Madagascar also known as the Malagasy Republic is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeast coast of Africa. It is approximately 750 miles long and 340 miles wide. At 226,597 square miles in size it is the fourth largest island in the world and a little bit smaller than the state of Texas.
Antananarivo is the country’s capital and largest city with a population of about 2 million.
The country was under the French colonial empire from 1897 until it regained independence in 1960. There are many French influences remaining including architecture, language (French is the second official language), and vehicles. Many old French vehicles are still in use.
Madagascar is a third-world country with a population of about 22 million, an estimated 90 percent of whom live on less than two dollars per day. Despite being poor one of things that impressed me most, especially after some of the other countries we have seen on this trip, is how clean it is. You rarely ever see any trash or garbage lying about.
In the smaller villages and countryside personal automobiles are a rarity. Most people walk, some have bicycles and even fewer have motorcycles.
Rice is a primary staple and major crop in this part of Madagascar.
On hillsides where rice can not be easily grown, terraces are made for other crops.
Malagasy washing machine
And dryer
Drying can be difficult on rainy days.
The Zebu is a local cow used for work and food.
Bags of locally produced charcoal are sold as a fuel for cooking. The charcoal is substantially cheaper to use than propane but due to destructive over-production much of the land used to grow the trees is becoming unproductive and subject to extensive erosion.
Enough of the bad now on to the great things about Madagascar. As a result of the island’s long isolation from neighboring continents, Madagascar is home to an abundance of plants and animals found nowhere else on Earth. Approximately 90 percent of all plant and animal species found in Madagascar are endemic.
In order to best see many of the varied species we stayed at the Vakona Forest Lodge. The lodge maintains a protective reserve.
Madagascar is most known for its lemurs. With currently 103 known species and subspecies. Lemurs do not like water and can not swim. We took a short canoe ride over to an island. We got to "interact" with 4 species on this island.
Greeting commitee.
These lemurs were rather tame and would come right up to you.
What's in your pocket? Food?
You have any food?
Nice hat!
We continued our canoe ride to another island.
Ring-tailed lemurs where the attraction on this island.
Lemurs can walk on all fours or upright on their hind legs. They hop around like kangaroos with powerful hind legs.
As with the others, food is a strong attractant. These like bananas.
This one wants another banana.
No more bananas? This knee smells good.
Tastes good too.
Back on another part of the reserve we were introduced to a Fosa, a carnivorous cat-like creature and primary natural predator for the lemurs.
This carnivorous bird is also unique to Madagascar; sorry I do not remember its name.
Also obviously carnivorous but not unique only to Madagascar are crocodiles of which the reserve has 44.
Messing with the crocs.
With all the commotion more crocs are on their way to see what's for lunch.
Think we will stay on this side of the fence.
The reserve also has many other less dangerous animals.
Though I would not want to turn my back on this boa.
Not only animals but also some unusual and beautiful flowers.
Not sure just what these guys are?
Took a night hike to see some of the nocturnal creatures. Unfortunately it rained and unlike the human tourists the animals know to stay out of the rain. Consequently we did not spot many.
This little bird was trying to stay dry.
This snail was huge, about the size of my fist.
The prize of the night was this mouse lemur, the world's smallest lemur.
The next day we hiked through a National Park to see nature in the wild.
We were fortunate and spotted several lemurs in their natural habitat.
This was a species of tail-less lemur.
We also saw other interesting flora and fauna like this boa.
Termite nest.
Madagascar proved to be a wonderful and beautiful place. We enjoyed this stop very much!
Next stop Kenya.
