Madagascar - Loads of Lemurs!

Greetings Everyone,

We’re in the island nation of Madagascar with our tour leader Patrick Richard searching for lemurs and other exotic wildlife. The second leg of our journey has brought us to the east coast near the town of Antisirabe. We checked into the Vakona Lodge before heading to the nearby VOIMMA Reserve for a night walk. The reserve is run by the community and we were joined by local guide Tina. Patrick spotted our first new lemur species, a Goodman’s Mouse Lemur. 

Goodman’s Mouse Lemur

Shortly after, Tina spotted a Lowland Streaked Tenrec! It scurried through the undergrowth then onto the trail where it stopped next to a woman’s shoe giving us all a good view.

Lowland Streaked Tenrec

Lowland Streaked Tenrecs are endemic to the island of Madagascar and most closely resemble hedgehogs although they are not related. The Lowland Streaked Tenrec has hard quills made of keratin that when rubbed together act as a sounding device (stridulation) for communication or a warning signal to predators. The Streaked Tenrec is the only mammal known to use stridulation, a method more commonly associated with insects and snakes.  

Tina spotted eyeshine in a distant tree which upon closer inspection revealed an Eastern Woolly Lemur, another new species!

Eastern Woolly Lemur

Early the next morning we drove to Analamazaotra National Park (also known as Andasibe and formerly as Perinet), Madagascar’s most popular park and home to the largest of all lemur species, the teddy-bear-like Indri. We met Tina and she led us onto a narrow path that climbed into the forest away from the large groups of tourists. We didn’t encounter our first lemurs until 2 hours later when Patrick spotted two Common Brown Lemurs.

Common Brown Lemur

I really wanted to see an Indri. We could hear them close by but as we approached they stopped calling. Finally, Tina found a family group of Indri and we rushed off to see them. They were low in the trees affording us great views and photos.

Indri

They are a handsome animal resembling a cross between a Koala and a Giant Panda. Unlike most other lemurs they don’t have a long tail. Tina told us they live in family groups of 2-5 comprising a monogamous pair with offspring. They have one baby every 2-3 years. She said 72 families or about 200 individuals live in this park and sadly they are critically endangered. 

We watched this family before visiting another family nearby. The most endearing quality of the Indri are their wailing songs that resonate through the forest. To hear them call directly overhead was an amazing animal encounter and to experience it without other tourists around made it even more special.

Indri Vocalizing (audio link below)

Indri Audio

We returned to the main route and headed off to find the Diademed Sifakas. By the time we arrived they had moved higher into the trees. We waited patiently and eventually the group moved lower into the open and we could now appreciate these beautiful lemurs. One female had a small baby. Diademed Sifakas are critically endangered and along with the Indri, this species is one of the two largest living lemurs.

Diademed Sifaka

After lunch we returned to the VOIMMA Reserve to search for the Eastern Lesser Bamboo Lemur. We encountered a very friendly group of Common Brown Lemurs but the bamboo lemurs were eluding us. We were about ready to give up when Tina spotted two quite close giving us good views and photos.

Eastern Lesser Bamboo Lemur

That evening we drove back to the entrance of Andasibe National Park for a walk along the road to search for nocturnal lemurs. We found a new species, the Greater Dwarf Lemur along with more Goodman’s Mouse Lemurs. 

Greater Dwarf Lemur

The following day was spent in nearby Maromizaha Reserve which still has some large tracts of primary rainforest. We met our new local guide Etienne and scrambled to a bat cave to look for Madagascan Rousette. After nearly loosing my headlamp down a hole, we managed to see and photograph the bats.

Madagascan Rousette

Inside the forest, we climbed a ridge where Etienne found 4 Diademed Sifakas. It was good to see these endangered lemurs in another reserve. Etienne told us to wait while he scouted down a ravine. He called up to us that he had found a Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur! We bushwhacked steeply down into the ravine where Etienne was waiting. There was one high up in a tree taking a snooze. He’d look up every so often so Marc was able to get some good photos.

Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur

We returned to the trail and climbed to a junction. We took the fork that led steeply down into the valley. Etienne said that at this time of day the lemurs retreat to the cooler valleys. Our next lemur target was the Red-bellied Lemur. We reached some campsites without seeing the lemurs so we stopped to eat our packed lunches. Just then 2 tourists and their guides passed by telling us they had just seen the Red-bellied Lemurs! We rushed off to the location but the lemurs had moved on, bummer. We returned to our lunch spot and lo and behold there was a Red-bellied Lemur in the original location.

Red-bellied Lemur

After lunch we continued down the valley to a research center undergoing renovations. Just past the center we spotted 2 mammals scurrying along the trail. They were Ring-tailed Vontsiras! We followed them along the trail getting good views and photos. Patrick and Etienne had found a dead Tufted-tailed Rat on the trail that the Vontsiras had dropped. We waited quietly for them to return for their prey. It didn’t take long for them to come and snatch the rat.

Ring-tailed Vontsira

By now it was getting dark in the valley so we climbed back up to the ridge stopping to rest on some benches and to wait for darkness to fall. Other than a few Goodman’s Mouse Lemurs we weren’t finding any other nocturnal mammals. There were plenty of herps along the way including a rare chameleon, the Two-toned Soft-nosed Chameleon rediscovered here in 2018!

Two-toned Soft-nosed Chameleon 

We left the primary forest and entered the secondary where the hopes of finding our main nocturnal target, the Weasel Sportive Lemur was fading. Etienne tried desperately to lure one in by making kissing noises to no avail. Finally, as we were nearing the end of our walk, Etienne spotted a Weasel Sportive Lemur!

Weasel Sportive Lemur

We got back to our vehicle around 8:30, 10 and a half hours after we had set off! We’re now up to 20 species of lemurs and 30 mammal species overall. Not bad considering we’re only half way through our tour.

Our next destination was Ranomafana National Park. We broke up the long 2-day drive by stopping at the town of Antsirabe where we spent a very comfortable night at hotel, Les Chambres du Voyageur. The following morning we were on the road again for the final push to Ranomafana. Finally, after 28 years we were returning to Ranomafana National Park and Patrick’s home turf. We arrived around 3:00 and checked into the Karibotel. Tonight’s walk was along the busy road as night walks aren’t allowed inside the park. Busloads of tourists are driven to a location on the road where Rufous Mouse Lemurs are baited with bananas. To avoid the crowds we started our walk below and slowly headed up. The nocturnal lemurs found here are mouse and dwarf lemurs. The two species of dwarf lemur, Grove’s and Sibree’s are difficult to tell apart even with photos. We were getting glimpses and some photos of the dwarf lemurs but still unable to identify them to species level.

Dwarf Lemur

We reached the spot where two tourist buses were parked. Fortunately the mouse lemur show was over and they were headed out. There was still some banana on the tree branches so we had a private viewing of these tiny primates.

Rufous Mouse Lemur

Nearby, was an area where Patrick had seen Fanoloka, one of Madagascar’s endemic carnivores. We waited in darkness for the animal to appear. It gave Marc the opportunity to try out our thermal imager. It worked! He saw something moving with the thermal imager and when I turned on my light, a Spotted Fanoloka was on the path! Marc was able to get a good photo before it moved off into the tall grass.

Spotted Fanoloka

The following morning Patrick felt it was better to visit a less popular part of Ranomafana National Park rather than going to the main section like all the other tourists. I was a bit nervous about missing the Golden Bamboo and Greater Bamboo Lemurs but Patrick assured me we’d see them in the afternoon. We drove to the Vohiparara area of the park where Patrick was surprised to see vehicles in the parking lot. He noticed that one of the cars belonged to Dr. Patricia Wright! We headed into the park hearing many voices. Could it be Pat Wright and her crew! All the noise was from a large trail clearing crew. I was concerned that they would frighten all the lemurs away but Joseph, our local guide knew where there were two roost sites for the Small-toothed Sportive Lemur. The lemurs were sitting outside the tree cavities so we got great views and photos.

Small-toothed Sportive Lemur

There were also some Red-bellied Lemurs in the vicinity and we got better views than we did in Maromizaha Reserve.

Red-bellied Lemur

We headed off to the section of the park where Joseph had located a family group of Milne-Edwards Sifakas. They were off the main trail so we had to bushwhack in for a better view. A mother with a very active baby was perched in the open and Marc took many photos. The Milne-Edwards Sifakas here were wearing dog collars with different collared tags so the researchers can tell them apart.

Milne-Edwards Sifakas

When we returned to the parking lot Dr. Patricia Wright was there with her film crew, yippee! I was hoping to meet her but wasn’t sure she’d be in Madagascar. Dr. Patricia Wright is an American primatologist, anthropologist and conservationist who came to Madagascar in 1986 looking to rediscover the Greater Bamboo Lemur. Not only did she find the Greater Bamboo Lemur, she discovered a new species, the Golden Bamboo Lemur! It turns our that Dr. Wright was filming a documentary with an American TV star, Blake Moyes. I had to admit, I had never heard of Blake because I’m not a regular viewer of the reality TV series "The Bachelor" but I’m glad he’s here raising awareness for the lemurs. What a treat to not only meet one of my conservation heroes, Dr. Patricia Wright but to meet a reality TV star to boot!

Us and Dr. Patricia Wright 

After lunch we went to the main section of Ranomafana National Park. As Patrick predicted there were fewer tourists and we had the trails to ourselves. We encountered a group of Golden Bamboo Lemurs near the trail and got great views of this species that Dr. Patricia Wright discovered in 1986.

Golden Bamboo Lemur

Further up the trail we encountered a lone Greater Bamboo Lemur feeding along the path. Patrick explained that she is the last Greater Bamboo Lemur in Ranomafana National Park and that an effort to relocate 11 Greater Bamboo Lemurs from another area in March failed. I began to cry, as I watched Simone (as she has been named) the last of her kind in Ranomafana munch on a stalk of bamboo. She would never find a mate and have a family of her own. It was unbelievably sad and I was overcome with grief. Patrick told me not to cry, that she was ok and that a family of Golden Bamboo Lemurs had adopted her. Hopefully, another relocation of more Greater Bamboo Lemurs into the park will be attempted and successful.

Greater Bamboo Lemur

The following morning we started the long drive back to Antananarivo. The second leg of our Madagascar journey had come to an end. What an amazing time we’ve had seeing seeing critically endangered lemur species, meeting one of my conservation hero’s, Dr. Patricia Wright and visiting protected areas that provide refuge for Madagascar’s unique wildlife. I can’t wait to see what our third and final leg will bring, stay tuned!

We hope all is well with everyone,

Peggy and Marc 

Our route map:

Return to Madagascar

Greeting Everyone,

After 28 years we decided to revisit the exotic island of Madagascar. On our first visit in 1995, we were volunteers on an Earthwatch project collecting reptiles and amphibians in the southern part of the island. This trip would be different in that our focus would be on observing many of Madagascar’s endemic lemur and carnivore species. We booked our tour with Patrick Richard a young guide based near Ranomafana National Park. 

Us in Madagascar, 1995

We started our long journey on August 28 from Phoenix and after stops in Newark and Paris, we finally arrived in Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar on Aug. 30. We were based at the Relais des Plateau, a nice hotel near the airport to recover from jet lag and prepare for our upcoming expedition. A day tour to Lemur’s Park gave us a nice introduction to five of the lemur species found on the island. Most of the park’s lemurs were confiscated pets and will be rehabilitated and returned to the wild.

Female Black Lemur

Patrick met us at the hotel on Sept. 3 for the official start of our tour. We returned to the airport for a short flight across the island to Morondava and on to Kirindy National Park, our first destination. The draw here is the best chance to see a Fossa, Madagascar’s largest carnivore. Best described as a cross between a cat and a mongoose, Fossa had been regularly seen at the Kirindy Ecolodge but during Covid, they disappeared. As we pulled into the parking lot a group of tourists had gathered behind the lodge’s kitchen. Could it be that the Fossa had returned? Much to my delight, a female Fossa was searching for water and possibly a handout from the kitchen. Marc managed some photos in the growing darkness and just like that we had seen one of our most sought-after mammals for the trip!

Female Fossa

We hustled to prepare for our first night walk and soon after we started the walk, our guide spotted a Pale Fork-marked Lemur, our first lemur seen in the wild! Like many of Madagascar’s lemurs, this species is endangered and occupies a narrow strip of western Madagascar forest.

Pale Fork-marked Lemur

I spotted another nocturnal lemur which turned out to be a Gray Mouse Lemur. They were common in the forest and we spotted at least 7 of these tiny primates.

Gray Mouse Lemur

A third lemur species, the Red-tailed Sportive Lemur was also observed. Our quest to see at least 30 species of lemur was off to a good start. We also got glimpses of Bastard Big-footed Mice (yes, that’s their actual name) scurrying along the forest floor. The mouse (Macrotarsomys bastardi) gets it name not from frustration one may encounter in trying to view and photograph it but from French naturalist, Eugene Joseph Bastard. One paused long enough for Marc to snap a photo.

Bastard Big-footed Mouse

The following morning we entered the forest on a path near our bungalow to search for more wildlife. We got better views of the nocturnal Red-tailed Sportive Lemurs that we had seen the night before now that they were in their day roosts. 

Red-tailed Sportive Lemur

We encountered a group of diurnal Red-fronted Brown Lemurs high in the trees. Surprisingly they came down to greet us. At first, I thought they were super inquisitive but the real reason was for water. Using an empty snail shell, our local guide offered water to the lemurs who hesitantly then eagerly accepted it!

Drinking from a Shell

Further down the trail, we came across 3 Verreaux’s Sifaka high in a tree. We had seen these critically endangered primates back in 1995 in the Spiney forest of southern Madagascar. It was a privilege to see them again here in Kirindy. 

Verreaux’s Sifaka

Our search turned to another of Madagascar’s carnivores, the Bokiboky. Despite our best efforts, we came up empty-handed. We returned to the lodge where our local guide said there was a Fossa near cabin 11. I thought he was kidding but sure enough, a female Fossa, possibly the same individual we had seen the evening before, was snoozing next to the cabin!

Snoozing Fossa

As we were preparing for an afternoon walk, our local guide informed us that a male Fossa had shown up behind the kitchen. He was much larger and more wary than the female we had seen. What a privilege to have multiple and prolonged sightings of such a rare and unusual animal.

Male Fossa

We returned to the dry forest to resume our search for the Bokiboky and had about given up hope of finding one when Patrick spotted a Bokiboky digging under a log! Amazingly 2 more individuals showed up and we had 3 Bokibokies to admire and photograph. The Bokiboky or Narrow-stripped Mongoose is not a mongoose but is a member of the Malagasy carnivore family and is the only species in the genus Mungotictis.      

Bokiboky

That evening, a walk yielded the same lemur species but our main quarry, the Malagasy Giant Jumping Rat remained elusive. Early the next morning we left Kirindy for the long drive to our next destination, Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park. We drove along NR8, a sandy rutted track past patches of deciduous dry forest and a few villages. We reached the Mania River and watched as Haja drove our 4x4 onto the ferry, more like planks on two pontoon boats. 

Mania River Ferry

We reached the town of Belo sur Tsiribihina for lunch and because of security concerns (apparently bandits have been robbing tourists), we had to join a caravan to our final destination. A second ferry across the Manambolo River brought us to the luxurious hotel, Le Soleil des Tsingy. 

Soleil des Tsingy Hotel

Despite the 10-hour drive we opted to do a night walk near the park headquarters in the village of Bekopaka. We succeeded in finding our 6th species of lemur, a Peter’s Mouse Lemur.

Peter’s Mouse Lemur

September 6 promised to be an auspicious day. It was Patrick’s 30th birthday and we were to do a hike in the Big Tsingy. We were joined by local guide Martisenga and set off on a bumpy dirt track to the start of our trek. I was surprised when Martisenga pulled out 4 harnesses with two carabiners each. I had no idea we’d be doing technical rock climbing!

Martisenga and Peggy

We set off with my apprehension growing into the forest where Martisenga left the trail and told us to wait. He returned moments later and beckoned us to follow. He pointed to a tree where a Randrianasolo’s Sportive Lemur was roosting. This was a new species of lemur for us and a great one to see!

Randrianasolo’s Sportive Lemur 

We continued on and to my delight, Martisenga spotted a Decken’s Sifaka in a nearby tree, it was joined by two others giving us great views. I’ve wanted to see these critically endangered primates after watching a documentary showing how they leap from tsingy to tsingy in search of forest patches in between to feed on leaves and fruit.

Decken’s Sifaka

Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better we encountered a group of Rufous Brown Lemurs, our 9th species of lemur so far!

Rufous Brown Lemur

After our lemur fest, it was time to climb! At first, it was more of a scramble over limestone rocks. Care had to be taken where you grab onto the rocks as some have sharp edges. We reached our first exposed area where we had to clip onto a cable with both carabiners. I tried not to look down but focused on the climb ahead. Flat rocks to step on had been bolted along the route and Martisenga was there to give me a helping hand. When you reached the end of a cable, you had to unclip and clip onto the next. And so it went, clip, climb, and un-clip. Ladders were also strategically placed to assist in the really steep places. We haven’t done anything this arduous in years!

Tsingy Ladders

We made the final push to the top viewing platform where we were rewarded with a stunning view over the Big Tsingy.  I don’t know of many places on the planet where sheer limestone pinnacles pierce the landscape. The area is so extraordinary that it has been designated as Madagascar’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site. The word tsingy is indigenous to the Malagasy language and can be translated into English as “where one cannot walk barefoot”!

On Top of Big Tsingy

We continued across the top of the Big Tsingy to a hanging bridge across a particularly deep canyon. The crossing looked scarier than it actually was, very similar to the rainforest canopy walkways that we have been on.

Peggy Crossing on Hanging Bridge

We started our descent, stopping in a canyon for lunch. As we were eating, I turned around and to my amazement, a Ring-tailed Vontsira was sneaking up behind us! Apparently, the Vontsira had become accustomed to getting a handout at this popular lunch spot. The Ring-tailed Vontsira is another of Madagascar’s endemic carnivores and the only species in the genus Galidia. 

Ring-tailed Vontsira

It was a short climb out of the tsingy and back into the forest. I was happy to be done with the rock climbing. As we were nearing the car park, Martisenga saw a Fossa cross the trail! Unfortunately, the rest of us missed it. It took us 5.5 hours to hike a mere 3.1km but what an exhilarating trek it was, an auspicious day indeed!

The following morning we were poled down the Manambolo River in dugout canoes to explore some caves for bats.  We managed to find 3 species, Bent-winged Bats, Mauritian Tomb Bats, and Madgascaran Flying Fox. 

Manambolo River

Bent-winged Bats

Back at the dock, we walked to the Small Tsingy nearby. Although not as strenuous as the Big Tsingy, it did involve the use of cables and ladders to get to the top. The view wasn’t as expansive as the Big Tsingy but still impressive.

Small Tsingy

Early the next morning we started the long journey back to Kirindy National Park joining the queue for the ferry across the Manambolo River. On the other side, we joined the convoy through bandit territory. We drove through without incident and reached the town of Belo sur Tsiribihina for lunch at the Mad Zebu. We arrived back at the Kirindy Ecolodge in the afternoon and made plans with local guide Alfred to search for Malagasy Giant Jumping Rats. Tonight was our last opportunity to find them so the pressure was on. We drove to a different part of the park where Alfred knew the location of a couple of burrows. We set off on foot to the first burrow but no rats were above ground. We sat on a nearby log in the darkness waiting for one to emerge. After an uncomfortable 45 minutes, one made a quick exit and we only got a glimpse of its rear end and tail, rats! We followed it to another entrance to its burrow and waited for it to come out again but it didn’t. We returned to the main burrow entrance and waited without any luck so Alfred suggested we try a different burrow. As we approached we could see a rat above ground. It paused long enough for a good view and for Marc to get some photos, success! 

Malagasy Giant Jumping Rat

The following morning we said our final goodbye to Kirindy Ecolodge and drove to the Akiba Lodge and private reserve for our last chance to find a Madame Berthe Mouse Lemur, the world’s smallest primate. We encountered a very friendly group of six Red-fronted Brown Lemurs and a group of four Verreaux’s Sifaka including a mom with a young baby. Our local guide also pointed out two roosting Red-tailed Sportive Lemurs. We came across the Verreaux’s Sifaka family and the Red-fronted Brown Lemurs again feeding on fruits that had fallen on the ground. It didn’t look like a natural setting. Patrick and our local guide explained that they were fed jujube fruit during the dry season by the lodge staff to keep the lemurs inside the reserve where they’d be safe. It did make for good views and photos.

Verreaux’s Sifaka Family

Our local guide knew where there was a roosting tree with mouse lemurs. He was able to coax them out with a twig coated in sap. They looked smaller and different than the Gray Mouse Lemurs we’d been seeing. Could they be Madame Berthe Mouse Lemurs? They turned out to be Gray Mouse Lemurs so sadly no new lemur species on this walk.

Gray Mouse Lemur

Continuing our drive to Morondava, we made a stop at the Avenue of the Baobabs, a prominent group of Grandidier’s Baobabs (Adansonia grandidieri). These massive trees endemic to Madagascar towered nearly 100 feet over a barren landscape, the only remaining trees in a once-dense tropical forest.

Avenue of the Baobabs

We continued on to Morondava arriving at our hotel, Palissandre Cote Ouest resort around noon. Later in the afternoon, we ventured out to the beach along the Mozambique Channel.  

View of the Mozambique Channel

Tomorrow we would return to Antananarivo. The first leg of our Madagascar odyssey had come to an end. Stay tuned for the next leg of our journey.

We hope all is well with everyone,

Peggy and Marc

Our route map: