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You should also receive it by email momentarily. In the million years that Madagascar has been isolated from its neighboring continent, its biodiversity has evolved in an entirely different manner. If you have visited Southern Africa previously, leave all that you know of the continent behind. You are in for a biodiversity treat! Madagascar is home to some of the richest biodiversity on the planet. Of the approximately , species known to exist on Madagascar, about , of them are endemic found nowhere else on the planet. However, Madagascar lacks most of the mammal groups that are found in other parts of the world, making it particularly unique. Madagascar, attached to the India, broke off from the Africa— South America landmass about million years ago, then split with India 47 million years later, leaving lifeforms to evolve in isolation. This is why many mainland Africa species, such as elephant, lion, leopard, rhino and wildebeest cannot be found on the island. Such a long period of isolation has allowed species to flourish where they have elsewhere become extinct, and a host of rare, strange creatures have evolved. Madagascar is home to some of the unique and unusual species of wildlife in the whole world. The island of Madagascar is home to almost 25, species of wild animals with a good number being endangered species. Some of these species of wildlife have been immortalized by cartoon films, but the real animals are far more beautiful and wonderful than what is seen in any of these movies. Most of these species found in Madagascar are endemic , meaning they cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Here is a list of some of the most magnificent animals that live in Madagascar. Lemurs are primates that look like an animal in between a dog, a cat and a squirrel that have incredibly unique and exciting behaviors that include singing like a whale. There are more than thirty species of lemurs in Madagascar today that vary in size from 25 gms pygmy lemur to the largest Indri Lemur weighing more than 12 kgs. Lemurs are one of the most threatened animals in the whole planet and according to IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, 22 species of lemurs are critically endangered, 48 are endangered, while 20 are vulnerable. The fossa inhabits the forests of Madagascar and are close relatives of the mongoose. They grow to a length of 6 ft 1. The animal has a slender body and appears more like a cat with little resemblance to their relative mongoose. The fossa uses it long tail like a tightrope walking pole to move swiftly through trees. The comet moth Argema Mittrei or Madagascan moon moth is one of the most beautiful moths in the world found only in Madagascar. They are among the largest in the world with a wing span that extends to 20 cm coming only second after the Atlas moth of Asia. The insect has bright yellow color and with a long tail and are nocturnal. The females are broader— their wings are rounder, and their tail is also shorter than the males. To this day these beautiful animals have no protection status, and their population status has not been established. The eggs of the moth are collected for trade in the world markets. There are no known farms for these insects in the country, and their existences rely on the already protected shelters. The panther chameleon is native to Madagascar and has been introduced to other islands in the surroundings. It is one of the most colorful with widest color variations of all the chameleons, they are also larger and the most sought after by reptile keepers and traders. Like other Chameleons, panther chameleon has a bony extension on the rear part of its head called the casque. It hunts and traps its pray using its extensile tongue that has specialized muscles that propels the tongue to snare by use of sticky mucus and vacuum created by the muscles at the tip of the tongue. On any boat trip to many of the paradisiacal islands of Madagascar, you have a chance to see wild dolphins playing around. They love playing around the boat, so you can easily be lucky and see them up close. The Nile crocodile is not indigenous to Madagascar. However, it is the largest freshwater predator in Africa. The species used to be widely feared by locals, and not without reason. The Nile crocodile is terrifically aggressive and can take nearly any animals in reach. However, there are not many crocodiles left, after people have hunted them for years. The reptiles were mainly hunted for their skin, and now they are rated as endangered species. At the Ecolodge on Ankazoberavina , the main beach is frequented by Hawksbill turtles laying their eggs. The period to experience this is between October and April. Ankazoberavina is a protected island, and the only way to visit is by staying at the Ecolodge. The turtles usually come up on the beach with high tide to dig a hole for their eggs. However, they are extremely sensitive to any predators, including humans. Therefore, they will go straight back into the water if they see you. The Ecolodge has a strict policy of respecting the animals and you are not allowed to go close to them to cause any disruption. If you spot a turtle, call the manager, Max, he will make sure you can get close up to it in the right way. The whole process can take two or three hours. The turtle needs to dig a hole, lay her eggs and cover the hole. Finally, after all this work, she is back out in the sea. You can learn more about the sea turtles in my blog post Where to see sea turtles nest in Madagascar. The turtle eggs take about two months to hatch. The Ecolodge makes sure to put up a sign with the date the eggs were laid and the date the eggs are expected to hatch. If you visit the island two months after mama turtle has been there, you might be lucky to see a natural wonder, little ones walking down to the water. The Ecolodge never interferes with the baby turtles as they need to do the walk down to the ocean themselves. If they are disturbed or helped out, they lose their natural compass to find their way back to this exact same beach 20 years later when they are going to lay their own eggs. Do you have any unique wildlife encounters from Madagascar? Feel free to share your experience in the comments. I always use Skyscanner to find the best flight deals. Both the capital, Antananarivo and Nosy Be have international airports. Find cheap flights here. Make sure you secure your booking and your trip with good travel insurance. My top choice is World Nomads. You can easily get extra insurance for laptop or camera gear and there are no hidden costs. Get your travel insurance here. Get ready to plan your trip to Madagascar with Lonely Planet Madagascar. I used the guidebook for my last trip that lasted a month and found it handy to find off the beaten path places. To find all the best hotel deals, check out Booking. We got a Malagasy pre-paid sim card at the airport with 4G included that lasted us the whole trip. This makes it easy to book accommodation on the go. Email address:. Hope that you had a great experience there. Apart from those creatures above, I can mention here the Giraffe-necked weevil as native Madagascar rainforest insects, varieties of uroplatus leaf-tailed geckos, … , native tree frogs. I often say Africa is a destination for the big five experience. Whereas, Madagascar, in particular, is for the small five. Anyway, Madagascar is considered as a remote destination that all outdoors lover should visit at least once in a lifetime. Hi Nandih and thank you so much for your kind words! Wow, there are truly a lot of interesting insects in Madagascar. I really appreciate that you share your knowledge: It is definitely a special country. I have visited twice, and most likely I will visit again. My husband and I thinking about traveling to Madagascar. We will have to consider getting a tour of the wildlife while we are there. Wildlife of Madagascar | Travel guide | Audley Travel Observe at close range ruffed, brown, bamboo, and ring-tailed lemurs rescued from the pet trade. Enjoy a guided night stroll, spotting brightly colored chameleons, frogs, and lizards—many no bigger than your pinkie. Rise early for an excursion into the Analamazaotra Reserve to track the indri, the largest lemur species. Listen for their eerie calls echoing through the canopy, and watch for indri families in the treetops. Travel through the highlands to Antsirabe. Continue south today, stopping in the town of Ambositra to visit a woodcarving workshop. Then travel into the thick forests to our lodge outside Ranomafana National Park. In , National Geographic grantee and leading primatologist Patricia Wright discovered a new lemur species here—the golden bamboo lemur. She spearheaded the effort to protect this rain forest and continues to conduct important research at her on-site field station. Visit the Centre ValBio, founded by Dr. Wright, and hear about the latest studies that Pat and her team are conducting. On evening walks, watch the park come alive after dark and keep your eye out for nocturnal animals like Malagasy civets and mouse lemurs. Head west into the savanna toward Isalo National Park. Pause for lunch in Ambalavao, and visit a factory where Antaimoro paper is made from hand. Stop by a weaving workshop to learn traditional methods for harvesting, spinning, and weaving silk. Check in to our lodge late this afternoon. Isalo is a dramatic landscape of sandstone canyons and unusual rock formations dotted with gem- colored natural pools. Hike the trails and stop for a picnic. After breakfast, travel to the coastal town of Toliara. From here, a boat ride brings us down the coast to our oceanfront lodge in time for lunch. Take advantage of a free afternoon to swim, or relax on the beach. Early this morning, set off for Tsimanampetsotsa National Park. Wander among Dr. Enjoy the rest of the afternoon at leisure back at the lodge. Transfer to the airport in Toliara and fly to Antananarivo. Gather for a farewell dinner tonight. However, there are some parks where it is easier to see them than others. Among other places, you will be guaranteed to see wild lemurs in Ranomafana National Park, Beremy Reserve, and the island of Ankazoberavina. With some luck, you can see lemurs close up in the wild; especially in areas where they are used to humans walking around. A guide will for sure help you spot them. Anyhow, be aware of places where the animals are kept in zoos or in captivity. Sadly, there are people taking advantage of lemurs to attract tourists. Just as the lemurs, fossas are endangered, the only difference is that fossas have lemurs on their menu. The fossa is a cat-like, carnivorous mammal, feeding on anything from lemurs to lizards. The animal is like a medium-sized dog with a long tail. Unfortunately, this nocturnal mammal is threatened by the same threats as lemurs; deforestation and hunting. When hunting is scarce, the fossas also hunt at day time. At times they even hunt domestic animals like chickens. No one really knows how many individuals are left. However, there has been done research on the fossa to learn more about their habits. The best place to look for fossas is in the forest of the Kirindy Reserve near Morondava in western Madagascar. Any tour operator or guide will take you there from Morondava. Unlike many other destinations you can swim with whale sharks, Madagascar is a less crowded place to do so. This makes it more sustainable for the enormous fish as well as it is less likely that people will touch them and scare them away. The boats collaborate so that if there is more than one boat surrounding one whale shark, each boat lets people in the water every other time. This makes the experience more unique than many other places in the world where there are massive crowds in the water around the whale sharks. You might also like: Unethical animal tourism and what to do instead. The stunning island paradise of Nosy Iranja in northern Madagascar is surrounded by giant green sea turtles. All you need is your snorkel gear and you will find yourself face to face with these dinosaur-looking creatures. And when I say face to face I mean face to face. The green sea turtle can become up to one and a half meters and weigh nearly kg. They hang around the island to eat, mainly seagrass and algae. Nearly 60 of these are endemic to the country. This means that you are likely to see more than one type of this creature on your trip to Madagascar. But you have to look carefully. Chameleons are quite unique as they change colors depending on their surroundings. As they hide in trees it might be hard to see them unless you keep your eyes open. Nevertheless, there are places where you might see them openly crossing the street. One of these places is on the road to the airport in Nosy Be. Both white tip and black tip reef sharks give birth in the mangroves surrounding the idyllic island of Ankazoberavina. The baby sharks stay protected from the mangroves and feed of small fish for about months. When they are big enough they swim out in deeper water. If you want to observe these tiny baby creatures hunt in the waterfront, this is the place. During the period between June and September, humpback whales move from the Antarctic to the waters around the island Ile Sainte Marie to calve and raise their little ones. Several companies do whale watching tours around the island. As they are wild animals, you are never guaranteed to see whales on the tours, but most of the time you will be able to see them either close up or further away. Back in the days, it was possible to jump into the water and swim with the whales if they came up close to the boat. To protect the whales, this has become illegal in recent years. According to the Wildlife Conservation Society, there are numerous types of dolphins around Madagascar. Around the island of Nosy Be, the most likely to spot are the Spinner dolphin and Pantropical spotted dolphin. They both live in large groups of several hundred individuals and are extremely playful. Still, there are several other kinds of dolphins you can see. On any boat trip to many of the paradisiacal islands of Madagascar, you have a chance to see wild dolphins playing around. They love playing around the boat, so you can easily be lucky and see them up close. The Nile crocodile is not indigenous to Madagascar. However, it is the largest freshwater predator in Africa. The species used to be widely feared by locals, and not without reason. The Nile crocodile is terrifically aggressive and can take nearly any animals in reach. However, there are not many crocodiles left, after people have hunted them for years. The reptiles were mainly hunted for their skin, and now they are rated as endangered species. At the Ecolodge on Ankazoberavina , the main beach is frequented by Hawksbill turtles laying their eggs. The period to experience this is between October and April. Ankazoberavina is a protected island, and the only way to visit is by staying at the Ecolodge. The turtles usually come up on the beach with high tide to dig a hole for their eggs. However, they are extremely sensitive to any predators, including humans. Therefore, they will go straight back into the water if they see you. The Ecolodge has a strict policy of respecting the animals and you are not allowed to go close to them to cause any disruption. If you spot a turtle, call the manager, Max, he will make sure you can get close up to it in the right way. The whole process can take two or three hours. The turtle needs to dig a hole, lay her eggs and cover the hole. Finally, after all this work, she is back out in the sea. You can learn more about the sea turtles in my blog post Where to see sea turtles nest in Madagascar. The turtle eggs take about two months to hatch. The Ecolodge makes sure to put up a sign with the date the eggs were laid and the date the eggs are expected to hatch. If you visit the island two months after mama turtle has been there, you might be lucky to see a natural wonder, little ones walking down to the water. The Ecolodge never interferes with the baby turtles as they need to do the walk down to the ocean themselves. If they are disturbed or helped out, they lose their natural compass to find their way back to this exact same beach 20 years later when they are going to lay their own eggs. Do you have any unique wildlife encounters from Madagascar? Feel free to share your experience in the comments. I always use Skyscanner to find the best flight deals. Both the capital, Antananarivo and Nosy Be have international airports. Find cheap flights here. The Real Animals of Madagascar

Two indri troops here have been habituated to humans, so you can get close-up views and some excellent photographs. Part of the indri family, sifakas are found throughout Madagascar. Like indris, they also have long hind legs, which they use to bound across the ground — I found it quite comical to see groups of them hopping like kangaroos as they crossed an opening in the forest, their arms raised to keep their balance. I saw them while staying in Anjajavy Private Nature Reserve on the northwest coast. Aye-ayes look like a cross between a bat and a squirrel and feature an exceptionally long middle finger, used for scooping out insects from tree bark. Instantly familiar with their long black and white tail, ring-tailed lemurs are the easiest lemur to see up close as they spend the most time on the ground. They make a cat-like mewing call, and in August and September you can see mothers with young clinging to their stomachs. Ring-tailed lemurs are mostly found in the south of the island — Ifotaka Community Forest is a good place to track them. Anja Community Reserve, near the city of Ambalavao in the southern Central Highlands, also has strong populations. The tiniest but most abundant of all lemurs, mouse lemurs look more like rodents than primates. There are several sub-species, and grey mouse lemurs live in the dry deciduous and spiny forests in the south and west of Madagascar. Brown mouse lemurs prefer the rainforests in the east, and golden brown mouse lemurs only inhabit the northwest. I saw pygmy mouse lemurs on night walks in Andasibe. Over half of their diet consists of lemurs and they can sometimes be found rummaging through bins for scraps, particularly in Kirindy Reserve. I was surprised to learn that chameleons change their hue to show their emotions and communicate rather than for camouflage. You can find species in most parts of Madagascar. There are nine species in the coua genus, part of the cuckoo family. All have featherless blue skin around their eyes and long, broad tails, but otherwise they vary in appearance. I liked the blue coua with its bluish-indigo plumage, and the crested coua, which has a Mohican-like crest that gives it the look of a punk star. The different species are spread out across the island. Part of the barn owl family, the Madagascar red owl has a similar appearance and screeching call, but is slightly smaller with reddish-orange plumage. The owls are predominantly nocturnal so can be tricky to spot. They mostly stick to the humid evergreen forest in the east and north of Madagascar, places like Amber Mountain National Park. At night they hunt in fairly open areas in or on the edge of primary forest. Heading out on a night walk with a guide gives you the best chance of seeing or hearing one. There were a few species that particularly stood out for me during my travels:. The long, thin neck has evolved to aid males in fighting and building nests for the females to lay their eggs. You can find giraffe weevils in the rainforests of Ranomafana National Park in the east, and occasionally in Andasibe. The substance protects them from predators, which are left with just the white exterior as the bug escapes. Moths are quite a niche species to be excited about, but they started to fascinate me, coming in all shapes, sizes and hues. By far the most impressive I encountered was the comet moth. While staying in Ranomafana I walked out of my lodge early one morning to find around ten of them resting on the surrounding foliage. Humpback whales migrate here from Antarctica to breed and calve in the warm waters. Tell us about your plans and one of our specialists will be in touch to plan a unique trip for you Fill out the form below to receive additional information about our African Safaris or give us a call at Sign up to receive our travel emails! Submit Privacy Policy. Get Weekly Updates. Download Trip Details. Please send me a free page catalog of the World's Greatest Nature Journeys. Thank You! Click here to see your trip details PDF. You should also receive it by email momentarily. In the million years that Madagascar has been isolated from its neighboring continent, its biodiversity has evolved in an entirely different manner. If you have visited Southern Africa previously, leave all that you know of the continent behind. You are in for a biodiversity treat! Madagascar is home to some of the richest biodiversity on the planet. Of the approximately , species known to exist on Madagascar, about , of them are endemic found nowhere else on the planet. However, Madagascar lacks most of the mammal groups that are found in other parts of the world, making it particularly unique.

11 Best wildlife encounters in Madagascar - Brainy Backpackers

It was their loud, distinctive calls made from the treetops that I remember most. Standing directly beneath them with my guide, we listened in stunned silence. It started with a high pitch that lowered over the course of several seconds, like a cross between a whale and a police siren. Andasibe National Park , inland from the east coast, is the best place to see them. Two indri troops here have been habituated to humans, so you can get close-up views and some excellent photographs. Part of the indri family, sifakas are found throughout Madagascar. Like indris, they also have long hind legs, which they use to bound across the ground — I found it quite comical to see groups of them hopping like kangaroos as they crossed an opening in the forest, their arms raised to keep their balance. I saw them while staying in Anjajavy Private Nature Reserve on the northwest coast. Aye-ayes look like a cross between a bat and a squirrel and feature an exceptionally long middle finger, used for scooping out insects from tree bark. Instantly familiar with their long black and white tail, ring-tailed lemurs are the easiest lemur to see up close as they spend the most time on the ground. They make a cat-like mewing call, and in August and September you can see mothers with young clinging to their stomachs. Ring-tailed lemurs are mostly found in the south of the island — Ifotaka Community Forest is a good place to track them. Anja Community Reserve, near the city of Ambalavao in the southern Central Highlands, also has strong populations. The tiniest but most abundant of all lemurs, mouse lemurs look more like rodents than primates. There are several sub-species, and grey mouse lemurs live in the dry deciduous and spiny forests in the south and west of Madagascar. Brown mouse lemurs prefer the rainforests in the east, and golden brown mouse lemurs only inhabit the northwest. I saw pygmy mouse lemurs on night walks in Andasibe. Over half of their diet consists of lemurs and they can sometimes be found rummaging through bins for scraps, particularly in Kirindy Reserve. I was surprised to learn that chameleons change their hue to show their emotions and communicate rather than for camouflage. You can find species in most parts of Madagascar. There are nine species in the coua genus, part of the cuckoo family. All have featherless blue skin around their eyes and long, broad tails, but otherwise they vary in appearance. Madagascar is home to some of the unique and unusual species of wildlife in the whole world. The island of Madagascar is home to almost 25, species of wild animals with a good number being endangered species. Some of these species of wildlife have been immortalized by cartoon films, but the real animals are far more beautiful and wonderful than what is seen in any of these movies. Most of these species found in Madagascar are endemic , meaning they cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Here is a list of some of the most magnificent animals that live in Madagascar. Lemurs are primates that look like an animal in between a dog, a cat and a squirrel that have incredibly unique and exciting behaviors that include singing like a whale. There are more than thirty species of lemurs in Madagascar today that vary in size from 25 gms pygmy lemur to the largest Indri Lemur weighing more than 12 kgs. Lemurs are one of the most threatened animals in the whole planet and according to IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, 22 species of lemurs are critically endangered, 48 are endangered, while 20 are vulnerable. The fossa inhabits the forests of Madagascar and are close relatives of the mongoose. They grow to a length of 6 ft 1. The animal has a slender body and appears more like a cat with little resemblance to their relative mongoose. The fossa uses it long tail like a tightrope walking pole to move swiftly through trees. The comet moth Argema Mittrei or Madagascan moon moth is one of the most beautiful moths in the world found only in Madagascar. They are among the largest in the world with a wing span that extends to 20 cm coming only second after the Atlas moth of Asia. The insect has bright yellow color and with a long tail and are nocturnal. The females are broader— their wings are rounder, and their tail is also shorter than the males. To this day these beautiful animals have no protection status, and their population status has not been established. The eggs of the moth are collected for trade in the world markets. There are no known farms for these insects in the country, and their existences rely on the already protected shelters. The panther chameleon is native to Madagascar and has been introduced to other islands in the surroundings. It is one of the most colorful with widest color variations of all the chameleons, they are also larger and the most sought after by reptile keepers and traders. Like other Chameleons, panther chameleon has a bony extension on the rear part of its head called the casque. It hunts and traps its pray using its extensile tongue that has specialized muscles that propels the tongue to snare by use of sticky mucus and vacuum created by the muscles at the tip of the tongue. Later in the day, transfer to the airport and depart on your flight home. Madagascar Wildlife Expedition. Expedition Overview. Expedition Overview Encounter fascinating endemic species with a wildlife biologist, including the wailing indri lemur, the dancing sifaka, tiny amphibians, and unusual birds. Explore the iconic baobab trees of Tsimanampetsotsa National Park, where National Geographic has funded research on an extinct gorilla-sized lemur species. Step into weaving, woodworking, and paper-making workshops to watch local artisans ply their crafts. Itinerary Cut off from other landmasses 80 million years ago, Madagascar is a wonderland of unique species, where playful lemurs swing in the forest canopy, tiny neon-colored chameleons cling to lush ferns, and orchids peek out from the jungle floor. Open All Days. Day 1: Antananarivo, Madagascar. Days Andasibe-Mantadia National Park. Accommodations: Vakona Forest Lodge. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner. Accommodations: Plumeria Hotel. Accommodations: Hotel Thermal Ranomafana. Days Ranomafana National Park. Day 8: Isalo National Park. Accommodations: Isalo Rock Lodge. https://files8.webydo.com/9585646/UploadedFiles/753EABBC-7D71-CED6-8162-BE58B8DE9D77.pdf https://files8.webydo.com/9587716/UploadedFiles/0D7FD99E-3C25-3A4D-CEEC-C57D4DBA5001.pdf https://uploads.strikinglycdn.com/files/9235223b-39f9-4ef5-8133-337cb0722d65/analyse-der-deutschen-politik-hinsichtlich-einer-eu- erweiterung-um-die-turkei-894.pdf https://files8.webydo.com/9586986/UploadedFiles/3D34A695-7CC0-B4ED-DF0E-5929D14BCEE4.pdf https://files8.webydo.com/9586761/UploadedFiles/86FC9BAF-AA13-E9A1-A7F9-D39A0A42A10A.pdf