Critters of Ankarana

You can hear a lot more birds in this kind of forest than you can actually see, but I only managed to photograph three, this Souimanga sunbird being the most dramatic:

Juvenile Magpie Robin:

And a Malagasy bulbul:

Skinks are some consolation:

 And this odd yellow ground crab:

On to Nosy Be

Long land journey, the details of which are best not thought of, but on the way, we stopped at another little roadside attraction that grows cacao, vanilla, etc.

 Cacao tree and pods:

Cinnamon bark tree:

Jackfruit, which grows straight out of the tree's trunk:

Vanilla vine and pods:

We were at the Baobab Lodge, a borderline hotel on a lovely beach on the Mozambique Channel. At least the beach was attractive:

A pirogue, the local mass transit:

Nosy Kombo and Nosy Tanikely

Took a speedy boat to Nosy Kombo (nosy just means 'island) to see Black Lemurs. It was hotter than hell there and humid to boot, but needs must. That tropical thing does make for some beautiful plants and interesting critters:

African tulip tree:

 

Coffee tree flowering:

Oustalet's Chameleon:

 Ground Boa:

Tortoise:

After our visit there, we went to Nosy Tanikely for lunch, snorkeling, snoozing on the beach or whatever else we wanted to do. The beach is beautiful and the water is crystal clear, easy to see all kinds of tropical fish without even snorkeling:

Lemurs! Lemurs! Lemurs!

Nosy Kombo's Black Lemurs are quite habituated to people (or maybe just their bananas) - only the males are black:

Find the baby!

Lokobe Reserve

Our next port of call was the Lokobe Reserve. I would say that the thing the Reserve does best at reserving is mosquitos. One sets off in a piroque from a mangrove swamp, and we all set to on the oars in order to get there.

This is a caravan back from the Reserve. All the piroques were linked together with rope and a large motorized pirogue ferried us back (to the swamp):

It's a beautiful island from a distance, though:

We didn't really see all that much wildlife, unfortunately.

Huge land snail

Tree Boa:

Northern Sportive Lemur - note his double hole:

Nosy Be

Our last accommodation was the lushest, the Nosy Lodge, run by a Belgian ex-pat who was the only person at the hotel that spoke any English at all. He likes contemporary art:

The hot pink lobby seating area:

My humble cottage:

Room complete with mosquito netting, much needed:

My outdoor sunken shower:

I had a regular visitor from the hotel next door, Gigi:

And the lovely beach:

And on that note, I bid you farewell from Madagascar!