August 4, 2004
"Welcome to Madagascar"
by Jay Larmon

The day started off like my previous three in Madagascar had, with me slowly waking up still confused as to where exactly I was. The last three nights had been crazy, moving from Antananarivo to Mahajunga and finally to here, my final destination, Ankarafantsika. It was small wonder I found myself lost in those first few seconds as my eyes adjusted to the light. The only difference this morning was that I was in a tent, on a sleeping pad in a sleeping bag, not some hotel mattress.

I had finally arrived on location for Earthwatch’s “Carnivores of Madagascar” trip and our first day loomed ahead of me. Luke, the P.I. for the project, had promised us that by tonight, we would all be falling asleep on our sore feet from all the walking we were going to do. Luke was determined to show us the different trap lines we would be walking for the next two weeks. All three of them on the same day, a task some of those who had been here for a time already said would be a long haul. Never the less, breakfast ended and the day’s trek started, a trek of some 25km, and by the end I was absolutely stunned.

We saw the type of wildlife some only get the chance to read about in books or watch in small cages at the zoo where they are hardly done justice. We saw all kinds of lemurs, like wooly and Sifaka. We saw reptiles, chameleons and geckos. We saw more birds then I could possibly begin to name, paradise fly catchers, cuckoo rollers, quail, and numberless others in their many colors, shapes, and sizes. I returned to camp tired, but also truly amazed by the majestic surroundings I found myself walking through and sleeping in. It was my first day in the wilderness of Madagascar and I was infatuated already. Little did I know I still had yet to scratch the surface.