One of the things that takes some getting used to in Madagascar is the limited access to WiFi and internet speeds that allow for efficient uploading of photos. Consequently I have fallen way behind on my posts.
Our group met in Tana and I quickly learned that the tour was going to be exceptional. The people had a common interest and were all intrepid travelers. I personally knew three of the eleven members before the trip started. I was excited to get to know the rest. I am hoping to get some to contribute to the website. First I will introduce the three I knew before the trip started.
Devin Edmonds is the tour leader and an author of several books on the care of amphibians. He started his own website when he was a teenager and still makes an effort to keep it up today. Because of his interest in the creatures of Madagascar, he came here when he was 20 years old and made many connections that have become a big part of his life. I heard him lecture about a dozen years ago at a gathering of interested people after his first trip.
Mike Wallitis, co-founder of Black Jungle Exotics, a company that specializes in the sale of items used in making terrariums and vivariums, asked Devin to lead the group for Rainforest Adventure Tours, a second business Mike started. I have been doing business with Mike for many years, but this is the first trip I have taken with him. Others in the group have traveled with him several times to exotic locations.
Finally, my nephew Scott, who like me, has been interested in traveling to Madagascar since he was a boy. Scott is a Princeton graduate who is currently working in Kenya on a conservation ecology research project. He hopes someday to get a doctorate in some aspect of conservation biology. He wants to make a difference.
Andasibe (pronounced An DAH see bay), a small village a few hours west of Tana, was a good place to get started. It was here that Devin helped provide advice on a captive breeding program for endangered frogs that are struggling because of habitat loss. The breeding project is part of a larger community project called Mitsinjo. We were introduced to several people associated with Mitsinjo and we learned about the good work they do. We took several hikes on the private reserve they manage. We saw many species. Scott and I were very lucky to see the largest member of the lemur family called the Indri.