ground-dwelling bird endemic to Madagascar. It is one of three species in the mesite family Mesitornithidae, and is restricted in distribution to a small low-land region
Continent sea levels were lower during the Pleistocene ice ages, greater areas of continental shelf were exposed as dry land, forming land bridges. At those times Australia–New Guinea was a single, continuous continent. Likewise, the Americas and Afro-Eurasia were joined by the Bering land bridge. Other islands such as Great Britain were joined to the mainlands of their continents. At that time there were just three discrete continents: Afro-Eurasia-America, Antarctica, and Australia-New Guinea. There are several ways of distinguishing the continents: The term "Oceania" refers to a group of island countries and territories in the Pacific Ocean, together with the continent