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Aterica rabena, Ivoloina park, Madagascar And with this quick shot from the zoom lens, the set for our Madagascar 2019 trip is completed and shared. After 3 editions (2013, 2016, 2019) it likely is the end of our Madagascar coverage altogether.<br /> <br /> Farewell, Madagascar, we will never forget. Africa,Aterica rabena,Geotagged,Ivoloina park,Madagascar,Madagascar 2019,Winter,World Click/tap to enlarge Promoted

Aterica rabena, Ivoloina park, Madagascar

And with this quick shot from the zoom lens, the set for our Madagascar 2019 trip is completed and shared. After 3 editions (2013, 2016, 2019) it likely is the end of our Madagascar coverage altogether.

Farewell, Madagascar, we will never forget.

    comments (6)

  1. View Patomarazul's profile
    Patomarazul
    Lion
    View Lion class
    It has two little eyes in the shoulders! Posted 5 years ago
    1. View Ferdy Christant's profile
      Ferdy Christant
      Lion
      View Lion class
      That is a very interesting remark. I hadn't really noticed but now cannot unsee it. What's interesting is that many moths and butterflies have full eye patterns but here it's more like an outline only, suggesting an eye. Like mimicking an eye whilst saving on "paint" :) Posted 5 years ago, modified 5 years ago
      1. View Christine Young's profile
        Christine Young
        Lion
        View Lion class
        I had not noticed the eyes until you pointed it out, Marta! And, now I also can't unsee it, haha. Posted 5 years ago
  3. View Christine Young's profile
    Christine Young
    Lion
    View Lion class
    This is the last MDG photo?! I have enjoyed every photo in the set and am sad to see them end. I do have favorites - ALL of the moths, lol. But also these (yes, I'm listing my faves...I hope the others don't get offended):

    Mirror spider - side view, Andasibe, Madagascar My first mirror spider! (Genus: Thwaitesia. I only once saw these online from a famous macro photographer from Singapore. They are much smaller than I expected and quite tricky to get entirely into focus. <br /> <br /> They are called mirror spiders due to the reflective plates on their abdomen. This one surely is in the genus Thwaitesia. Some candidates known to occur in Madagascar:<br /> <br /> - Thwaitesia argenteosquamata (Lenz, 1891) (Madagascar)<br /> - Thwaitesia pulcherrima Butler, 1882 (Madagascar)<br /> <br /> Not certain of the species yet, documentation is very limited.<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/86557/mirror_spider_-_front_andasibe_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/86558/mirror_spider_-_closeup_andasibe_madagascar.html Africa,Andasibe,Geotagged,Madagascar,Madagascar 2019,Winter,World

    Glittering lichen, Andasibe, Madagascar The bright yellow/green lichen spots on this tree attracted my attention. I slightly dramatized the contrast, but not much. It's a complicated scene where I suspect we see at least two lichens on top of each other. Africa,Andasibe,Christant Path,Madagascar,Madagascar 2019,World

    Green bright-eyed frog - front view, Andasibe, Madagascar A beautiful endemic from Madagascar, like almost all frogs found in Madagascar. "Bright-eyed" refers to the genus Boophis, "Green" is not to be taken literally. It is often green to yellow but it has the ability to change color and can even appear brown. Key characteristic of this species is the blue outer iris.<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/86017/green_bright-eyed_frog_-_side_view_andasibe_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/86020/green_bright-eyed_frog_-_side_view_2_andasibe_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/86018/green_bright-eyed_frog_-_closeup_andasibe_madagascar.html Africa,Andasibe,Boophis viridis,Green bright-eyed frog,Madagascar,Madagascar 2019,World

    Mossy leaf-tailed gecko - back and legs, V.O.I.M.M.A. Community Reserve, Madagascar A wild observation of a Mossy leaf-tailed gecko, one of the best camouflage specialists I've seen with my own eyes. By day, they stretch out and rest upside down on a tree. Their bodies are flat and heavily textured to mimick a mossy surface. The edges of their body curl around a tree almost as if its a single surface. <br /> <br /> Flash makes it pretty noticeable but I had no idea it was there whilst standing straight next to it. Our guide gave the hint.<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/85598/mossy_leaf-tailed_gecko_-_full_body_v.o.i.m.m.a._community_reserve_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/85599/mossy_leaf-tailed_gecko_-_head_v.o.i.m.m.a._community_reserve_madagascar.html Africa,Andasibe,Madagascar,Madagascar 2019,Mossy leaf-tailed gecko,Uroplatus sikorae,V.O.I.M.M.A. Community Reserve,World

    Antimena chameleon, Pyreras Reserve, Madagascar Sometimes called the White-lined Chameleon. A beautiful little (not so little) dragon. Key characteristics are the spiny scales on the back, the large crest and the snout projection. This is probably the male, which can grow twice as large as the female.<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/85414/antimena_chameleon_-_closeup_pyreras_reserve_madagascar.html Africa,Antimena chameleon,Furcifer antimena,Geotagged,Madagascar,Madagascar 2019,Pyreras Reserve,Winter,World

    Madagascar Leaf-nosed Snake - closeup, Pyreras Reserve, Madagascar Another in the array of Madagascar's curious reptiles. This is the female of the species, which is dull brown and has a bristle-like nose appendage. Males have a bright yellow belly and lengthier, more straight nose. This photo shows the difference quite well:<br /> https://st4.depositphotos.com/18212132/20096/i/1600/depositphotos_200967560-stock-photo-madagascar-leaf-nosed-snake-langaha.jpg<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/85336/madagascar_leaf-nosed_snake_pyreras_reserve_madagascar.html Africa,Langaha madagascariensis,Madagascar,Madagascar 2019,Madagascar Leaf-nosed Snake,Pyreras Reserve,World

    Giant leaf-tailed Gecko - portrait 2, Pyreras Reserve, Madagascar A family photo shoot of two indivuduals of Common flat-tail gecko, more often called the Giant leaf-tailed gecko based on its size. These two were taken from their cage in Pyreras Reserve, put on a tree for some photos, and then put back.<br /> <br /> Like all species in the Uroplatus genus, it has a uniquely shaped body to camouflage it by day. Specifics of this species are its size and its fringed skin. A few years earlier we were lucky to observe one hunting at night:<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/34090/giant_leaf-tailed_gecko_on_the_hunt_nosy_mangabe_madagascar.html<br /> When threatened it has a display both threatening and hilarious:<br /> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_flat-tail_gecko#/media/File:Giant_Leaf-tailed_Gecko,_Nosy_Mangabe,_Madagascar.jpg<br /> <br /> But really, it should have been named after its incredible eyes, which are 350 times more sensitive to light compared to humans. This species can see in color at night! I don't even know of any electronics that can do that.<br /> <br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/85274/giant_leaf-tailed_gecko_pyreras_reserve_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/85275/giant_leaf-tailed_gecko_-_portrait_pyreras_reserve_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/85276/giant_leaf-tailed_gecko_-_individual_2_pyreras_reserve_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/85278/giant_leaf-tailed_gecko_-_eye_pyreras_reserve_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/85279/giant_leaf-tailed_gecko_-_eye_macro_pyreras_reserve_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/85280/giant_leaf-tailed_gecko_-_portrait_3_pyreras_reserve_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/85281/giant_leaf-tailed_gecko_-_portrait_4_pyreras_reserve_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/85282/giant_leaf-tailed_gecko_-_portrait_5_pyreras_reserve_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/85283/giant_leaf-tailed_gecko_-_feet_pyreras_reserve_madagascar.html Africa,Common flat-tail gecko,Geotagged,Madagascar,Madagascar 2019,Pyreras Reserve,Uroplatus fimbriatus,Winter,World

    Satanic Leaf-tailed gecko - body rotated, Ranomafana, Madagascar Here comes a jewel. Madagascar is well known for lemurs, chameleons, and baobabs. <br /> <br /> Lesser known by the general public may be the incredible Uroplatus genus of geckos. This genus consists of 14 insane geckos that are true masters of disguise. I have no particular favorite to pick but this Satanic leaf-tailed gecko ranks highly and I had it at the very top of my wishlist of things to see in Ranomafana.<br /> <br /> Thanks to our excellent spotter, we found two in a row. The Satanic leaf-tailed gecko is the smallest of Uroplatus geckos. Its entire body is shaped, curled and textured like a dry leaf. By day it will position itself in a low tree amidst real dry leafs, making it impossible to detect, unless you're lucky or an expert.<br /> <br /> At night it becomes active and rapidly navigates trees for small prey. If it senses danger, it can flatten itself against the trunk into such extend that there's no shadow, no profile for the predator to go by. When danger is more direct, it opens its mouth widely to reveal a large bright red area. Or, it sheds it tail as a distraction.<br /> <br /> It's also called the Fantastic Leaf-tailed Gecko, after the latin word "phantasticus", meaning "imaginary". A word used by the zoologist to first describe this species. It has such a unique appearance that it baffles the mind, as if it is only imagined.<br /> <br /> I'll be generous in sharing lots of shots, these combine the photos of two individuals found shortly after each other. <br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/84014/satanic_leaf-tailed_gecko_-_tail_ranomafana_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/84015/satanic_leaf-tailed_gecko_-_side_view_ranomafana_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/84016/satanic_leaf-tailed_gecko_-_head_ranomafana_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/84018/satanic_leaf-tailed_gecko_-_full_scene_ranomafana_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/84019/satanic_leaf-tailed_gecko_-_body_closeup_ranomafana_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/84020/satanic_leaf-tailed_gecko_-_body_curled_ranomafana_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/84021/satanic_leaf-tailed_gecko_-_body_ranomafana_madagascar.html Africa,Madagascar,Madagascar 2019,Ranomafana National Park,Satanic Leaf Tailed Gecko,Uroplatus phantasticus,World

    Brilliant blue, Antananarivo, Madagascar Chased this one for a solid 30 minutes but it would not work with me. It would fly, land, flap its wings once or twice and then rest with the wings open. This is the best I could do in showing their beautiful upper wings. Africa,Antananarivo,Brilliant blue,Junonia rhadama,Madagascar,Madagascar 2019,World

    Spiky Cocoon, Kirindy Reserve, Madagascar Smartphone shot of two spiky cocoons found on the bark of a tree in Kirindy Reserve. I'm not yet sure what they are exactly. Africa,Kirindy Reserve,Madagascar,Madagascar 2019,Winter,World

    Giant Coua - closeup, Kirindy Reserve, Madagascar The Giant coua (Coua gigas) is a ground dwelling species that is common in Madagascar. It behaves chicken-like, strolling on the forest floor, picking insects and small vertebrates. <br /> <br /> It looks highly similar to Coquerel's coua (Coua coquereli), yet is considerably larger, about twice the size. As size can be hard to estimate from a photo, a more useful difference is found in the bill. The Giant Coua has a thick and stout bill, much more robust compared to the Coquerel's coua.<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/83281/giant_coua_kirindy_reserve_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/83282/giant_coua_-_pose_kirindy_reserve_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/83283/giant_coua_-_face_kirindy_reserve_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/83284/giant_coua_-_frontal_kirindy_reserve_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/83285/giant_coua_-_full_bird_kirindy_reserve_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3e1-B91YlU Africa,Coua gigas,Geotagged,Giant Coua,Kirindy Reserve,Madagascar,Madagascar 2019,Winter,World

    Red-tailed sportive lemur - eye contact, Kirindy Reserve, Madagascar A new day in Kirindy where on our last (morning) hike we had another meeting with this Red-tailed sportive lemur. I figured it would be rude to not photograph it again so here comes a final series.<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/83529/red-tailed_sportive_lemur_-_hanging_kirindy_reserve_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/83527/red-tailed_sportive_lemur_-_scanning_kirindy_reserve_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/83526/red-tailed_sportive_lemur_-_closeup_kirindy_reserve_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/83525/red-tailed_sportive_lemur_-_face_kirindy_reserve_madagascar.html Africa,Geotagged,Kirindy Reserve,Lepilemur ruficaudatus,Madagascar,Madagascar 2019,Red-tailed sportive lemur,Winter,World

    Ocelot gecko - full body, Kirindy Reserve, Madagascar Known by various other common names: Madagascar ground gecko, Malagasy fat-tailed gecko, fat-headed gecko, or panther gecko. <br /> <br /> Fat-headed does describe it best. We stumbled upon this in Kirindy at night when making way back to camp. It is a gecko that is able to climb, yet typically found in leaf litter.<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/83429/ocelot_gecko_-_closeup_kirindy_reserve_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/83428/ocelot_gecko_-_head_kirindy_reserve_madagascar.html Africa,Kirindy Reserve,Madagascar,Madagascar 2019,Ocelot gecko,Paroedura picta,World

    Fossa portrait - 2, Kirindy Reserve, Madagascar Before we were about to start a morning hike in Kirindy, Henriette spotted this Fossa near our lodge. I went into pursuit and was close to losing it when the Fossa bumped into other tourists, forcing it back in my direction. Note that at Kirindy, the Fossa is common to see as it is somewhat domesticated. In the wild you are unlikely to ever see one. They are widespread throughout Madagascar, yet typically local populations are small.<br /> <br /> The Fossa is Madagascar's top mammalian predator. It has an interesting taxonomy. Despite its cat-like appearance, it is believed to be more closely related to the mongoose family:<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/wildlife/browse/animalia/chordata/mammalia/carnivora/eupleridae<br /> <br /> It's an iconic species typical of Madagascar, there isn't a comparable species anywhere else. <br /> <br /> The most impressive fact about the Fossa is that over 50% of their diet consists of lemurs. Surprising a lemur in the canopy, who have keen senses and are always on watch, takes an extraordinary skill. For this purpose, the Fossa has flexible ankles, which allow it to climb up and down, as well as jump between trees. Although rare, there have been reports of multiple Fossas cooperating in a hunt, evidence here:<br /> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpwM-K2TRR4<br /> Well, some may consider another fact even more impressive: the male of the Fossa at times can be considered a five-legged animal as it has an unusually large penis that may reach up to its front legs when erect. Not only is it huge, it's also spiny. The female has equally strange genitalia, it grows an enlarged, penis-like clitoris that is also spiny. This clitoris reduces in size as she ages, it is believed that during the female's first years, this masculization helps her against harassment by young males. The Fossa is the only known species in the world where this process occurs without hormones being involved.<br /> <br /> Despite being the top predator of Madagascar, one does not have to be terrified when seeing one. It's best described as an oversized, very muscular cat. Surely it can do significant damage when provoked, but it's unlikely to be a life threatening encounter. Fossas typically will not grow beyond about 10kg of weight. <br /> <br /> Now extinct, there once was a second species of Fossa: Cryptoprocta spelea, or Giant Fossa. It was almost identicial yet twice as large or heavy. The extra size likely was needed to hunt the Giant lemurs of Madagascar, which have also gone exctinct. Check out this illustration:<br /> https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Simon_Bearder/publication/262067793/figure/fig3/AS:669429562081292@1536615853540/Some-subfossil-lemur-species-with-extant-Indri-one-of-the-two-largest-living-lemurs.png<br /> <br /> The Indri (in black) is the only species in the illustration still extant, and currently the largest species of lemur. <br /> <br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/83032/fossa_portrait_-_1_kirindy_reserve_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/83034/fossa_full_body_kirindy_reserve_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/83035/fossa_portrait_-_3_kirindy_reserve_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/83036/fossa_sunbathing_kirindy_reserve_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/83037/fossa_sunbathing_-_closeup_kirindy_reserve_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hv9VOY2H61Y Africa,Cryptoprocta ferox,Fossa,Kirindy Reserve,Madagascar,Madagascar 2019,World

    Avenue of the Baobabs at sunset - 5, Madagascar On our way to the Kirindy reserve, we passed through Allée des baobabs (Avenue of the Baobabs) just before sunset. <br /> <br /> This famous site has a few dozen Adansonia grandidieri trees. Adansonia grandidieri is the largest and most famous out of the six baobab species endemic to Madagascar. It is locally known as Reniala, which means "king of the woods". A fitting name as these giants grow up to 30m tall.<br /> <br /> Originally, they would tower above the dry forest, but unfortunately those have been cleared for agriculture. These ancient giants are what remain. Besides their weird upside down appearance and height, they are also known for their incredible lifespan. They are hard to date, numbers vary from 800 years to 1,000 or even 2,000. In any case, very old.<br /> <br /> As long as it takes for a baobab to mature, as quickly they come to their end. Once they fall apart, their inner tissue is revealed which consists of a very soft spongue-like fibre material. This material allows the baobab to survive for years without any rain, yet once exposed, will decompose in a matter of weeks. <br /> <br /> Finally, a little known fact is that this species flowers at night. At the very first night of the blooming season, the flowers open and release all their pollen at once. This pollen will then stick to bats, lemurs and moths licking the nectar from the flowers.<br /> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWasXjMsIwY<br /> <br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/82955/avenue_of_the_baobabs_at_sunset_-_1_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/82956/avenue_of_the_baobabs_at_sunset_-_2_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/82957/avenue_of_the_baobabs_at_sunset_-_3_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/82958/avenue_of_the_baobabs_at_sunset_-_4_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/82960/avenue_of_the_baobabs_at_sunset_-_6_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/82961/avenue_of_the_baobabs_at_sunset_-_7_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/82962/avenue_of_the_baobabs_at_sunset_-_8_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/82963/avenue_of_the_baobabs_at_sunset_-_9_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/82964/avenue_of_the_baobabs_at_sunset_-_10_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/82965/avenue_of_the_baobabs_at_sunset_-_11_madagascar.html<br /> Adansonia grandidieri,Africa,Avenue of the Baobabs,Madagascar,Madagascar 2019,World

    Blue-eyed black lemur - male eye, Ivoloina park, Madagascar In captivity, to be released back into the wild. As the name suggests, this species' distinguishing feature is their blue eyes, present in both males and females. A unique feature in primates, the only other species that (sometimes) has blue eyes is us. The male is black with occasional brown highlights, the female is a vibrant orange color.<br /> <br /> Almost all of Madagascar's 100+ lemur species are endangered or critically endangered. This one is in particular trouble. It's original natural range is tiny, a small speck in the Northwest of Madagascar. This habitat is almost entirely cleared, and the species is close to extinction in the wild.<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/90624/blue-eyed_black_lemur_-_male_ivoloina_parkmadagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/90626/blue-eyed_black_lemur_-_female_ivoloina_parkmadagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/90625/blue-eyed_black_lemur_-_female_portrait_ivoloina_parkmadagascar.html Africa,Blue-eyed black lemur,Eulemur flavifrons,Ivoloina park,Madagascar,Madagascar 2019,World

    Larva casing, Palmarium, Madagascar Not entirely sure what I found here. My eye happened to fall on this small irregularity on a tree trunk. It looks neatly constructed, yet organic. I figured it is perhaps an Owlfly larva. After flipping it around, it looks to be more like a larva case, with an actual larva peeking out. A bagworm maybe? Even for a bagworm it looks unusual to me. The structure seems too well organized to be constructed from scratch. <br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/88715/larva_casing_-_underside_palmarium_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/88714/larva_casing_-_larva_closeup_palmarium_madagascar.html Africa,Geotagged,Madagascar,Madagascar 2019,Palmarium reserve,Winter,World

    Female Crowned Lemur - stare, Palmarium, Madagascar We have this particular photo in our living room, our first print at the massive size of 2m x 1.5m, where we usually print at 1m x 70cm. It dwarfs our other posters. Normally, such a human-sized print requires some viewing distance of about 2m. This one however persists details when almost touching the print:<br /> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW7x9wfzMoI<br /> (note that video compression destroys much of the color and sharpness)<br /> None of this is to brag. The photo was pretty much point and shoot, and I was lucky for the subject to be well positioned and the light hitting the eyes in a great way. It's no demonstration of skill, just a demonstration of what a high MP camera can do and why I'm so attached to this capability. Africa,Crowned lemur,Eulemur coronatus,Geotagged,Madagascar,Madagascar 2019,Palmarium reserve,Winter,World

    Female Black Lemur - walking, Palmarium, Madagascar The female of the Black Lemur, with her stunning deep rufous coat and white mega tufts. Beautiful and she knows it.<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/87686/female_black_lemur_-_portrait_palmarium_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/87688/female_black_lemur_-_looking_up_palmarium_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/87689/female_black_lemur_-_stare_palmarium_madagascar.html<br /> <br /> The male:<br /> <br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/87622/black_lemur_-_closeup_palmarium_madagascar.html Africa,Black Lemur,Eulemur macaco,Geotagged,Madagascar,Madagascar 2019,Palmarium reserve,Winter,World

    Aye-aye - 19, Palmarium, Madagascar Here it is, the Aye-Aye, the primate woodpecker, rodent, bat or "heh heh", Malagasy for "I don't know". <br /> <br /> "I don't know" is exactly the first thing that popped into my brain upon seeing it. My brain struggled to understand what it was seeing, despite having read about Aye-ayes at a basic level. It just doesn't register or fit into any boxes.<br /> <br /> My second thought was that if I would not know any better, I'd go along with the local superstition that this is a demonic animal. <br /> <br /> Science didn't really know either in earlier times. This creature first was considered a rodent, based on its teeth that perpetually grow and thus must constantly be worn down. It took a long time for it to be considered a primate, and specifically a lemur.<br /> <br /> A very weird primate. Its ears are huge and have inner ridges similar to bats, optimized for echolocation, making this the only primate to use this.<br /> <br /> Echolocation comes into play when its taps its lengthy 3rd finger rapidly on tree tunks to locate insects/larvae inside. Next, it uses its strong teeth to gnawl a hole into the trunk. Finally, it uses its extremely lengthy 4th finger to rapidly pull out the contents, like a machine gun, using a special hooked nail.<br /> <br /> I had always imagined the Aye-aye to be kind of like a Koala: small, slow, and vulnerable. I was wrong at every level. It's pretty large, combined with the tail above 1m in length. It's very fast and escapes a scene in about 2 seconds. It's teeth and fingers are not careful or fragile tools, they're like power tools. <br /> <br /> The backstory: from Palmarium, on dry nights, you can take a boat to an uninhabited island. On the island live 6-8 Aye-ayes. They are typically in the canopy of a mangrove forest. Coconuts are strategically placed at a lower level to lure them down. Flash lights and camera flash are disallowed, yet when the lure action is succesful, a relatively weak area light shines on the feeding Aye-aye, which does not seem to disturb them.<br /> <br /> Photographing them is challenging due to the lack of flash and the light source being quite weak, but it can be done with some special measures.<br /> <br /> To Henriette and me, the Aye-aye was this year's trophy and a proper closure on 3 years of Madagascar, so I'm going to be generous in sharing many shots of this fantastic animal. We're not done with the set though, not quite yet.<br /> <br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/87321/aye-aye_-_1_palmarium_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/87322/aye-aye_-_2_palmarium_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/87323/aye-aye_-_3_palmarium_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/87324/aye-aye_-_4_palmarium_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/87325/aye-aye_-_5_palmarium_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/87326/aye-aye_-_6_palmarium_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/87327/aye-aye_-_7_palmarium_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/87328/aye-aye_-_8_palmarium_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/87329/aye-aye_-_9_palmarium_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/87330/aye-aye_-_10_palmarium_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/87331/aye-aye_-_11_palmarium_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/87332/aye-aye_-_12_palmarium_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/87333/aye-aye_-_13_palmarium_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/87334/aye-aye_-_14_palmarium_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/87335/aye-aye_-_15_palmarium_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/87336/aye-aye_-_16_palmarium_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/87337/aye-aye_-_17_palmarium_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/87338/aye-aye_-_18_palmarium_madagascar.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/87340/aye-aye_-_20_palmarium_madagascar.html<br /> <br /> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=295rx5Dqsf4 Africa,Aye-aye,Daubentonia madagascariensis,Geotagged,Madagascar,Madagascar 2019,Palmarium reserve,Winter,World

     Posted 5 years ago
    1. View Ferdy Christant's profile
      Ferdy Christant
      Lion
      View Lion class
      Yes it was the last. Thank you for the kind words, must have taken some time to collect those faves. Posted 5 years ago
      1. View Christine Young's profile
        Christine Young
        Lion
        View Lion class
        It was fun to scroll through all of them. You saw some really cool critters. Posted 5 years ago

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The Aterica rabena

''Aterica rabena'' is a butterfly in the Nymphalidae family. It is found on Madagascar. The habitat consists of forests.

Info 2 0
Similar species: Moths And Butterflies
Species identified by Ferdy Christant
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By Ferdy Christant

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Uploaded Mar 21, 2020. Captured Jul 24, 2019 12:21 in Unnamed Road, Madagascar.
country flag of Madagascar Explore Madagascar 3,111 753 0
  • NIKON D850
  • f/5.6
  • 1/400s
  • ISO64
  • 400mm
View light conditions of this photo
Captured in the winter. More winter photos.