This post is part of a 10 day trip with Remote River Expeditions.
We Met Gervas our guide at 8 a.m. and from camp walked along a forest road and then down a maze of narrow paths through a deciduous forest. The area was heavily logged in the late 70s and has very few big trees.
The dense tangle of saplings and bushes, now bare in the dry season, is surprisingly light and airy. Dappled sunlight filters through the foliage creating a pleasant environment.
Gervas knows the habits of the lemurs and where to find them. We found this red-tailed lemur still mostly in his hole.
A few groups of sifakas feed high in the trees, the last group had babies. It is difficult to see babies, just a dark blob seemingly attached to the side of the mother.
Birders have plenty to discover. You have to be fast with the camera though and know where to look when Gervas points them out. I’m not particularly skilled at either.
Gervas also talks about the plants and their medicinal uses, such as sandalwood used as a face mask to block the harsh rays of the sun and a vine that he calls a vanilla plant that gives you energy but is also an aphrodisiac – don’t drink too much! “One family drinks it, 10 babies.”
The walk took about 2 hours.
September 29, 2016
For links to all the posts in this series see the Madagascar page.