Chameleons and Lemurs

[Bush dog]

@marg @Treepol

 

Many thanks for your comments!

[Bush dog]

The two next pictures were taken along the road in Andasibe

 

Perhaps Blommer's Madagascar frog (Guibemantis flavobrunneus)

 

 

Elephant-eared chameleon sleeping

 

 

The pictures below were taken on Vakona island

 

Black-and-white ruffed lemur (Varecia variegata)

 

 

 

Diademed sifaka (Propithecus diadema)

 

 

 

Red-fronted lemurs (Eulemur rufus)

 

 

 

 

 

 

[xelas]

Exceptional photography of stunning wildlife, @Bush dog!

 

[optig]

@Bushdog I just received the 12th edition of Bradt's guide to Madagascar. I also got the Helm Field guide of Birds of Madagascar by Hawkins, Safford, and Adrian Skerrett. These are in anticipation of going to Madagascar in 2021 or 2022. I can hardly wait.

[Bush dog]

@xelas

 

Thank you!

 

During this trip, we saw 18 different species of lemurs.  In this report, there will be pictures of only 14 of them.  The 4 species without picture(s) are :

 

Goodman's mouse lemur (Microcebus lehilahytsara)

Eastern woolly lemur (Avahi laniger)

Eastern lesser bamboo lemur (Hapalemur griseus)

Von der Decken's sifaka (Propithecus deckenii).

 

The following 4 pictures were taken in Analamazaotra National Park.

 

Indri (Indri indri)

 

 

 

 

Gecko

 

 

Fuit stall along the road Andasibe/Antananarivo

 

 

Cart drawn by two zebus along the same road

 

 

Rice paddies near baobab alley

 

 

Baobab alley

 

 

Zebus and their young guardians on the road to Belo.  The zebu is present on the coat of arms of Madagascar because it is considered as one of the main wealth of the country.  The level of well-being of an individual is measured by the number of zebus he possesses.  The value of a zebu is of the order of 300 USD.  Some remote areas, such as the road between Belo and Bemaraha (hence the section of road in convoy), are insecure due to the presence of cattle thieves.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Bush dog]

A series of Verreaux's sifakas (Propithecus verreauxi) pictures - Andranomena Special Reserve

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Bush dog]

Some more pictures taken at Andranomena.

 

Red-fronted brown lemur (Eulemur rufifrons)

 

 

 

Gray mouse lemur (Microcebus murinus)

 

 

Madame Berthe mouse lemur (Microcebus berthae)

 

 

Red-tailed sportive lemur (Lepilemur ruficaudatus).  It looks more like Dracula to me?

 

 

Oustalet's chameleon (Furcifer oustaleti)

 

 

Cyclists on the road to Belo

 

[madaboutcheetah]

Superb images , Mike 

[Bush dog]

@madaboutcheetah

 

Thanks a lot, Hari!

 

Local people waiting to board the ferry to Belo and on it

 

 

 

Second ferry crossing

 

 

Canoe taking tourists to the Small Tsingy of Bemaraha on the Manambolo river

 

 

 

Small Tsingy of Bemaraha

 

 

Souimanga sunbird (Cinnyris sovimanga) in the gardens of Hotel Le Soleil des Tsingy

 

 

 

 

Malagasy kingfisher (Corythornis vintsioides) along the roas back to Belo

 

 

Zebu

 

 

 

[janzin]

Ah I was wondering if you shot any birds   Wonderful images of the people too and I especially love this one--gorgeous!

 

[Bush dog]

@janzin

 

Once more many thanks!

 

That picture you like was not taken by me but well by my wife, with her mobile, like the few who do not mention my name.  I will pass on to her your generous comments.

 

Indeed, I shot some birds but it was not easy due to dense vegetation and poor light in the rainforests and forests of deciduous species.

[Bush dog]

Now pictures taken in the Kirindy forest.

 

Pale fork-marked lemur (Phaner pallescens)

 

 

Here is Dracula again

 

 

Verreaux's sifakas

 

 

 

 

 

Long billed bernieria (Bernieria madagascariensis)

 

 

Madagascar magpie-robin female (Copsychus albospecularis)

 

 

Rufous vanga (Schetba rufa)

 

 

Sphinx moth on my bungalow in Relais du Kirindy

 

 

 

[SafariChick]

@Bush dog Stunning photos Mike, and your wife's as well!! Really makes me want to visit this fascinating country!

Edited July 24, 2019 by SafariChick

[Bush dog]

@SafariChick

 

Thank you for your kind words!

 

Now, always in the Kirindy forest, a friendly group of curious red-fronted brown lemurs (Eulemur rufifrons)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Alexander33]

@Bush dog

 

Wow, I’m really impressed with the variety of chameleons and lemurs so far — surpasses expectations. And thanks for the photo equipment tips. I would not have guessed that your longest lens would be 200mm. May I ask how often you found yourself needing the 2x TC? 

[Bush dog]

@Alexander33

 

Thanks a lot for your comments.

 

Regarding the 2x extender, I'm using it in most cases.  From experience, I realized that it is not necessary to travel with too much material.  I have two excellent cameras (EOS-1D X), the 70-200, a 300/2,8, that I did not take on this trip, and the 2x TC.  On this trip, I borrowed a 100 from my supplier but I did not find it very useful.  Concerning the chameleons, Madagascar is home of 50% of the more or less 150 species in the world.  

But many species have different forms (in French "phases") that are characterized by different dominant colors in each region where they can be found.  

[Bush dog]

Antsirabe

 

Manufactured models only based on recycled products

 

 

Along the road from Antsirabe to Antananarivo, some small local products shops

 

Wooden truck toys

 

 

Children selling rabbits

 

 

Basketry articles

 

 

Different pictures of the same chameleon.  We found it crossing the road to Joffreville.  It's a panther chameleon (Furcifer pardalis), the Diego Soares form.  One can see the color changes, reflections of its mood of the moment.

 

 

 

 

[Bush dog]

The next pictures were taken in the Amber mountain rainforest

 

 

Madagascar diadem (Hypolimnas dexithea)

 

 

Hook-billed vangas (Vanga curvirostris)

 

 

 

Sanford's brown lemurs (Eulemur sanfordi)

 

 

 

Malagasy paradise flycatcher (Terpsiphone mutata)

 

 

Short-horned chameleon (Calumma brevicorne)

 

Amber mountain rock thrush (Monticola erythronotus)

 

 

 

Antakarana leaf chameleon (Brookesia antakarana)

 

[Bush dog]

Pictures taken along the road to Ankarana

 

Young boy plowing a rice field

 

 

Oustalet's chameleon (Furcifer oustaleti) 

 

 

 

Another panther chameleon but this time the Ankarana North form

 

 

 

 

If I remember quite well, its female

 

 

 

Shop selling all kinds of spicy mixtures, mainly made from lemons, in recovered water bottles

 

 

The two last pictures were taken in Ankarana National Park

 

Long-billed bernieria (Bernieria madagascariensis)

 

 

Crowned lemur (Eulemur coronatus)

 

 

[Bush dog]

Trafic on the bridge over the Mahavavy river in Ambilobe on our way to Ankify and Nosy Bay

 

 

My favorite panther chameleon, the Ambilobe form

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[janzin]

Just incredible how many different chameleons you saw and how many variations there are! The colors on this last one are unreal! The trip I am going on will be more bird-focused, I sure hope we stop to look for these amazing lizards.

[Bush dog]

@janzin

 

The complete list of birds in Madagascar has a little less than 300 species while that of Botswana has a little more than double.  On this trip, I did not see as many birds as I did in all of Southern Africa.  You will probably have time to concentrate also a little on these magnificent reptiles that are the chameleons.  They are really mesmerizing.  Already, I wish you a fabulous photographic trip.

[Bush dog]

The last pictures of this report

 

Fishing boats off Nosy Be

 

 

Black lemurs (Eulemur macaco) on Nosy Komba

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common brown lemurs (Eulemur fulvus) on Nosy Tanikely

 

 

 

Thank you to everyone who followed this report and see you next time!

[AfricIan]

Thanks for a great report Mike and for all the stunning photos

[Zim Girl]

Great report @Bush dog and beautiful set of pictures.