Creatures of the Night

At Maromizaha, all 18 of us students had the unique privilege of going on night hikes through the preserve. During these hikes (which went from dusk until dinner at 7:30), one can experience a unique side of the rainforest that very few people get to see. Chameleons become visible, frogs of all kinds become active, and a wide array of nocturnal lemurs come out of their daytime hiding places.

Maromizaha has 6 species of nocturnal lemurs, from the owl-faced Avahi to the tiny rodent-like Mouse Lemurs. On our first nocturnal hike— which took us through a level path along a stream— we didn’t see many lemurs, but did get some good looks at Lepilemur mustelinus:  a brown, weasel-like creature that is one of several dozen species of “sportive lemurs”. We also happened to encounter a White-Throated Rail that was sleeping in the center of a palm tree (first time I’ve ever seen any rail taking a snooze).

On our second nocturnal hike, we returned to Belle Vue, where a Madagascar Nightjar called repeatedly and eventually flew past us like a giant moth. Up here, our luck was much better with lemurs: We saw at least 8 Avahis (also known as Wooly Lemurs), 3 Lepilemurs, a Goodman’s Mouse Lemur, and a Greater Dwarf Lemur (a slow-moving canopy-dweller that our guide wasn’t even expecting to find).

Unfortunately, I did not bring my telephoto lens on these hikes, so my only pictures were those of pixelated, glowing eyes.

(picture coming soon!)

…and Chameleons.

(picture coming soon!)

A Mixed-Species Flock

September 16, 2013

For our second full day at Maromizaha, my group joined up with a well-known naturalist for an introduction to how researchers conduct transect surveys. Though simple in design, transect surveys are extremely useful for determining species density within a rainforest. Because lemurs and birds were a little too quick for us beginners, we conducted our transects with orchids as our focal organisms.

So we hiked up to Belle Vue— a ridge that arguably provides the best view in the reserve. It was a tough hike, but when we did finally reach the top, we were greeted with a wonderful view.

(pic)

We heard some Indris up here and a few people were able to see some distant black and white shapes, but the coolest thing (at least in my opinion) was the mixed-species flock we ran into.

In the tropics, many species of small, forest-dwelling birds will travel in groups comprised of several different species. Why they do this instead of sticking exclusively with their own kind is hotly debated, but the most popular theory is that strength in numbers increases the chances of finding food and decreases the risk of predation.

On the previous day’s hike through Maromizaha, I had seen a few Madagascar Brush Warblers, Madagascar Bulbuls, many Souimanga Sunbirds, and a single Red-Fronted Coua that appeared while everyone else was admiring the Sifakas— but I hadn’t seen any vangas, asities, or other forest specialties until today.

It began with the Souimanga Sunbirds. I had seen or heard at least 20 of them on the hike today, so I didn't think it was a big deal when a pair popped into view along the edge of the forest. And then a Crested Drongo appeared. Two Crested Drongos... Five Madagascar White-Eyes... Three Blue Vangas (!!!)… Two White-Headed Vangas… Two Red-Tailed Vangas… Common Newtonias… more sunbirds… and then, a slightly larger sunbird with bright green goggles appeared: A Common Sunbird-Asity!!! 

Sifakas and Couas

September 15, 2013

After a wonderful night of sleep, everyone was awakened at 6 AM for a traditional Malagasy breakfast of rice, rice, some eggs, and more rice.

I had also barely stepped out of my tent when I glimpsed my first Madagascar Blue Pigeon, Madagascar Bulbuls, and Souimanga Sunbirds. As the sun rose above the forested ridges of Maromizaha, I heard the trumpeting calls of Indris echoing across the valley. Though they were quite far away, the Indris’ cries were quite resonant, and I couldn’t wait to see the cat-sized, panda-colored creatures that made them.

Not long after the Indris had quieted down, our breakfast was interrupted by two giant blue things that glided into a tree right above us, grabbed a small chameleon from a leaf, and proceeded to fight over it tug-of-war-style before finally tearing it apart and eating it.

They were Blue Couas: large cuckoo-like birds that resembled a cross between a roadrunner and a Stellar’s Jay. Much like Stellar’s Jays, they were as feisty as they were beautiful. They made a wide variety of unusual sounds, and in all my travels, I have never seen any bird quite like them.

After breakfast and a short lecture, our group of 16 students was split into 3 smaller groups that went off in search of lemurs and other interesting wildlife. For the group I was with, our quarry was the Diademed Sifaka- a great golden creature that is considered one of the most beautiful lemur species. Fortunately for us, the Sifakas and Indris in Maromizaha have become habituated to human researchers following them around for years. Thus, when we did finally encounter the sifakas, they couldn’t care less about how close we were to them. The group of four that we saw just continued to eat leaves, groom themselves, and make the occasional giant leaps from trunk to trunk. They were so close, it was almost like watching them in a zoo! 

Pictures will come later- the bandwidth at Ranomafana won't allow it. 

Maromizaha

In the tropics, the sun often rises and sets relatively early. In Madagascar, it is also technically "winter" right now, so the sun sets around 6 pm every day. Thus, by the time we arrived at Maromizaha and set up camp, it was already getting dark, so I didn't really see anything that day.

Maromizaha (which literally means "a lot to see") is one of Madagascar's newest protected areas. It was established in 2008 as a habitat corridor connecting two other reserves and a national park. It is owned by a nonprofit conservation group known as as GERP, and because GERP is a non-government organization, it does not receive gov't aid and thereby relies heavily on researchers and the local community to keep it alive. It consists of 1800 hectares, and while most of this is protected forest, there are also some areas where logging is allowed.

Right now, the forest is divided into zones for sustainable use, research, reforestation, strict conservation, and eventually there will be an ecotourism zone. There are 13 species of lemur here- the most notable of which are the Diademed Sifaka and the Indri- the world's largest (and possibly the loudest) lemur.

In any case, we had a wonderful campsite and it was here that we would do hikes, camp, and learn about field methods for the next four days.

The Road to Maromizaha

After two nights and a full day in Madagascar's capital, it was time to move on and see some of the country's natural side. Upon leaving Antananarivo, we were soon surrounded on all sides by rice paddies, and in these rice paddies there were often various herons, Malagasy cattle (which are known as "zebu"), and the rice farmers themselves.

Traveling along the country's main road also revealed the sheer extent of deforestation in Madagascar. Less than 10% of Madagascar's original forest remains, and for almost the entirety of our three-hour drive, there wasn't a single native tree or animal in sight. Instead of lush jungles covering the hillsides, it was dried grass, exhausted topsoil, and forests of pine and eucalyptus. Yeah, pines are kind of cool and so are eucalyptus trees, but both are nonnative here, and there isn't a single Malagasy bird, mammal, or insect that benefits from their existence. Basically, the only reason they are even grown on the island is because they are cheap, easy to grow, and make good charcoal.

But in any case, we did have one exciting stop that broke up our otherwise monotonous bus ride. We visited a small zoo where we not only got to see a large number of endemic Malagasy reptiles but also got to hold and interact with them. I must say, I felt amazingly privileged to have a leaf-tailed gecko in my hands, a green tree boa around my neck, and a tiny Brookesia chameleon on my finger at various points during this visit. We even got to enter a large enclosure with several Parson's Chameleons (the largest known species of chameleon) and hand-feed them live insects! And in addition to geckos, chameleons, snakes, and crocodiles, the zoo also had friendly puppy and a family of adorable Tenrecs (a Malagasy mammal that bears some resemblance to a hedgehog).

Antananarivo

Last night, I finally arrived in the country's main airport at 11 PM and made it to the St. Laurent Hotel by 1. Though I was seriously exhausted, a combination of jet lag and some other inexplicable factors prevented me from falling asleep. At 5:30 AM, I went to the roof of the hotel to watch the sunrise, and though I felt absolutely shitty for not sleeping, it was a sight to behold.

Roosters crowed, dogs barked, and the din of various city noises filled the cool air. Before the sun was even up, people were running to work- whether that be the maintenance of a shop, cultivation of a rice paddy, or carrying of vegetables to a nearby market.

By mid-morning, the city was a hectic jumble of human beings going from place to place. Buses were backed up along roads, street-sides were crammed with vendors, and some of the mangiest-looking chickens I've ever seen could be seen hopping through yards and side-alleys.

Though the city is rife with poverty, sketchiness, and other things that an American tourist would find frightening or off-putting, it did have its own unique charm. As Wikitravel states:

"There are actually a number of things to do in Tana and, if you can see beyond the poverty, the city is really attractive and a photographers dream. The architecture is a mix of French Countryside and Indonesia. Rice paddies scattered all over the city add a brilliant green to the pastel terracotta of the buildings. The market is wonderful, offering many unique souvenirs"

Indeed, the strange-looking trees, cobblestone streets, and stacked houses covering the hills had a very unique charm to them.

Here are some other unique aspects of the city that I noticed while I was in it today:

-Despite having a population of nearly 2 million, there are NO streetlights or stop signs. Anywhere. Drivers constantly cut each other off, honk at pedestrians, change lanes without signaling, and come very close to running people over.

-Rice is grown within the city limits-- within every available space.

-The spoken languages are French and Malagasy. A small but significant portion of Tana also speaks English.

-The entire city becomes DEAD QUIET after 10 pm, but gets extremely busy as soon as the sun rises.

-Merchandise tends to be quite inexpensive.

-You can buy pineapple-flavored Fanta!

-You can smoke INSIDE buildings! (who cares about fire hazards?)

Arrival in Paris

After a 6-hour flight, I have finally arrived in the Eastern Hemisphere! Yes, I am in Paris, France- in the Charles deGaul Airport.

It's pretty nice here! There are comfy lounge chairs, ps3's, and plenty of nice french food and cool-looking bathrooms to keep weary travelers entertained. 

Now for the 11-hour flight to Madagascar!!!... in fact, my plane is actually boarding right now. I'll write a more complete blog post later!