BIRDING AFRICA THE AFRICA SPECIALISTS Endemic Birds and Tour Leaflet 2021

Sickle-billed Vanga © Tertius Gous 15 – 20 November 2021 (Main Tour) 20 November – 6 December 2021 (Masoala Extension) Madagascar 2021 BIRDING Tour leader: Tertius Gous AFRICA THE AFRICA SPECIALISTS Birding Africa Tour Summary Tour Africa Birding Summary Tour Africa Birding

120 endemics in 17 days • targets 123 endemics and near- endemics in 17 days • see all seven endemic bird families and sub-families • Helmet Vanga on the Masoala Extension Short-legged Ground Roller ©Tertius Gous Tertius grew up in the bushveld in South Africa and • see over 25 species has birded widely across Africa, and now leads tours Our 17-day Main Tour and optional 6-day Masoala be visiting Madagascar’s best birding spots we will Extension run back-to-back and are designed make sure to search for all the available species • night walks for lemurs and for Birding Africa to numerous countries. He has birded extensively in Madagascar and led numerous for you to experience the greatest number of (within reason) and will see a great diversity. chameleons Madagascar's birds and lemurs as possible, tours there. He is also an accomplished and well- Enjoying Madagascar’s diverse lemurs will also depending on your available time. • our 38th Madagascar tour known bird photographer who has that rare balance be a focus of our tour and we will search for these between showing people good birds and sharing his On the Main Tour, we travel overland to visit the during day and night walks. Madagascar also has Schlegel's Asity © Tertius Gous photographic insights. mega-diverse eastern rainforests of Andasibe- a fantastic diversity of amphibians and reptiles Mantadia and Ranomafana National Parks, home and we are likely to have some great chameleon Dates (2021) to most of the endemics, grasslands at the scenic sightings, from the tiny Brookesia to the giant Masoala Extension 15 – 20 Nov , dry deciduous forests of Parson’s Chameleon. Zombitse National Park, baobab-fi lled spiny desert Let us know if you have target species or want to Main Tour 20 Nov – 6 Dec of the south-west, wetlands of the Betsiboka Delta know more about the species we might encounter. and Lake Ravelobe and dry deciduous forest of A species list will be handed out to you as part of Ankarafantsika National Park. Prices + Single your tour booklet at the start of the tour and is Th e exact sequence of sites visited is subject to Air available beforehand upon request. Masoala Extension $2330 + $570 Madagascar’s fl ight schedule. Main Tour $6650 + $980 Th e tour is timed to coincide with the start of the bird breeding season. Th e days will be cool to Excludes internal flights estimated at $650 Tour Focus warm in the highlands and hot in the dry forest. (Masoala) and $960 (Main Tour) Th is is a dedicated birds and lemurs tour with early Our itinerary has been fi ne-tuned to target as starts and lots of fi eld time. many of Madagascar’s endemic birds and lemurs Book online possible, as time-effi ciently as possible. We will drive short distances by minibus or four- wheel-drive vehicles and elsewhere by coaster bus, Visit www.birdingafrica.com Our tour plans for multiple opportunities to which regularly allows for approximately one and Deposit ($150) by credit card fi nd some of the hardest-to-see birds, especially a half seats per person. More details about what Email [email protected] ground-rollers, couas, asities and vangas, giving to expect, how to prepare and what to pack are us the best chance of success. However, as we will provided in our Tour Information.

2 | Madagascar 2021 Madagascar 2021 | 3 INTRODUCTION

Our Main Tour commences in the north-west by Moving further south, we’ll explore Isalo and exploring the Betsiboka Delta for Bernier’s Teal Zombitse forest in the central highlands. Appert’s and Madagascar Sacred Ibis and dry deciduous Tetraka is restricted to one forest here! forests at Ankarafantsika (Ampijoroa), where Ifaty in the south-east, haunt of the fabulous Madagascar Fish-Eagle, White-breasted Mesite, Sickle-billed Vanga, offers spiny forest specials

Birding Africa Tour Leaflet Tour Africa Birding Schlegel's Asity and Van Dam's Vanga can be Leaflet Tour Africa Birding like Subdesert Mesite, Long-tailed Ground-Roller, found. Running Coua and Green-capped Coua. Nearby, Andasibe-Mantadia (also called Perinet), our next Toliara holds a small breeding population of the location, is where the largest living lemur, Indri, very localised Madagascar Plover while La Table is regularly seen. Few experiences can match the could treat us with some excellent coastal birding mornings here where the haunting wails of Indri and the recently discovered Red-shouldered Vanga. resonate across the misty valleys. We’ll make a Weather and Air Madagascar permitting, we’ll visit special effort to track down a family group. Birding the Red-tailed Tropicbird breeding colony on the highlights here include four species of ground- island of Nosy Ve in the south west, before taking a roller (Rufous-headed, Short-legged, Pitta-like and flight back to Tana, where our journey ends. Scaly)! Our Masoala Extension is entirely focussed on The primary forest of Ranomafana in the eastern visiting the largest remaining patch of forest on highlands is famous for its recently-discovered, the island, on the Masoala Peninsula. Here we will Endangered Golden Bamboo Lemur. The birding search for the incomparable Helmet Vanga. is spectacular: amongst other many endemics we’ll search for Yellow-bellied Sunbird-Asity, Brown Mesite and Pollen's Vanga. Running Coua © Tertius Gous Indri © Tertius Gous Accommodation and meals Walking Accommodation and meals are good by African This tour requires a moderate degree of fitness. standards. We make a special effort to stay in Most walks will start during the coolest part of comfortable, hand-picked accommodation, the day and take place at a slow to fair pace. The upmarket where possible, as close as possible to the terrain is largely relatively flat, with small ups best birding areas. Rooms have private bathrooms and downs on many trails. At Ranomafana and and although the supply can be intermittent, there sometimes Andasibe the trails can be fairly steep is hot water most of the time. and slippery. If you are concerned about this, these walks can either be skipped out or taken slowly Meals are Western-style, with French and with a private trail guide, subject to availability. Malagasy influences. Zebu, the local beef, features predominantly on the menu. Seafood is popular at the coast. Please advise if you are vegetarian and International flights what foods you enjoy, so that we can cater for you. Please do not book and pay for your international Water is not safe to drink so we supply flights without first consulting our office. Internal complimentary bottled water in the vehicle, that flights in Madagascar, such as to Masoala and you can also take to your rooms for drinking and back, are often changed by a day or two. This can tooth brushing. sometimes require us to move the whole tour by a day or two, and so it is necessary to have a spare Group size arrivals and departure day. Maximum 9 participants.

4 | Madagascar 2021 Madagascar 2021 | 5 ITINERARY AND MAP Masoala Extension Itinerary Day M1 15 Nov 2021 Arrive. Overnight in Antananarivo. Day M2 16 Nov 2021 Fly to Maroansetra. Overnight Maroansetra.

Birding Africa Tour Leaflet Tour Africa Birding Day M3 17 Nov 2021 Maroansetra to Masoala. Overnight Masoala. Leaflet Tour Africa Birding Day M4 18 Nov 2021 Full day at Masoala. Overnight Masoala. Day M5 19 Nov 2021 Full day at Masoala. Overnight Masoala. Mahajanga & Maroansetra Day M6 20 Nov 2021 Masoala to Maroansetra to Antananarivo. Tour ends. Betsiboka Delta 2 M3 3 Masoala Main Tour Itinerary Ankarafantsika 4 M4 – M5 Day 1 20 Nov 2021 Arrive. Overnight in Antananarivo. M2 Day 2 21 Nov 2021 Antananarivo to Mahajanga. Overnight in Mahajanga. 5 M6 Day 3 22 Nov 2021 Betsiboka Delta. Drive to Ankarafantsika. Overnight at Ankarafantsika. Day 4 23 Nov 2021 Full day at Ankarafantsika National Park. Overnight at Ankarafantsika. Day 5 24 Nov 2021 Ankarafantsika to Antananarivo. Overnight in Antananarivo. Antananarivo 6 Andasibe-Mantadia Day 6 25 Nov 2021 Antananarivo to Andasibe. Overnight at Andasibe. M1 + 1 7 – 8 Day 7 26 Nov 2021 Mantadia National Park. Overnight at Andasibe. 9 Day 8 27 Nov 2021 Andasibe-Mantadia National Park. Overnight at Andasibe. Antsirabe Day 9 28 Nov 2021 Andasibe to Antsirabe. Overnight in or near Antsirabe. 10 Day 10 29 Nov 2021 Antsirabe to Ranomafana. Overnight near Ranomafana. 17 Day 11 30 Nov 2021 Full day in . Overnight near Ranomafana. Ranomafana 11 – 13 Day 12 1 Dec 2021 Full day in Ranomafana National Park. Overnight near Ranomafana. 14 Day 13 2 Dec 2021 Full day in Ranomafana National Park. Overnight near Ranomafana. Anja Day 14 3 Dec 2021 Ranomafana to Anja Lemur Reserve to Isalo. Overnight at Isalo. Isalo Day 15 4 Dec 2021 Isalo to Zombitse to Ifaty. Overnight at Ifaty. Ifaty & 15 Zombitse Day 16 5 Dec 2021 Ifaty Spiny Forest to Toliara. Overnight in or near Toliara. Toliara 16 Day 17 6 Dec 2021 Toliara area and Nosy Ve. Fly to Antananarivo. Tour ends.

6 | Madagascar 2021 Madagascar 2021 | 7 DAY-BY-DAY ITINERARY Please note that this tour schedule is for Day 2: Fly to Maroansetra guidance only. The exact arrangements Today we fly to Madagascar’s north-east, where the depend on the internal flight schedule of Air Masoala peninsula shelters the Bay of Antongil. Madagascar, which is not yet available. We’ll land at the small airport of Maroansetra and stay the night in this sea-side town. Coastal Birding Africa Tour Leaflet Tour Africa Birding ----- MASOALA EXTENSION ------birding here could include Crab Plover and various Leaflet Tour Africa Birding waders. Day 1: Arrive Antananarivo Days 3–5: Masoala peninsula Welcome to Madagascar! Once you pass through customs and have picked up your luggage, enter We leave Maroansetra early in the morning, taking Antananarivo airport’s arrival hall. Look out for a a spectacular boat journey across the waters of the board showing your name; the hotel’s driver will Bay of Antongil that typically lasts 1–2 hours. The be awaiting you for a short drive to the hotel. Here voyage passes nearby the island of Nosy Mangabe your guide will meet you and let you know the next and the peninsula’s thickly forested mountains morning’s breakfast and departure times. Please form a dramatic backdrop. Madagascar Pratincole meet your guide at 18h00 at the hotel’s reception may be seen along the island's rocky shores. Once for a briefing, if you have not met him before then. on the peninsula we’ll waste little time in starting

Scaly Ground Roller © Callan Cohen

Indri Helmet Vanga © Callan Cohen

our exploration, commencing in the idyllic later on in the trip. We’ll all be hoping to lift our surrounds of our camp. The wooden bungalows binoculars and be dazzled by the gigantic electric close to the beach are elegant but quite rustic. We blue bill of the Helmet Vanga, the focus of our will stay overnight to the sound of the sea and the searches. We stand a good chance of encountering forest, which both border to our camp. one of the most spectacular lemurs, the noisy Red with its fluffy orange and black fur. We have almost three full days to explore the The area also offers fair chances to see the localised wonders of the Masoala Peninsula. The peninsula and handsome White-fronted Brown Lemur. holds some of the rarest birds in Madagascar, including Helmet and Bernier’s Vanga. There is also a tiny chance of Madagascar Serpent Eagle, Day 6: To Antananarivo but we’ll need to be extremely lucky to find one! After an early breakfast we’ll board the boat for the We’ll explore the forest trails looking for bird return voyage to Maroansetra, before transferring parties which may hold the vangas. The area holds to the airport and flying back to Antananarivo. The the largest primary rainforest tract in Madagascar cool of Madagascar’s highland capital will offer a and we’ll acquaint ourselves with many of the refreshing change from Masoala. eastern rainforest specials that we expect to see

8 | Madagascar 2021 Madagascar 2021 | 9 ------MAIN TOUR ------Day 4: Ankarafantsika National Park Ankarafantsika National Park protects some of the Day 1: Arrive in Antananarivo best remaining examples of Madagascar’s western dry deciduous woodlands. Here too we'll search for Welcome to Madagascar! From the airport you will the Critically Endangered Madagascar Fish Eagle transfer to your nearby hotel for an overnight stay. at Lac Ravelobe, far less common than its African counterpart (the total population estimate is 240

Birding Africa Tour Leaflet Tour Africa Birding Day 2: Travel to Mahajanga birds!). Other species around the lake include Leaflet Tour Africa Birding Our first day is essentially a travel day, to White-throated Rail and Madagascar Jacana. Mahajanga. We hope to be able to fly to the north- We will spend most of our time stalking through west, but as a backup we'll drive if the flights are the woodlands, where top target birds will not operating to schedule. Depending on our time be the gaudy Schlegel’s Asity, White-breasted of arrival we'll do some local introductory birding Mesite and Van Dam’s Vanga. We also hope at Mahajanga. to find Madagascar Crested Ibis, Madagascar Green Pigeon, Grey-headed Lovebird, Greater Day 3: Betsiboka Delta; to Ankarafantsika Vasa Parrot, Red-capped Coua, Coquerel’s Coua, Madagascar Scops Owl, Madagascar Today we start off with a boat visit to mangroves Pygmy Kingfisher, White-headed Vanga, Sickle- and mudflats of the Betsiboka Delta, departing billed Vanga, Rufous Vanga and Madagascar according to the tides. Top birds we'll be looking Cuckooshrike. for include Bernier's Teal and Madagascar Sacred Pitta-like Ground Roller © Tertius Gous Ibis, both very rare and localised and not always Night walks with local guides in search for seen. nocturnal lemurs, owls and chameleons will be an Mouse Lemur and the localised Mongoose Lemur. Days 7–8: Andasibe and Mantadia exciting evening activity. We’ve seen a staggering Some of the largest specimens of Oustalet’s The protected area consists of the Anamalazoatra After our boat trip we'll drive straight to eight species of lemurs on the night walks here, Chameleon can also be seen here. Special Reserve (also named Andasibe, sometimes Ankarafantsika National Park, where we hope to including the recently-described Golden-brown known by the French name Perinet) and the larger do some introductory birding in the afternoon. Day 5: Drive to Antananarivo Schlegel's Asity © Tertius Gous Mantadia National Park. Together, these protect Today is essentially a travel day as we make the one of Madagascar’s most important primary long journey back to Antananarivo by road, with rainforest areas. We have time to explore the forests regular stops to stretch legs. Our first planned stop on various trails, in the company of local guides. is at some wetlands, and then at a large river for The list of birds we can see here is impressive, Madagascar Pratincole. During a picnic lunch in but some highlights may include White-throated some open grasslands we hope to find Madagascar Rail, Madagascar Flufftail, Madagascar Blue Buttonquail and possibly Madagascar Partridge. Pigeon, Lesser Vasa Parrot, Red-breasted Coua, And in the afternoon we'll scan open habitats for Blue Coua, Red-fronted Coua, Madagascar the very rare Madagascar Harrier, one of most Long-eared Owl, Madagascar Spine-tailed Swift, rapidly declining endemics. We expect to arrive in Madagascar Malachite Kingfisher, Cuckoo Roller, Antananarivo after dark. Common Sunbird-Asity, Ward’s Flycatcher, Rand’s Warbler, Nuthatch Vanga, Madagascar Blue Vanga, Day 6: To Andasibe Madagascar Starling, Forest Fody and Nelicourvi Weaver. We may also be fortunate enough to This morning we will start with a short stop at the encounter Collared Nightjar roosting almost productive city wetlands of Lake Alarobia with imperceptibly on the forest floor. its busy heronry, before heading eastwards to the famous Andasibe-Mantadia National Park where Mantadia is also the very best place in the world we will be based for three nights. The journey takes for Ground-Rollers. We’ll need some luck and three hours. We will have two full days to explore perseverance, but we’ve seen all four rainforest this spectacular hotspot, with some introductory species in a single morning here: Pitta-like, Scaly, birding this afternoon. Rufous-headed and Short-legged.

10 | Madagascar 2021 Madagascar 2021 | 11 like Ground Roller, White-throated Oxylabes, work hard for a good view of the highly secretive Crossley’s Babbler, Green Jery, Wedge-tailed Jery Madagascar Yellowbrow and Brown Emutail, both and Tylas Vanga. We’ll also search for the more mega-skulkers. And we will search for marsh- retiring Madagascar Wood-Rail, Brown Mesite and restricted specials such as Grey Emutail and Henst’s Goshawk. Madagascar Snipe. The main focus of our visit will be the high A global hotspot for lemur diversity, Ranomafana altitude, mossy cloud forests of the Vohiparara sports at least 12 species, including the spectacular

Birding Africa Tour Leaflet Tour Africa Birding area of the park and a nearby wetland. This is the red-eyed Milne-Edwards’s Sifaka and the Leaflet Tour Africa Birding best site in the world to get to grips with Asities, a Endangered Golden Bamboo Lemur and Greater brightly-coloured family of Madagascar endemics Bamboo Lemur. If we haven’t seen it yet, we’ll also related to the broadbills. The undisputed special do an evening walk in search of Brown Mouse here is the threatened Yellow-bellied Sunbird-Asity, Lemur. which will be a major focus of the walk. We’ll prick our ears for sign of its soft call and search special Day 14: To Isalo via Anja ring-tailed lemurs places where its favoured flowers occur. We’ll also look out for fruit-eating Velvet Asity which has Today we’ll continue our journey southwards to the bright green head wattles, Common Sunbird- next key sites on our itinerary, Anja and Isalo. The Asity, Rufous-headed Ground-Roller and Cryptic community forest of Anja protects a population of Warbler (discovered only in 1996!). Other excellent Ring-tailed Lemurs. We’ll have be able to track and birds here include Pollen's Vanga, Grey-crowned watch these social and charismatic lemurs closely, Tetraka and Forest Rock-Thrush. We’ll have to often with splendid photographic opportunities.

Parson's Chameleon © Mick Dryden Ring-tailed Lemur © Tertius Gous Despite this long list of bird endemics, there are Day 10: Antsirabe to Ranomafana few natural history experiences that can compare to the Indri’s morning calls echoing through the This morning, we’ll embark on the second half of misty forests. More than anything else, these our long journey to Ranomafana. We’ll arrive just echoing calls from the world’s largest lemur sound before dark, settle in to our accommodation and like whales! The park also forms the ideal habitat prepare for the next day’s early start. En route we'll for the iconic Black-and-White Ruffed Lemur and pause at a wetland to look for Madagascar Snipe. Diademed Sifaka. Days 11–13: Ranomafana National Park The eastern rainforest is also an excellent place to sample some of Madagascar’s varied and colourful We’ll have three full days in this very important chameleons, frogs and geckos. We’ll be searching rainforest area. Ranomafana was set aside to for these while birding during the day and we’ll protect one of the largest remaining rainforest have another opportunity to spot them on a night patches of eastern Madagascar. It is a superb area, walk. holding almost 40 000 hectares of mid-altitude rainforest and higher-altitude mountain cloud Day 9: Andasibe to Antsirabe forest. A new species of lemur, the Golden Bamboo Lemur, was discovered here as recently as 1986 and After some final birding around Andasibe it is the best place to seek one of the world’s rarest we’ll start our journey to Ranomafana, pausing primate species, Greater Bamboo Lemur! We’ll overnight at Antsirabe. We have a long journey on explore the excellent network of paths through the winding roads through colourful rice paddies until forests and dense stands of giant bamboo. we arrive at the picturesque town of Antsirabe where. Also known as the ‘place of much salt’, Birding here is excellent. We’ll see a lot of new Antsirabe has warm springs and thermal baths, species while we explore this rich habitats, home a cool climate (at about 1500m altitude) and to most of Madagascar’s endemics. Sought- hundreds of rickshaw taxis. after species we may encounter include Pitta-

12 | Madagascar 2021 Madagascar 2021 | 13 Day 16: Spiny Forest and Toliara area surround the Bay of Augustin and are home to Madagascar’s most recently-described endemic, This morning we’ll explore the spiny forest, and Red-shouldered Vanga, which we'll search for also visit a nearby site in search for the localised alongside Grey-headed Lovebird and Verreaux’s Madagascar Plover. This ecologically diverse Coua. wonderland is dominated by three-meter-tall cactus-like plants, called octopus trees. We’ll carefully wind our way among these Didierea, Day 17: Toliara to Anakao and Nosy Ve

Birding Africa Tour Leaflet Tour Africa Birding avoiding the long, sharp spines, in a quest to If we have time this morning we’ll search for Leaflet Tour Africa Birding track down Green-capped Coua, Running Coua, Madagascar Sandgrouse before we board a speed Archbold’s Newtonia, Thamnornis, Subdesert boat to Anakao village, where Littoral Rock Thrush Brush Warbler, Sickle-billed Vanga, Lafresnaye’s occurs in the coastal sand dunes, and Nosy Ve Vanga and Sakalava Weaver. The real stars of the island. At Nosy Ve we’ll be able to enjoy splendidly show are the highly localised and spectacular close views of Red-tailed Tropicbird and will check Subdesert Mesite and Long-tailed Ground Roller, for roosting seabirds (tide-dependent) that may which we’ll make a special effort to see. The elusive include Lesser Crested Tern and Crab Plover. Banded Kestrel would be a good bonus, as would White-fronted Plover is resident along the sandy Madagascar Sparrowhawk! shorelines. We'll then return by boat to Toliara and The middle of the day will be very hot, so we’ll transfer to the airport to take our return flight to retreat to our accommodation for a welcome break Tana, where the trip ends. (and perhaps even a refreshing dip in the ocean!), Please note that this boat excursion is subject to before driving to the Toliara area in the afternoon weather conditions and Air Madagascar flight times. to settle in at our lodgings. Arid, scrubby hillsides Cuckoo Roller, Madagascar Flufftail & Yellow-bellied Sunbird Asity © Callan Cohen, Tertius Gous Collared Nightjar © Tertius Gous In the afternoon we’ll continue our way south flapping displays and loops accompanied by their towards Isalo on a spectacularly scenic drive. We’ll shrieking cries. This forest’s main bird speciality, search for the elegant and hard to find Madagascar Appert's Tetraka, is Madagascar’s most localised Harrier in a beautiful grassland plateau where bird, being restricted to Zombitse and a small we might also spot a few species of ground adjacent forest patch. Here we will also search for orchids. Tonight we stay a hotel surrounded by Giant Coua, Coquerel's Coua, Rufous Vanga and palm savanna among the spectacular sandstone the western race of Stripe-throated Jery, which mountains of the Isalo massif. Key target birds this is split by BirdLife. The forest is a very special evening and the following morning will include transition zone between the south’s flora and the Madagascar Partridge, Madagascar Scops Owl, western deciduous forest (which we explore in White-browed Hawk-Owl and the local subspecies Ankarafantsika National Park), being similar in of Forest Rock Thrush called Benson's Rock appearance to the latter but containing baobab Thrush (although noticeably different in plumage species of the former. and structure, this species is now often considered After lunch, we will continue to the otherworldly to be conspecific with the Forest Rock-Thrush south to bird the spiny desert, mudflats and the from further east). coastal ‘coral-rag’ scrub of the Toliara area, first heading to Ifaty. Day 15: To Ifaty via Zombitse The beach resort town of Ifaty is a popular place for In this very hot part of the country we'll depart birders. Its famous dry, spiny forest is a landscape early for Zombitse National Park, to bird here of interwoven baobabs, octopus trees and before it gets too hot. Cuckoo Rollers displaying euphorbias so weird and wonderful that you might over the dry forest canopy is one of the most as well be on a different planet. This area is loaded memorable attractions here; males of this unusual with extravagant semi-desert endemics which we (it is one of only two bird species worldwide placed will explore the next morning before it heats up. in its own bird order) forest endemic engage in

14 | Madagascar 2021 Madagascar 2021 | 15 INCLUDED • Guiding services of the Birding Africa tour leader • Entry fees and activities as per itinerary • Hotel accommodation throughout Birding Africa Tour Leaflet Tour Africa Birding Leaflet Tour Africa Birding • Airport transfers • Bottled water in the vehicle • One soft drink at each sit-down meal • General tips

QUESTIONS? Please email the office, [email protected], to reserve a place or ask questions (you can also cc [email protected] and callan@birdingafrica. com who are both involved in the planning of this tour).

BOOKLET AND CHECKLIST Birding Africa provides: 1. this tour leaflet with detailed itinerary 2. the tour information pack, emailed to you 3. the tour booklet with checklists, on the tour

HOW TO BOOK 1. Complete our easy online booking form. 2. Secure your booking deposit by credit card on our 3D secure online payment site ($150). 3. Settle the balance by bank transfer 150 days before the tour. We will email you a reminder and the banking details.

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