Island of the Human species

In the early Pleistocene era, around 2 million years ago, a small population of an ancestor species, possibly Homo habilis or Homo rudolfensis, became stranded on a large and biodiverse island about 150 miles off Madagascar's coast. Possibly rafted there by way of natural disasters or technically advanced nautical instincts, they landed in an ecosystem teeming with endemic species and unique ecological niches. Isolated from other human populations and surrounded by diverse environmental opportunities, this isolated group started branching out. Some followed the growing forests, evolving to dwell in the trees. Their bodies adapted, becoming more agile and elongated, but they retained their upright posture, becoming a race of arboreal bipeds unique among primates. Another group became uniquely adapted to life in the island's numerous caves and underground grottoes. Over hundreds of thousands of years, their skin turned a pale purple under the dim cave lights. They lost most of their body hair due to the warm, damp environment of the caves and evolved larger, yellow eyes to cope with the dim light. Yet, another group evolved similarly to their ancestors. They developed strong bodies for endurance, able to hunt and gather foods efficiently in the island's plains and swamps. However, they did not create civilizations as Homo sapiens did; instead, they lived in harmonious bands that valued cooperation and understanding of their environment. Meanwhile, the ocean-bounded one group evolved into amphibious bipeds, perfectly adapted to marine and semi-aquatic life around the island's coast and shallow waters. They developed webbed toes and fingers and increased lung capacity to allow for prolonged periods of swimming and diving. Skin developed a bluish undertone as a result of living near the aquatic environment. In the early Holocene era, around 10,000 years ago, Homo sapiens discovered the island during their voyages of exploration. They were astonished to discover a site where humans, rather than other large mammals, filled the ecological niches. In this unique ecological tapestry, humanoid ungulates roamed the plains while human analogues to carnivoran mammals dwelled in the forests. It was a world where the evolution train had run along a track not seen elsewhere on earth, showcasing the extraordinary potential and flexibility of the Homo lineage. This alternate scenario allows us to contemplate our species' breadth and reach into the tree of life, just by a slight change in historical trajectory. It also serves as a reminder that the preservation of each species and eco-system is of utmost importance in preserving the planet's biodiversity.