For as long as I can remember, one place was always on my bucket list - the Island nation of Madagascar! The lemurs, the chameleons, even the titular blockbuster of 2005; everything about it just made me want to visit this place and in 2015, this became a reality! As a biology student at the University of Southampton, we were given a talk by Operature Wallacea - a research-based charity - where an opportunity arose for a one-month conservation expedition in Madagascar.
Since its separation from the Indian subcontinent 88 million years ago, Madagascar's wildlife has been isolated from the rest of the world. Such isolation has meant that the wildlife has evolved independently, resulting in 80% of all species being endemic to the country – found nowhere else on Earth. Furthermore, the topography of the landscape means that entire species are often confined to very specific areas. For this reason and increased environmental pressure, a large proportion of Madagascar’s wildlife is endangered, making our work more important than ever.
Day 1-3 - Antantanarivo to Mariarano
After a 15-hour journey, I arrived in the Capital, Antananarivo. However, that wasn't the end of our journey. Madagascar is 1000km long and our first destination, the city of Mahajanga on the North Coast, was over 500km away.
The morning after we landed, we took a 10-hour taxi-brousse (bush taxi) journey to the coastal town of Mahajanga. Driving through the beautiful landscapes on the long drive north, we were reminded of the deforestation plaguing this country, with swathes of the once dense jungle now just empty grassland.
Left to right: Leaving Antananarivo for the road up north. Vast grasslands which were once dense jungles.
After we arrived, we finished the day with a dip in the Indian Ocean, where the dinoflagellate plankton fluoresced bright blue whenever the water was disturbed - a truly magical spectacle.
Left to right: Sunrise in Mahajanga. Overland transfer to Mariarano.
In the morning, we set off early for another long drive into the wilderness and, after a dip enroute in a remote, crystal-clear river, we arrived at our first camp in the village of Mariarano.
Day 4-9 - Biodiversity surveys around Mariarano Basecamp
The first phase of the expedition was spent at Mariarano Basecamp in the Mahamavo region in the North. Here, we were collecting scientific data about the species diversity and abundance around our base camp. This included lemur, reptile, and bird counts to determine the effects of increasing human activity in the area on local biodiversity.
Our data collection consisted of walking set trails emanating from Basecamp, counting the species present. These results were entered into a database where patterns in species diversity could be mapped. With surveys only going back five years, there was insufficient data to determine a definite pattern at the time. However, preliminary results appeared to show that larger mammals such as lemurs were showing signs of migration away from the villages.
Clockwise starting top left: Male Malagasy Paradise Flycatcher, Terpsiphone mutata. Leaf Nosed Snake - Female, Langaha madagascariensis. Malagasy Ground Boa, Acrantophis madagascariensis. Golden Brown Mouse Lemur, Microcebus ravelobensis. Oustalets Chameleon - Male, Furcifer oustaleti. Western Fork Marked Lemur, Phaner pallescens.
Operation Wallacea has continued working in the region ever since to provide a broader picture of biodiversity changes in the forests around the Mariarano Basecamp.
Day 10-15 - Invasive species in the Matsedroy Lakes
The second week of the expedition was spent in a satellite camp in the remote area of Matsedroy – a collection of isolated lakes. To get there, we trekked through rice paddy fields and jungle creeks until, two hours later, we arrived at Matsedroy satellite camp!
Left to right: Wading through a jungle creek. The Matsedroy Lakes come into view.
The primary objective was to assess the impact of Indus Valley Bullfrogs (Hoplobatrachus tigerinus) - a large, invasive frog species introduced to the area. These frogs are very large and voracious – eating anything they can fit into their mouths.
Over the years, frog counts have been taken from around the lakes to determine the effect these frogs have had on native frog species. The results indicated that an increasing bullfrog population has led to a reduction in the numbers of native local frog species.
Finally, on day 15, we hiked back to Mariarano in preparation for our departure the next day for the next phase of the expedition - marine ecological surveying in Nosy be!
Day 16-17 - Mariarano to Nosy be
As the sun rose on day 16, we boarded a large military truck for our overland transfer out of the jungle back to the main road up north. Running the length of the country is a large mountain range, and our road up north traversed right across it, with outstanding views showcasing the varied and unique geography of the country.
Left to right: Grasslands surrounding the Mahamavo Forests. Jungle covered mountains on the road up north. Crossing from Ambanja to Nosy Be.
After a day of travelling, we arrived at our overnight stop in Ambanja before waking up early in the morning to catch our boat across to the tropical island of Nosy Be.
Day 18-22 - Learning to dive in Nosy Be
After settling into our new home we were given the breakdown of how the next two weeks would pan out. Week 1; learning to dive and getting scuba certified and week 2; putting our new skills to use in marine ecology surveys.
Scuba diving was not something I had ever put my hand to so the first week was spent getting PADI certified as an Open Water diver. From theory lessons in the classroom and training dives in the shallows, I was finally able to say I was a qualified Open Water Diver!
Day 23-24 - Exploring the Island
After 5 days of diving in a row, we took a couple of days off to explore our beautiful surroundings. On our doorstep, we had Lokobe National Park on the Southeastern side of the Island. Here we hiked up the highest peak on the Island and after a sweaty trek up the mountain, boy were the views worth it!
Left to right: Hiking through the jungles of Lokobe. View from the summit of Lokobe National Park.
The next day, we took a tuk-tuk over to the resort town of Ambatoloaka, where we hired some motorbikes to explore the whole island in all its glory! The first half of the day was amazing, with lemurs, chameleons and crocodiles all featuring on our ride.
Left to right: Female Black Lemur, Eulemur macaco. Male Panther Chameleon, Furcifer pardalis. Nile Crocodile, Crocodylus niloticus.
However, after a dip in a remote jungle creek, the day went somewhat downhill...! As someone who had never even sat on a motorbike, exploring the tropical island was a dream but after a dodgy downshift of the gears, I came off! However, the road rash did not stop us from exploring the rest of the Island before heading back to camp to prepare for the final phase of our expedition - marine ecological surveys off Lokobe National Park!
Day 25-29 - Marine conservation off Lokobe National Park
The overall aim here was to collect data on the marine biodiversity of the coral reefs surrounding Lokobe National Park, which are currently unprotected, with the long-term objective of eventually establishing this reef as a Marine Protected Area.
The surveys included zonation mapping, where a line is placed along a section of the reef with photographs taken at intervals to map the patterns in the coral zonation and biodiversity. The overall conclusion was that Lokobe’s reefs were very healthy due to low levels of coral bleaching and an even abundance of different marine species, indicating a healthy habitat with no single species dominating.
Left to right: Mushroom Coral, Fungia fungites. Hawksbill Sea Turtle, Eretmochelys imbricata. High species evenness in the reefs surrounding Nosy Be.
Diving above these pristine coral reefs is what dreams are made of and the abundance of marine life showed that even today, nature is still clinging on with these beautiful reefs still remaining healthy. However, with the status of the reefs surrounding Lokobe unprotected, the need for this scientific research is still paramount to ensure their preservation.
Day 30-32 - Nosy Be back to Antananarivo
After two magical weeks on Nosy Be Island, it was time to return to Antananarivo. We said our goodbyes to the dive team and boarded a boat back to the mainland. From here, we began the long drive back to the capital, and after an overnight stay and a photo opportunity at the Betsiboka River - famed for its distinct red colour - we made it back to Antananarivo.
Left to right: Final goodbyes to Nosy Be and the dive crew. Water falls of the Betsiboka River.
Our final day was a fitting goodbye to the magical country with a trip to Tsimbazaza Zoo where we were able to see a brief glimpse into the animals inhabiting other parts of the country including exotic chameleons, the elusive fossa and of course, the famous ring-tailed lemurs! The next day, we took a taxi-brousse to the airport, and boarded our plane back to London!
In summary
This trip was truly magical and it was a true honour to experience this beautiful country, its welcoming people and to be involved in such crucial conservation work. Whilst the wilderness hotspots do remain, deforestation and climate change are an ever-present threat to the country's fragile ecosystems.
Despite the rise in tourism and international awareness, Madagascar remains a very poor country with huge areas of pristine forest being cleared for agriculture. With increased conservation awareness, ecotourism and local activism, I, and everyone on this trip, remain hopeful that this country can continue to develop whilst preserving the biodiversity that makes Madagascar so special.
Thank you Madagascar, you were a joy to visit!!
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