simply beaut iful
MADAGASCAR A LTA J A N S E N V A N V U U R E N
ABOUT THIS BOOK Published by Storyline Studio Registration Number: 2010/ 141205/ 23 (P O Box 217, Greyton, Western Cape, 7273) E-mail: stories@storylinestudio.co.za www.storylinestudio.co.za Printed and Bound in Cape Town, South Africa First Edition printed 2016 ISBN 978-1-920616-09-0 Photos and Text Š Alta Jansen van Vuuren All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author. MADAGASCAR - SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL Alta Jansen van Vuuren
CONTENTS 5
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
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INTRODUCTION
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PRE-HISTORIC MADAGASCAR A unique island that remained isolated for thousands of years
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MADAGASCAR TODAY A remarkable place
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ANTANANARIVO - THE CITY The capital of Madagascar referred to as “tanarivo” or “tana” by locals
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NOSY BE The scented island of Madagascar
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ILE SAINTE MARIE An island at the eastern coast of Madagascar
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ILE AUX NATTES A small island adjacent to Ile Sainte Marie
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ANTANANARIVO - REGION In the central highlands of Madagascar
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ANDASIBE RAIN FOREST This forest is easy accessible and breathtaking in the rainy season.
71 MORONDAVA Located in the delta of the Morondava River 79
BAOBAB AVENUE The famous and most photographed place in the world
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LIFE IN A VILLAGE They are famous for their traditional music, hospitality, honesty and their ability to preserve their customs, beliefs and traditions.
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MY IMPRESSIONS
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INTERESTING FACTS
99 REFERENCES
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exploring
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ANDASIBE RAIN FOREST (PERINET / ANALAMAZAOTRA)
this forest is easy accessible and breathtaking in the rainy season. One of the magnificent rain forests in Madagascar and home to the two largest lemurs still roaming Madagascar.
East from Antananarivo Region, in Toamasina Region on the road to Tamatave (RN2) you will find the magnificent and easily accessible Andasibe Rain Forest. Breathtaking in the rainy season and in close proximity to Antananarivo, it offers great accommodation and there are plenty of well-educated guides who will be more than happy to show you around. We stayed at Hotel Feon’ny Ala, with small perfectly situated river-facing houses overlooking the tree-tops of the forest. The restaurant seems enveloped by the forest and has a huge deck overlooking the river. During our lunch a small girl appeared seemingly from nowhere and started fishing in the river. After some time she had hauled a few fish out of the water and then headed off towards the nearby village. Early the next morning we were suddenly awakened by a shrill very loud, eerie sound similar to whale songs. I cautiously opened the door, afraid of what it was I was going to find, and relieved it was only Indri Lemurs high in the surrounding treetops. At first I listened to the echo of their cries but I soon realised that this was no echo but rather other Indri’s in the region calling back. After hearing these cries I could not wait to go to the forest to see what they looked like. Early that morning, accompanied by a guide, we headed off into the forest to search for them. After searching for nearly an hour and a half they suddenly appeared in the tree right in front of us. One of these rather stately black and white man-size lemurs sat upright, eating leaves while staring at us with ghostly light green eyes. They are very territorial and their distinct eerie wailing calls can be heard kilometers away, especially at sunrise, warning others to keep away. The word Indri is derived from the Malagasy word “Iry” meaning “there it is”. These lemurs are clearly identifiable because of their size, almost that of a grown man, and 65
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...guides will t ake you along t he w el l - ma i nta i ned tra i l s for kilomet er s on end. T hey are i nti ma tel y a w a re o f the hear t beat of t he forest , t he mo v ements a nd c a l l s o f t he lemur s and birds and will d efi ni tel y enha nc e y o ur exper ience t en - fo l d .
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because they have short tails. They move vertically through trees, holding their bodies upright when moving. The Indri mate for life and live in small groups consisting of the male, female and their offspring. This forest is also home to the Diademed sifaka which is readily distinguishable from all the other lemur species by its characteristic markings and large physical size, almost that of the Indri. The Diademed Sifaka form groups of two to ten individuals, which may include multiple male and female adults and are known as the most colourful and attractive lemur.
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We spotted the Blue Coua, a fairly large bird, with dark-blue plumage and distinctive dark blue skin around the eye. It really is quite beautiful. The chameleon Calumma brevicornis is common around these forests and can be seen in trees, the lower bushes and on grass patches.
3 1 - Leaf like insect - Giant bush cricket. This cricket is hard to find even at night but was attracted by the light. 2 - Beautiful rich green foliage. 3 - Indri - Eastern Rain forest Andasibe. Opposite - Diademid Sifaka 66
Having moved deeper and deeper into the forest the guide suddenly stopped and asked what I saw in front of me. I reached out and saw moss growing on the trees but little else. He then pointed out the leaf-tailed or Uroplatus gecko, camouflaged like the moss I had seen. They are one of Madagascar’s most unique species and this was truly a remarkable sight. The geckos rely on coloration to seamlessly blend in with tree moss
and they sleep with their heads downwards and their bodies flattened against the trunks. It is highly unlikely you would see them if you didn’t know what to look out for. The gecko responded to a little prodding with an impressive display of his brightlycolored gaping mouth. The highlight of my visit to the forest was the guided night tour. Although it was pouring with rain and we had to walk under an umbrella, we saw a variety of chameleons, frogs and birds in the ray of our torches. The knowledge of the guides was remarkable and I quickly discovered that chameleons glow in the dark and I could later locate them myself. Classified as a Special Reserve, permits are required for access to the reserve and are easily obtainable at the gate. Highly skilled guides, with the uncanny ability to spot even the tiniest creature, speak English and can be sourced when you obtain your permit. The guides will take you along the well-maintained trails for kilometers on end. They are intimately aware of the heartbeat of the forest, the movements and calls of the lemurs and birds and will definitely enhance your experience ten-fold. LAKE RASOABE On the Tamatave road, 20 km from Brickaville, is a picturesque resort on the white sandy shores of Lake Rasoabe. To reach this piece of
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paradise you have to follow the sandy roads which are at times rocky and very rough and then you have to cross over a nerve-racking small bridge constructed entirely out of planks. I hopped out to direct the car across as the bridge creaked and moaned, and opted to do it again on the way back‌it felt like a safer option at the time! We stayed at Les Acacias hotel where a casual stroll through the door of the hut leads you right onto the beach with stunning views over the lake. If you are up and out on the beach early in the morning you will find a still lake without any waves where children, some very young, are hunched over washing their dishes in the calm water. The evenings brings beautiful sunsets and are every photographers dream.
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Although they grow the most beautiful orchids, bunches of beautiful flowers on long upright stems, there is not much to see or buy at Rasoa beach. You can however take the boat around the lake and then travel a small distance by taxi to Brickaville. This is a town with the typical hustle and bustle around the markets, street foods and a busy little habour. Lake Rasoabe is also the place where I saw the very endangered Madagascar Radiated Tortoise, which are seriously threatened because of their habitat destruction. They are called radiated tortoises because of the unique pattern of yellow streaks which radiate from the scales on the top shell. One of the locals told me that this tortoise is about 25 years old and has been living there ever since he could remember. Radiated tortoises can live as long as 40 to 50 years. The giant chameleon the Furcifer Oustaleti is the biggest chameleon in Madagascar reaching a total length of around 80cm and is common around the lake and surrounding trees. The males are a dull brown and grey with radiated stripes from the eyes where the females are dark grey or green with bright red stripes covering the body and radiating from the eyes. The Oustaleti live together in pairs.
2 1 - Calumma globifer. 2 - Radiated tortoise in its natural habitat. 68
The Carpet or Jewel chameleon is a small chameleon, not that easy to spot, and with colours ranging from a shade of greens to a beautiful mix of colours - greens, blues, yellows and reds, and is worth searching for. I saw this small chameleon in a tree right next to my hut. Unfortunately the Jewel chameleon, as with all other chameleons, are not one of those creatures you can sit and wait for. They move so slowly you may not even notice it, but when you do spot them they are a pleasure to watch. They are definitely the most beautiful chameleons in Madagascar.
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3 1 - Calumma brevicornis - night trip in Andasibe rain forest. 2 - Magical colours abound. 3 - Calumma brevicornis - close to Moromanga. Opposite - Madagascar paradise flycatcher. 69
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