When I started this website, I had in mind an around-the-world adventure, kicking off in Madagascar. It was high on my list because of all the endemic wildlife found there and because it was relatively affordable. I had such a good time traveling with the group in January 2019, and the feeling seemed to be mutual among the others. We agreed that we should try to do it again. Then Covid shut things down. It was postponed and then postponed again. Mike Wallitis, owner of Black Jungle Exotics, a terrarium supply company that I had done business with when I kept terrariums in my biology classroom and who has a small tour company specializing in taking people like me on no-frills rainforest adventures, kept the group informed. Devin Edmonds, an expert in Madagascar wildlife and current doctoral candidate doing field research in Madagascar, worked hard to make it possible this year. Seven of the eleven people on this year’s trip had gone the last time. This trip was slated to be a bit more challenging, especially considering everyone was three years older, and the early part of the trip was a trek through mountainous, thick forest, in hot and humid weather, with a considerable change in elevation, and camp accommodations that had not been used much (at least by foreign travelers and scientists) since the pandemic limited access. We were encouraged to get in shape before showing up in Madagascar!
We flew into the capital city of Antananarivo and took a few days there to get acclimated to the time change. I had already been in France which is only a two hour time difference, but some on the trip had to contend with an eleven hour time change. We visited a park with plenty of wild birds in the center of the city; a lemur park, where they had rescued animals from around the country; and a crocodile farm where they had native plants and animals, along with huge crocodiles which were being raised for leather and for meat.
It was a good chance to practice our photography skills. Most of the people on the trip were interested in photography. Some were quite skilled and came prepared to get good photos. On this kind of trip there is always a chance that you will get to photograph a creature that has not yet been described by science. Certainly, you will see the rare and unusual. Getting a really good image can be a challenge.
Above is a photo of a Golden Mantella. It is a tiny frog about an inch long that has become rare in the wild due to habitat destruction. Devin has worked with local people to establish a captive breeding program which has been pretty effective in Madagascar. But, even Devin will admit that habitat destruction is still a major problem. Golden Mantellas are listed as critically endangered in the wild, with a population that is decreasing; like so many amphibians throughout the world. The individual above was photographed at the Crocodile Farm. For other photos from the first few days in Antananarivo, click here.
Yes, we did take the opportunity to have lunch at the Crocodile Farm. Everyone from our group had some version of a crocodile dish offered by the onsite restaurant. It was surprisingly tender and as they say, it tastes a lot like chicken. The dish is the last one in the gallery if you clicked the link above.