MADAGASCAR
I ’ M Hiking Along A Narrow Trail Through The Rainforest At Amber Mountain .
Amid spectacular bird ’ s nest ferns , lush green vegetation drips from the tree canopy above , as sweat drips from my forehead . It ’ s hot and humid , but I ’ m in my element . Not only is this my first visit to the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar , but it ’ s actually my first time ever in a real rainforest . After a childhood spent sitting transfixed in front of an endless stream of wildlife documentaries , I ’ m finally living my dream .
I ’ ve come to this unique part of the world in pursuit of lemurs . More than 100 species of these adorable creatures call Madagascar home : large ones , tiny ones , noisy ones , nocturnal ones , sociable ones — all found exclusively here . They ’ re primates — distant relatives of ours — but not monkeys . Here at Amber Mountain National Park , those I ’ m most likely to encounter are the crowned lemur and Sanford ’ s brown lemur .
I gradually become aware of a distant chattering noise coming through the undergrowth but can ’ t quite place it . Just then , I cast a quizzical look at my local guide , Angeluc , and he smiles knowingly . As we walk on , the wild chirping sounds become more raucous . Some kind of bird , surely , but what ? The noise is reminiscent of that made by those vast colonies of seabirds you see on rugged coastal cliffs .
Amber Mountain was the first of Madagascar ’ s national parks — a network of reserves now numbering more than 40 , with a similar total of privately managed protected areas . Andasibe and Ranomafana are excellent options for rainforest , while Ankarafantsika and Bemaraha protect prime dry forest habitat , and Madagascar ’ s unique spiny forest can be experienced at Tsimanampetsotsa or Ifaty .
Amber Mountain National Park
Left : A colorful chameleon tail
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