Herpeto-Expedition Madagascar

Herpeto-Research Expedition 2011
Madagascar took own paths in the evolution for millions of years and also accommodated over 80% Endemism a singular Flora and fauna. The many recent discoveries within the range of the reptiles encouraged us in March 2008 to pure reptiles and amphibians a route. Also in the year 2009 we accomplished a pure reptile route. The Hot spots of both expeditions we seized „the Herpeto Research expedition” to a large route together . This complete journey takes 6 weeks, and is divided into two three-week Parts, since most people do not get 6 weeks vacation. The first part of the journey is occupied with the rare rain forest inhabiting Chameleon-Species and Lizards. The second part of this expedition concerns itself in the emphasis with the color variants of the Panther-Chameleons. Also the rare kinds of the north and the west such as Furcifer timoni and Furcifer angelii represent an important component. The goal of this expedition journey is it as much as possible data to collect around the real attitude conditions to determine. Temperature, air humidity, and the intensity of the sun exposure are considered thereby as the most important data which can be collected. Also GPS data are collected, in order to determine the Habitate of the animals in every detail.

Tourinformations:
http://www.tanalahorizon.com/index.php?id=115

Part 1 of the Expedition : first 3 Weeks

1.Etappe: Antananarivo - Sambava - Marojejy
To the arrival to Antananarivo fly we on the same day to the northeast of the island to Sambava. Here we can recover only once from the arduous journey, before it goes on the next morning into the national park Marojejy. With approximately 77 kinds of reptile and approx. 70 kinds of amphibian Marojejy belongs to one the most important national park on this route. The trip after Marojejy takes approx. 2 hours… after our arrival in the office of the vehicles management arranges we our luggage for the next days. We become presumably 3 time in the Camp 2 stay overnight. For this should you only the most necessary carry forward, since the luggage a considerable distance must be carried (evt. Can the guests for this carriers take themselves, which transport the luggage gladly for ne small remuneration)
Note: In the last years the national park was closed quite often for the tourist traffic. Therefore we have a not less interesting national park (Ranomafana) as alternative added if the Marojejy national park in this period for us are not accessible.

Informations about the Expedition: http://www.tanalahorizon.com/index.php?id=115

Mario I could not tell dates or prices. I used a translator so i am not sure how accurate it is. Can you do just the rain forest part? I would be very interested.

Hi Lauri,
yes you can do only the Rainforest-Part. Every Part cost 2200,-€ without Flights. But in every Part is Rainforest ;-) At the Moment we have 12 Persons from 4 Nations in this Groupe. But we dont go with all Tourmembers together in the Forest. We split of the Groupe in small parts and go then in the Forest!
And we can start to ask the Air Madagascar for a Groupfair for the Flights!

here are the second Stage:

2.Etappe: Marojejy - Masoala
From the northeast coast it goes then via inland flight to Maroantsetra. From here we start our excursions in the Masoala national park, and on the island Nosy Mangabe . We will break open and this stay in the middle the wilderness of Madagascar to enjoy will be able our Camps also here. Masoala is the largest, and one the most interesting national park of Madagascar. The island Nosy Mangabe is covered complete with evergreen rain forest, and offers to a great many amphibians and reptiles a homeland. To these excursion ions it goes then with the boats again back to Maroantsetra. Here we will be able to meet the finger animal Aye-Aye and the rare, only here occurring tomato-frog on night excursions also little luck

On this complete Expedition is also a Filmcrew to produce a DVD about
Amphibians and Reptiles of Madagascar, with a special about Chameleons
Videogalery of this Team: http://www.focuswelten.de/vortrag/videogalerie.htm
Infos about the Tour: http://www.tanalahorizon.com/index.php?id=115

3.Etappe: Masoala - Tamatave - Andasibe
From Maroantsetra we fly to Tamatave, the largest city at the east coast, and travel directly far to the lake of the kings. From here we do a boat trip on the Canal de Pangalanes, and become private Naturereserve.. Here a great many motives for photo wait. Also the color variant the Pantherchamäleons is here particularly delightful. After two days at the lake of the kings it goes into the mountain Rainforest from Andasibe. From here we do excursions into different Habitate, in those among other things the Parsons Giantchameleon (Colourmorph= Yellow Giant). Also the rare kinds such as Furcifer bifidus, Calumma gallus and many further kinds stand with us on the motive list.

Infos about the Expedition: http://www.tanalahorizon.com/index.php?id=115

more Impressions from the Destinations

A side note and a subject of personal studies for me. I'm aware that Calumma globifer has a small and fragmented range in eastern Madagascar's tropical rain forest. Are there any National Parks or Preserves that conserve this species and their habitat? I'm aware of preserves that conserve Calumma parsonii and some of their color phases as well as other Calumma species just not aware of any for C. globifer? Any information would be great thanks.

Hi Motherload,
we have some areas to find Calumma globifer, but only one its a Nationalpark.
On Herpeto-Expedition Madagascar 2011 we collect so much Datas of Habitats and Temperature, Humidity, UVB, as possible from all Chameleonspecies that we find. This Datas we share also in this Forum.
Calumma parsonii we found in some Nationalparks, but our Hotspots for Parsonii are Outside of the Nationalparks. We find them mostly in Coffee-Plantations.

On Our Expedition next Year also a Filmcrew comes with us to make a Dokumentary about the Chameleons (also reptiles and Amphibians)
to produce a DVD (maby also in English Language)

Information about the Expedition: http://www.tanalahorizon.com/index.php?id=115&L

If you don't mind me asking what National Park did you find the Globifers? Perinet?

My brother and I are planning on going to Madagascar to hunt for chameleons after I graduate in two years. Maybe less. A new Chameleons of Madagascar video would be Epic!!! I'm looking forward to watching it.

Hi Motherload,
no its not Perinet/Andasibe its around 100 Kilometers north-Est from Tana
the Village called Anjozorobe... little bit difficult to Visite the Park, and there is only one expensive Hotel... the Food is not bad, but 10 Euros its the same Price like in Europe for a Lunch or Dinner, but there you can find Globifers and Nasuta

Mario have you and your expidition crew considered approaching conservation groups forgein or malagasy about creating a Chameleon (Repitle or Amphibian) preserves in some of your hot spots. By conserve these spots you are conserving places for future herping expidition.

Hi Motherload,
at the Moment there are only the Nationalparks an special Reserves to protect the Animals...
with the Chameleons its a special thing, some malagasy Tribes respect the Chameleons and protect them...other Tribes kill the Chameleons... they think
the Chameleons are Deamons...
for the Reptile Expeditions we look always for new Destinations and look also for special Animals...
Madagascar is always good for a Surprise

Really neat!

Part II of the Herpeto Research Expedition
The Secrets of the Panther-Chameleons

Part 2 of the Expedition : Travel Time 3 Weeks

1. Stage: Tana - Ankarafantsika - Mahajanga
From the capital Antananarivo goes it through the northern highlands up to the national park Ankarafantsika. In this drying forest the rare Furcifer is to be found rhinoceratus. The females of this kind are colored purple and are most attractive. Also the skurrile nose extension of the male explains the naming of these Chameleon-Species. Also the rare Brookesia decari is to be found with some luck in the leaves work of the jungle ground. In this national park there is a lake also of the crocodiles (Crocidilus niloticus madagascariensis) accommodated. Also the landscape is here extremely delightful and offers with the Ambalabongo Canyon a highlight on this route. In the connection this stage is to Mahajanga. In the forest areas south of Mahajanga hope we are been appropriate for Furcifer the extremely rare Furcifer angelii and labordi to meet.

2. Stage: Mahajanga - Ambanja - Ankify

After this stay at the west coast of Madagascar we continued our journey toward the north. A long drive-gropes leads us for Antsohihy. On the next morning the research starts along the circulation area of the Pantherchameleons. The cities Ankaramy, Djangoa and Ambanja are very well-known in the Terraristik, and point the different colormorphs out. We will seize the location of each color variant with the GPS, and will collect naturally also the data of the individual habitats. This stage ends in the nice village Ankify. Here particularly large copies of the Pantherchameleons are to be found. Also the color variants of Nosy Faly and Nosy Komba in their natural habitat. Here there is to recover also the possibility somewhat before we our expedition toward the north continues.

Info about the Expedition: http://www.tanalahorizon.com/index.php?id=115

3. Stage: Ankify - Ambilobe - Ankrana
From Ankify it goes to Ambilobe. Here one of the most well-known color variants of the Pantherchameleons is resident. Along the road after Sirama we will see many differently colored copies to get. To these Exkursion continues to go it into the needle stone massif called Tsingy from Ankarana. We rare reptiles to see also here gotten among other things Leafetail Gekkos of the kind Uroplatus henkeli.

More Informations about the Expedition: http://www.tanalahorizon.com/index.php?id=115

3. Stage: Ankify - Ambilobe - Ankrana

From Ankify it goes to Ambilobe. Here one of the most well-known color variants of the Pantherchameleons is resident. Along the road after Sirama we will see many differently colored copies to get. To these Exkursion continues to go it into the needle stone massif called Tsingy from Ankarana. We rare reptiles to see also here gotten among other things Leaftail Gekkos of the kind Uroplatus henkeli.

More Infos: http://www.tanalahorizon.com/index.php?id=115&L=1www.otto.de

4. Stage: Ankrana –Amber Mountain – Diego Suarez
To the stay in Ankarana we continue to drive toward the north and make a excursion skurril the seeming „red Tsingy “. The landscape is here absolutely singular and a quantity offers motives for photo. Continues to be to Amber-Mountain Rainforest . Here we hope to find the again-descriptive Furcifer timoni and to Furcifer petteri. In the Montagne D `Ambre are naturally further very attractive Chameleons how: Calumma amber, Calumma ambrensis, Calumma boettgeri to find Brookesia tuberculata and Brookesia antakarana. Also largest all this Leavetaile-Gekkos (Uroplatus fimbriatus gigantea) is to be found in these forests
After this stage our way leads us across Diego Suarez after Ramena. Here we can recover after this exciting route something before it via inland flight back into the capital and in the long run back into the homeland goes.

For more Informations follow thius Link:
http://www.tanalahorizon.com/index.php?id=115&L=1'

here are some more Pics of Animals that we can see on our next Expedition
Infos: http://www.tanalahorizon.com/index.php?id=115&L=0

If someone whants to join us on Tour..dont be shy
Contact: [email protected]

here are the Pics from the eastern rainforest