The Natural History of Madagascar

THE NATURAL HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR

September 23 to October 15, 2017

Led by Rivo Rarivosoa and Mark Smith

Madagascar, the eighth continent! Biologically speaking, this 1000 mile-long island, fourth largest in the world, is another continent. Some 160 million years ago the island broke from Gondwanaland, the ancient megacontinent that was comprised of Australia, India, Africa and Antarctica. This long separation has fostered the evolution of thousands of endemic species of plants and animals.

Lemurs are the most famous of Madagascar’s endemic fauna, and during our travels we will likely encounter sixteen or more species of these beguiling primates, including the superb black and white Indri, the graceful white Sifaka, and tiny mouse lemurs. In addition to lemurs, Madagascar is the only place the hedgehog-like, insectivorous tenrecs exist. The Island is home to 70% of the world’s bizarre chameleons, and of the 250 bird species half are endemic, including such spectacular groups as vangas, ground-rollers, mesites, asitys, and couas.

The plants of Madagascar have also been isolated for millions of years and have evolved beautiful strange forms like bloated baobab and elephant foot trees. There are also more than 1000 orchids. Over 80% of this diverse flora occurs nowhere else. Culturally, too, Madagascar is not a part of Africa. The first humans arrived over 1500 years ago from Indonesia, and today much of Madagascar’s fertile high plateau is covered by terraced rice paddies.

Saving Madagascar’s remaining wildlands is one of the highest priorities in world conservation. Fourteen species of large lemurs, the massive Elephant Birds, and a Pygmy Hippopotamus are already recently extinct. In the 1980’s the government was convinced of the value of its natural heritage and currently several international conservation groups are working with Madagascar to establish and protect reserves throughout the country. It is hoped nature tourism will supply parkside communities with alternatives to slash and burn agriculture.

Our tour—co-led by many regional naturalists and by Rivo Rarivosoa, a Malagasy naturalist who speaks French, English and Malagasy—visits the dry forests of the northwest, rainforests on the east slope, desert spiny forests in the south, and fine coral reefs and beaches. We will have leisurely nature hikes, night walks searching for nocturnal lemurs, superb ocean snorkeling and swimming, and shopping time for fine crafts. Photo opportunities are unlimited, with spectacular landscapes, intriguing peoples and close-ups of lemurs, showy insects, flowers, and colorful harmless snakes and lizards. Join me in Madagascar, for the endemic time of your life!

leadership

Malagasy agent, Rivo Rarivosoa is fluent in four languages including Japanese. He has been organizing and guiding nature, birdwatching and cultural tours in Madagascar for 18 years and has been president of the National Guides Association, and taught government courses in tourism. He hopes to meet with the group in Tana.

Mark Smith, has led nature tours throughout the world for The Nature Conservancy, Audubon Society, and privately. After his studies at OSU, he worked as a researcher and educator for a variety of organizations, including The Nature Conservancy, the National Science Foundation, Portland Public Schools, the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, and the National Marine Fisheries Service. This is the tenth tour Mark has led to Madagascar, one of his favorite places. He has special expertise and interest in birds, reptiles, mammals, insects, ecology and island biogeography, and broad interests in all natural history subjects and cultural anthropology.

Group Limit – 9

A minimum of 6 travelers are required at the stated price. If the group size is smaller, a reasonable small group supplement will be added. If the group is 6 or fewer only Rivo will guide and Mark Smith will not accompany the tour. Rivo will also have several additional local guides.

TRIP COST

Ground Fare $5750

This includes double occupancy accommodations in hotels, transport by small bus, entrance fees, and all meals. Not included are international airport taxes, snorkeling costs, excess baggage charges, bar beverages, laundry, phone calls and other personal items. The single supplement is $1100.

Air Fare Approximately $1,250 from Paris to Madagascar

Approximately $600-800 round-trip U.S. to Europe, depending

on U.S. gateway city.

Four internal flights approximately $800.

RESERVATIONS AND FINAL PAYMENT

A deposit of $1000 made out to Mark Smith Nature Tours and sent to Mark Smith, PO Box 3831, Portland, OR 97208 will ensure you a place on this tour. Include your address and phone, and the name of the trip. You will be sent a letter acknowledging your deposit. The final payment is due 60 days before departure. Mark’s phone is 360-566-0458. Air arrangements can be made by Pam Davis of Willamette International Travel, 1314 NW Irving St., #101, Portland, OR 97209. Phone: 503/224-0180 or 1/800/821-0401. E-mail: .

RIGORS AND ACCOMMODATIONS

Nature tourism increased greatly in Madagascar during the 1980’s. In recent years several new hotels have been built near the parks and today all our hotels are comfortable with attached bathrooms. The Carlton in Antananarivo is a base we return to and extra baggage can be stored there. Food is good, including French and Malagasy cuisine, and fresh seafood. Madagascar Airlines does a good job, but internal schedules may change. If our internal flight schedule changes, we will still go to all the same places, but in a different order. The island is 1000 miles long, 250 miles wide, and mountainous. This means to see a diversity of natural areas we must make some half-day drives; these will be punctuated by many interesting stops. The landscape is enchanting, with lots to look at.

In the dry forests of the West and North it can be hot, but we will be out early and in the evening, usually with a midday siesta. In the rainforests of the east the trails can be muddy and it can rain, and the terrain includes some short, steep hills. There are always relaxing options, and we can also get additional guides for photographers or for those who need to stay on more level trails. Throughout the tour most walks will be about two miles.

Food: European dishes are available most places, with French food favored, but also we’ll enjoy tasty Malagasy dishes, with plenty of vegetables, rice and stews, not heavily spiced. Varied fruits and bottled water will be provided.

PREPARATION

Reading and bird lists, articles, maps and travel information will be sent to participants
in June.

CANCELLATIONS AND REFUNDS

For cancellations made between 90 - 60 days prior to departure, forfeit $500. Cancellations made fewer than 60 days before the departure date forfeit 65% of the tour cost. We recommend that participants consider trip cancellation insurance, which can be bought through our agent, Willamette International Travel.

ITINERARY

Days 1-3 Sep. 23-25 U.S. to Paris to Madagascar;Antananarivo

Travelers depart various U.S. gateways September 23.at mid-day, arriving in Paris morning of September 24. Our Air Madagascar flight leaves Paris in the evening and arrives in Antananarivo (Tana) late September 25.

Day 4 & 5 Sep. 26-27 Berenty

At 9:40 AM we fly to Fort Dauphin, arriving at noon in this striking coastal town. After a break at a hotel we drive south to Berenty, viewing en route an Antanosy tomb with wood carvings depicting the dead or the circumstances of the death. By mid-afternoon we should be at Berenty, a 250 acre private reserve of gallery and spiny forest beside the Mandrare River. We’ll have an evening walk to view the famous lemurs of Berenty, the most studied wildlife in Madagascar. Because of prolonged contact with humans, the clown-like Ring-tailed Lemurs, Brown Lemurs, and elegant white Verreaux’s Sifakas are tame and easily observed and photographed. The next day, we’ll follow the troops at length; a rare opportunity to study details of primate behavior. In Ring-tails, the females are dominant and in October many have babies. Troops settle territorial disputes with a cacophony of wails and hoots. We will likely also see nocturnal Weasel Sportive Lemurs and the Rufous Mouse Lemur. Birds, lizards, harmless snakes, and tenrecs are also to be found at Berenty.

Day 6 Sep. 28 Berenty to Fort Dauphin

After more early walks and lunch, we leave Berenty and drive to Ft. Dauphin for a relaxed evening.

Day7 Sep. 29 Fort Dauphin, Tulear, Ifaty

A relaxing day, we'll scan for humpback whales and seabirds, walk the beach and view tide pools, watch birds on the shore and in wetlands, and visit the market, neighborhoods and the old fort. Our hotel is very comfortable and well situated for local walks.

Days 8 Sep. 30 Fort Dauphin

Our flight leaves for Tana en route to Tulear at 9:55 AM, arriving at 11:45 AM in Tana. At 12:20 PM, we continue to Tulear, arriving at 1:30 PM. We continue a scenic hour and a half north by bus along this spiny desert coastline, through humble fishing villages and strange forests, past herds of revered Zebu cattle to our beachside resort at Ifaty, with access to fine forest and fantastic coral reef.

Day 9 & 10 Oct. 1-2 Ifaty, Spiny Desert, Tulear

These will be relaxing days full of options. Mornings we will enter the enchanting spiny forest in search of strange birds like Vangas, Newtonias, Jerys, the Madagascar Harrier Hawk, Button Quail, and the rare Subdesert Mesite and incomparable Long-tailed Ground Roller, which dashes around like a roadrunner. There is no place like these forests. Obese Elephant's Foot and Baobab Trees are scattered amongst gangly Didiera and succulent Euphorbs, and all are endemic. Photographers will enjoy the shapes and textures of this vegetation. Across Western and Southern Madagascar these dry forests are endangered by charcoal makers. Even here we'll see where grand old trees have been felled and burned slowly in situ. The charcoal is then sold to city dwellers as cooking fuel. In front of our cabins lies the Indian Ocean, often dotted with outrigger dugouts at sail. Coral reef fringes much of Western Madagascar. The water is clear and a pandemonium of fish and corals will overwhelm our late-morning snorkelers. We'll enjoy relaxed swims, beach walks, and fresh seafood meals. In the late afternoon on Wednesday, we drive to a nearby lake searching for water birds like the rare Madagascar Plover, stilts, herons, waterfowl and often Greater Flamingos. We continue to the town of Tulear for the night of the 29th.

Day 11 Oct. 3 Tulear, Zombitsy, Isalo

We depart early and investigate the arid south coastal Euphorbia scrub on limestone soils, hoping to find a few specialized endemic birds and reptiles. We then continue northeast up to the highlands. We'll make short stops in Zombitsy Forest, and by late afternoon we reach Isalo National Park, the most spectacular landscape in Madagascar. Varicolored sandstone cliffs and gorges, reminiscent of the American Southwest, host rare Pachypodiums, Aloes and other succulents. We'll walk through these enchanted canyons, photographing flowers and watching for the elegant Madagascar Partridge and the Benson's Rock Thrush. We spend two nights at a fantastic lodge built into the rock in the heart of Isalo..

Day 12 Oct. 4 Isalo to Ranomafana

We leave early for a driving day that passes through some of Madagascar’s most beautiful countryside. Our route crosses the homelands of several different tribes, pastoralists as well as rice farmers. The rich green paddy fields and shimmering ponds have a backdrop of slick granite monoliths. We will make many photo stops as well as visiting an Antemoro paper factory. Late afternoon we arrive at our pleasant hotel beside the village of Ranomafana at the edge of the national park.

Days 13 & 14 Oct. 5-6 Ranomafana

Ranomafana is one of Madagascar’s largest and newest rainforest parks, and harbors the greatest diversity of lemurs found anywhere. Attention was drawn to the area when researchers discovered a new primate, the Golden Bamboo Lemur, in 1986. One of the discoverers, Patricia Wright, then of Duke University, spearheaded the campaign to establish this park. The Ranomafana Project, which is funded by U.S.A.I.D., the MacArthur Foundation and others, aims to safeguard the park (also a hydro-electric watershed) through regional projects in education, agriculture, forestry and tourism development.

We take day-long walks into spectacular Ranomafana. A clear stream cascades down through the reserve, and many well-maintained trails radiate across the hills. Led by local naturalists we’ll seek out lemurs like the Grey Bamboo, Red-bellied, Brown and Mouse. With luck we’ll find the splendid Diademed Sifaka, Golden and Greater Bamboo Lemurs, and perhaps the Ring-tailed Mongoose. There are birds, like Vasa Parrots, Ground-rollers, Cuckoo-rollers, Blue and Red-fronted Couas, and many Vangas. Watch too for chameleons and geckos, and scurrying tenrecs. We’ll bring picnic lunches, while some may opt to return to the hotel and village for relaxed afternoons and a thermal bath.

Day 15 Oct. 7 Ranomafana to Antsirabe

After a final early morning in Ranomafana we continue north through the highlands, passing picturesque villages of two and three-story mud houses with tile roofs. Everywhere the valleys have been terraced for rice cultivation. We arrive in Antsirabe for dinner and stay at the Hotel Des Thermes beside the hot springs. The city was founded in 1872 by Norwegian missionaries and has several interesting colonial buildings.

Day 16 Oct. 8 Antsirabe to Perinet

A relaxed departure for Perinet, a forest reserve 100 miles east of Tana on the moist eastern slope of the Island. En route we pass through the densely populated central highlands where the majority of Malagasy live, cultivating paddy rice, vegetables and vast tracts of Eucalyptus. This area and Tana are the homeland of the Merina people, whose ancestors began immigrating to Madagascar from Indonesia 1500 years ago, and who today dominate the politics and economy. We will have a relaxed evening walk into the rainforest.

Day 17 Oct. 9 Perinet and Mantadia Parks

This day we have diverse morning and afternoon forest walks. Perinet Reserve and Mantadia Park cover over 20,000 acres of eastern slope rainforest, a habitat that has been slash-and-burned until only a few sizable “islands” of forest remain. Although the region is hilly, many of the trails are relatively level and pass along beautiful ponds, streams and ridges. Here we may find the Diademed Sifaka, Grey Bamboo Lemur and Brown Lemur, and at night Greater Dwarf and Eastern Mouse Lemurs are spotted by their eye shine. But the largest and most beautiful of all lemurs, indeed one of the grandest primates on earth is the Indri, which local guides will help us find. Family groups of Indris “sing” to each other with eerie wails that carry over a mile. The tailless black and white Indri sits upright against a free trunk and with powerful hind legs launches itself from trunk to trunk, turning in mid-air. The open, broken nature of Perinet forest, perhaps caused by frequent cyclones, makes forest birdwatching a bit easier. We’ll see endemic birds like Vangas of many types, Couas, Asitys, Weavers, Jerys, Sunbirds, and Blue Pigeons. There are chameleons and tenrecs, and plants like tree-ferns, Travelers Palms and orchids, as well as many others our Malagasy guides will know.