Madagascar Photo Safari 2024
Date 2024/11/11 12:16:38 by Shem Compion
Staring eye-to-eye with a leaf tailed gecko using all your optical power to physically see it speaks to exactly what Madagascar is all about. It is a country of mimicry, camouflage, adaptation and evolution.
The leaf tailed gecko is a moss-grown shadowless ghost of the Andasibe forests that defies physics and form. It’s simply spectacular. This omelet shaped island that departed African shores 160 million years ago is a wonder of natural world discovery. If you have a camera with you - even better, for this is the one place where you will use a macro, wide angle and long lens to their maximum potential almost every single day.
With so much time on their hands; the 5 families of land mammals on Madagascar, made hay for the last 160 million years (the 6th mammal family is Bats, which flew across), transforming into incredible evolutionary examples.
A large carnivore comes from the civet family, lemurs have monkeys as a common relative, jumping rats are like kangaroos. The list goes on and so does the wonder and amazement because this is only the mammals.
Flatid leaf bugs and chameleons introduce the other incredible families of animals on the island. What this does to the naturalist is to be able to inspect and insert yourself onto an evolutionary timeline of natural selection.
Madagascar gives a snapshot of a process – and its simply stunning.
The lemurs and sifakas are amazing athletes and you can watch them forever – especially in the spiny forests where they clamber onto the sharp dideracea trees with nonchalance.
Even trees – such as the baobabs offer evolutionary insight in addition to their grandeur. We spent three sessions with them and got our reward - the beautiful C23 comet gliding above them on one clear evening.
Madagascar is a poor country, one of the poorest associated with Africa. Covid had devastating effects on the country causing a nationwide famine. Unfortunately, the wildlife took a resultant knock, with poaching of animals alongside protected areas. Tourism numbers have since increased and with it, more eyes, ears and employment. There is no more a stronger case for responsible tourism positively affecting conservation than in Madagascar. I can’t wait to return and see it all again.
Blog & Images by: Shem Compion