Chien C. Lee

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Madagascar 190 images Created 10 Jun 2016

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  • Few creatures possess a mastery of camouflage the way Madagascar’s leaf-tailed geckos do. This Mossy Leaf-tailed Gecko (Uroplatus sikorae) sleeps by day on a rainforest liana, its outline obscured by frilled dermal flaps that line its body. By always resting in a downward-facing position they may be able to quickly catch unsuspecting insects that climb up from the ground and also conceal their reflective lidless eyes from predators lurking above. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Deep within spiral of an unfurled Ravenala leaf, a Madagascar Sucker-footed Bat (Myzopoda aurita) roosts in safety. With its adhesive pads it is able to cling to the smooth surface of the leaf where even insects cannot find a foothold. In this way, Myzopoda are remarkably free of the ectoparasites which plague most other bat species. Fianarantsoa, Madagascar.
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  • Stone forest at dawn: the first light of day brushes the limestone pinnacles of Madagascar’s Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park. Spanning 600-square miles, this vast and impenetrable labyrinth of knife-edged towers and slot canyons is an invaluable wilderness reserve; 90% of all species occurring here are found nowhere else on Earth.
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  • The fox-like Fanaloka (Fossa fossana) is sometimes referred to as a “Malagasy Civet” but it actually belongs to the endemic Madagascan family Eupleridae. Furtive and nocturnal, it is the second-largest native carnivore on the island, preying on small animals that it hunts on the forest floor. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Planthopper (Flatidae), nymph. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • This female Madagascar Pygmy Kingfisher (Corythornis madagascariensis) has just been gifted a small lizard (Madascincus melanopleura) by her mate as part of a courtship ritual. Despite their name, these birds are not dependent on water, and typically hunt for insects and small vertebrates on the forest floor. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Rufous Mouse Lemur (Microcebus rufus), feeding on katydid. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Boophis luciae, amplexing pair. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Baron’s Mantella (Mantella baroni). With their bright warning colors, toxic skin alkaloids, and day-active habits, it’s easy to see how the Madagascan Mantella frogs were once mistaken for South American Poison Dart Frogs (Dendrobatidae). Their similarity however, represents a remarkable convergence as they belong to entirely separate families. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Spinomantis elegans, a cave-dwelling frog from high mountains in southeastern Madagascar. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Brown Mouse Lemur (Microcebus rufus). Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Brown Mouse Lemur (Microcebus rufus). Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • The edges of this leaf-tailed gecko (Uroplatus sikorae) seem to blend seamlessly with the branch on which it rests. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Males of the Madagascar's Satanic Leaf-tailed Gecko (Uroplatus phantasticus) can usually be distinguished by their elaborately notched tails, a trait which gives them better mimicry of a leaf that has been partially eaten by insects. Exactly why this is a sexually dimorphic feature in these geckos is unknown, but in some animals different camouflage patterns in males and females can arise where each sex spends their time hiding in different locations and thus face differing selective pressures on their appearance. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Males of the Madagascar's Satanic Leaf-tailed Gecko (Uroplatus phantasticus) can usually be distinguished by their elaborately notched tails, a trait which gives them better mimicry of a leaf that has been partially eaten by insects. Exactly why this is a sexually dimorphic feature in these geckos is unknown, but in some animals different camouflage patterns in males and females can arise where each sex spends their time hiding in different locations and thus face differing selective pressures on their appearance. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • With night vision hundreds of times more sensitive than ours and the ability to discern color even in near total darkness, Madagascar’s leaf-tailed geckos (Uroplatus spp.) are superbly adapted as nocturnal insect hunters. Large eyes, however, demand special maintenance. Like most geckos, Uroplatus have no eyelids and cannot blink; instead, they utilize their long tongues like windshield wipers, keeping their eyes moist and clean. This is a young male Satanic Leaf-tailed Gecko (U. phantasticus), a denizen of the island’s rainforest zone and a superb mimic of dead foliage. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Under the protective concealment of night, this raspy cricket (family Gryllacrididae) sheds its final skin, slowly and delicately pulling its long antennae from their old sheath. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • A large male O'Shaughnessy's Chameleon (Calumma oshaughnessyi) stalks up a forest liana, keeping an eye out for both prey and predator alike. With 360-degree vision, remarkable image acuity, and monocular depth perception, chameleons can detect insects that might be well out of reach, judge their distance accurately, and even distinguishing them from their surroundings when the insect is completely still. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • With jaws looking like they could separate your finger from your hand, this is the imposing face of a Madagascan king cricket (Spizaphilus sp.). Only the males possess these enormous mandibles, which are presumably used primarily for jousting when competing for mates, rather than self-defense. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • When camouflage fails, it’s always good to have a fallback plan. Upon a slight disturbance, the Madagascar Bullseye Moth (Antherina suraka) abruptly spreads its wings, exposing bold eyespots. This menacing appearance may serve to startle predators, making them think twice before considering making a meal of the moth. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Katydid (Aspidonotus spinosus), male. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Katydid (Aspidonotus spinosus), male. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur (Varecia variegata), a Critically Endangered species and undoubtedly one of the most beautiful of all lemurs. Entirely dependent on tall undisturbed rainforests, these lemurs are threatened by habitat loss and are suffering from an island-wide population decline. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Ankafana Bright-eyed Frog (Boophis luteus), male. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Tree frog (Boophis tasymena), male. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Being as discreet as possible, a tiny Elongate Leaf Chameleon (Palleon nasus) makes its way across the forest floor at a snail’s pace, freezing whenever it feels someone watching. The adults of this species measure less than 9cm long and are at the small end of Madagascar’s chameleon spectrum. Their camouflage is a perfect adaptation for their specific habitat: the leaf litter of the rainforest floor. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Arguably Madagascar’s most iconic insect: the Comet Moth (Argema mittrei). Despite its obvious beauty, the long twisted tails of its wings aren’t made for aesthetic purposes – recent studies have shown that they play an important role in defense against their main predator: echolocating bats. When closing in for a kill, the acoustic reflections from the tail confuse the bat so that it misses the moth’s body, often ending up with nothing but a bit of broken tail in its mouth. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Mossy Leaf-tailed Gecko (Uroplatus sikorae). Mantadia National Park, Madagascar.
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  • In the insect world, even having a vicious sting isn’t enough to always save you from some larger predators. Here, in the dry spiny forest of southern Madagascar, a wasp has fallen prey to a giant robber fly (Microstylum sp.). With fast wings, excellent eyesight, and piercing mouthparts, robber flies catch other insects in mid flight and suck out their insides like a juice pack. Berenty Private Reserve, Amboasary, Madagascar.
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  • Greater Carpet Chameleon (Furcifer major). Isalo National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Unable to fly with a load many times her own weight, a female Thread-waisted Sand Wasp (Ammophila beniniensis) hauls a large caterpillar which she has paralyzed with her sting. She is seeking a burrow she has prepared in advance and, even though it may be a considerable distance away, she shows a remarkable orientation ability even though there may be numerous obstacles in her path. Once placed inside, with the burrow sealed shut by small rocks and its entrance hidden from potential thieves, the ill-fated caterpillar will serve as live food for the single egg the wasp has deposited along with it. Fianarantsoa, Madagascar.
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  • Deep within spiral of an unfurled Ravenala leaf, a Madagascar Sucker-footed Bat (Myzopoda aurita) roosts in safety. With its adhesive pads it is able to cling to the smooth surface of the leaf where even insects cannot find a foothold. In this way, Myzopoda are remarkably free of the ectoparasites which plague most other bat species. Fianarantsoa, Madagascar.
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  • Two-banded Chameleon (Furcifer balteatus), male. A rare species, F. balteatus is known with certainty to occur at only a few locations in southeast Madagascar, and is classified as Endangered due to threats from habitat loss and collecting for the pet trade. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Sometimes referred to as the ‘Trees of Life’, baobabs (Adansonia spp.) provide food and shelter for many species of animals, particularly those surviving in the brutally hot and arid climate of Madagascar’s southwest. Here, a Southwestern Night Snake (Ithycyphus oursi) takes shelter during the heat of the day beneath a fissure in the bark of a Za Baobab (A. za). These hiding spots are sometimes shared with geckos, scorpions and Madagascar’s famous hissing cockroaches. This snake, incidentally, is one of the few venomous species on the island; while perhaps not dangerous to humans its bite has been observed to cause paralysis in chameleons. Amboasary, Madagascar.
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  • Huntsman spider (Sparassidae) preying on a young Madagascar day gecko (Phelsuma parva). Tomasina, Madagascar.
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  • Without seeing it move, you could almost mistake the Golden Mantella (Mantella aurantiaca) for a bright orange plastic toy. This is one of Madagascar’s most endangered amphibians and is an icon for conservation of the island’s threatened wildlife. Efforts targeted at protecting this frog’s habitat, coupled with ex-situ breeding programs and reintroduction have helped to protect it from extinction in the wild, but it remains highly threatened and is still known to exist at only two small isolated patches of rainforest. Andasibe, Madagascar.
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  • Rainbow Milkweed Locust, (Phymateus saxosus) on Elephant's Foot Plant (Pachypodium rosulatum). Isalo National Park, Madagascar.
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  • A Small-toothed Sportive Lemur (Lepilemur microdon) peers curiously from its tree hole in the montane forest of Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar. Usually emerging only at night, sportive lemurs frequently wake to keep a watchful eye out for intruders into their territory. Not long ago only 8 species of Lepilemur were known from Madagascar, but recent molecular work has resulted in at least 26 distinct species now being recognized, with more sure to follow.
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  • A Northern Bamboo Lemur (Hapalemur occidentalis) in the foothills of Marojejy National Park, one of at least five species of Hapalemur distributed throughout the forests of Madagascar. True to their name, these small lemurs subsist on a diet that consists largely of young bamboo leaves, a remarkable feat considering the high cyanide content found in the plant’s tissues. It is still not completely understood exactly how these lemurs are able to survive on a diet so tainted with cyanide that it would kill animals much larger than themselves. Antsiranana, Madagascar.
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  • The rainforests of the remote Marojejy National Park in northern Madagascar are one of the best places to look for the island's unique leaf-tailed geckos. In addition to their superb camouflage, most species, like this Uroplatus giganteus, rest head downwards presumably to conceal the revealing reflections of their lidless eyes from arboreal predators.
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  • Lowland Streaked Tenrec (Hemicentetes semispinosus). Like a miniature porcupine, these indomitable tiny mammals protect themselves from predators by an armament of barbed spines. They feed on insects and other invertebrates which they find in the leaf litter of the forest floor using their long sensitive snout. All species of tenrec are endemic to Madagascar. Mantadia National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Grandidier's Baobab (Adansonia grandidieri). The baobab trees of Madagascar are such an iconic sight that it's easy to overlook the fact that some species are highly endangered. In addition to habitat loss, Madagascar baobabs have very poor seedling survival rates and young trees are a rare find. It is theorized that their large pulpy fruits were only consumed by now extinct animals such as giant tortoises, baboon-like lemurs, and the enormous elephant birds, which served to disperse the tree's seeds. Since some of these animals only disappeared in the past thousand years it is quite possible that the oldest trees existing today germinated from the dung of Madagascar's lost megafauna. Morondava, Madagascar.
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  • Verreaux's Sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi), crossing road. Popularly known as the ‘Dancing Sifakas’ for their remarkable hopping agility, few visitors realize that the dancing spectacle is in part due to the loss of these animals’ habitat: they naturally dwell in dry and spiny forests and only descend to the ground when they must cross a cleared area. Amboasary, Madagascar.
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  • Although sometimes weighing over 9 kg, Indri (Indri indri) can make impressive leaps from tree to tree with their powerful long hind legs. Largest of the living lemurs, this critically-endangered species is an icon for the conservation of Madagascar's beleaguered wildlife, and its wailing song never fails to enchant visitors to their forest realm. Occuring only in the tropical rainforests on the island's eastern side, the Indri's natural range has dwindled due to widespread deforestation and hunting, despite their traditionally sacred status. Tomasina, Madagascar.
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  • Goodman's Mouse Lemur (Microcebus lehilahytsara), feeding on the nectar of night-blooming Dombeya flowers. Andasibe, Madagascar.
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  • Young Ring-tailed Lemurs (Lemur catta) will transition from riding on the belly to the back of their mother after 4-6 weeks of age. Amboasary, Madagascar.
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  • A delicate wild begonia (Begonia ambodiforahensis) from the ever-wet rainforest of northeastern Madagascar. Masoala National Park, Madagascar.
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  • This Collared Nightjar (Gactornis enarratus), a Madagascar endemic, hides itself among the leaf litter of the forest floor while it sleeps. Placed in its own genus, this species is distinct from all other nightjars (family Caprimulgidae) by its plumage, eggs, and behavior. Mantadia National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Baron's Mantella (Mantella baroni). Like little jewels of the forest floor, the wonderfully colorful Mantella frogs (family Mantellidae) comprise 16 known species, all of which are endemic to Madagascar. Although unrelated, Mantellas show remarkable convergence with Central and South America's poison dart frogs (family Dendrobatidae), and share a number of common features including skin toxicity (acquired from their diet, primarily ants), diurnal behavior, and bright warning colorations. Mantadia National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Verreaux's Sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi). Amboasary, Madagascar.
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  • Long antennae are an important sensory apparatus for many insects but they can be a hindrance when it comes to concealing yourself. Some species, such as this mossy stick insect (Antongilia lacinata), have given them up (having only short antenna) in favor of better camouflage, probably a good trade-off considering this insect isn't highly mobile anyway. Photographed exactly as found on a mossy tree trunk. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • The Three-striped Ground Snake (Pseudoxyrhopus tritaeniatus) is certainly one of the most beautiful of Madagascan endemic snakes, but why is it colored this way? Bold red stripes are frequently used as an aposematic warning, indicating to other animals of severe danger. It is curious then that not only is this species completely non-venomous but there are in fact no other dangerous snakes in Madagascar that this could possibly be a mimic of. An interesting theory points to the co-occurrence of large red toxic millipedes in the same forests – could these actually be a mimicry model for this snake? On an island legendary for its biological curiosities, nothing seems beyond the realm of possibility. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Platycerium madagascaeriense, one of the most bizarre endemic plants of Madagascar. Like other staghorn ferns, this species is strictly an epiphyte, growing among the canopy branches of tall trees. It is becoming increasingly rare and difficult to find in the wild because of widespread deforestation in the wet submontane forests of the east coast. The unusual ruffled texture of the shield fronds is probably an adaptation to allow passageways for ants to live underneath – a relationship that is mutually beneficial for both plant and insect. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Madagascar Pygmy-kingfisher (Corythornis madagascariensis), female. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Yellow-bellied Sunbird-asity (Neodrepanis hypoxantha), male in breeding plumage. Despite their appearance, these birds are closely related to Asian broadbills; their slender beaks representing an example of convergence with sunbirds due to their nectar-feeding habits. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Yellow-bellied Sunbird-asity (Neodrepanis hypoxantha), male in breeding plumage. Despite their appearance, these birds are closely related to Asian broadbills; their slender beaks representing an example of convergence with sunbirds due to their nectar-feeding habits. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Spiny spider (Isoxya cowani). Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Blooming high in a moss-laden tree of Ranomafana’s montane forest, this epiphytic orchid (Aerangis fastuosa) exhales an alluring perfume at night to attract its desired pollinator: hawk moths. Madagascar has many such night-active orchids, most of which sport long tapered nectaries that can only be reached by the long tongues of their associated moths. With over a thousand species, the orchids of Madagascar are exceptionally diverse. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • The handsomely-proportioned Short-legged Ground-roller (Brachypteracias leptosomus) belongs to yet another of Madagascar’s endemic bird families, Brachypteraciidae. Patchily distributed in the rainforests of eastern Madagascar, it is a seldom-seen species owing to its habit of perching completely still and quiet for long periods of time in the lower canopy. They feed on large insects and other invertebrates. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Eastern Red Forest Rat (Nesomys rufus). Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Velvet Asity (Philepitta castanea), male. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Ubiquitous throughout the forests of the island, the Madagascar Crested Drongo (Dicrurus forficatus) is well-respected by other birds for its pugnacious and aggressive attitude. They are extremely agile on the wing, swooping out from perches to snatch insects in mid-air, and have even been known to take prey as large as small chameleons and geckos. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Raspy cricket (Echidnogryllacris sanguinolenta), male. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Having been isolated for over 80 million years, the unique biota of Madagascar poses many interesting questions to those who study biogeography. This Madagascar Tree Boa (Sanzinia madagascariensis) is one of four species of boas present on the island, noteworthy because by contrast the large constricting snakes of the nearest landmasses (Africa and Asia) are all pythons. Herpetologists don't yet know the answer to this enigma, but recent evidence supports one theory that boas may have existed on Madagascar in the ancient past when it was still connected to Gondwanaland. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • With fewer than a thousand individuals remaining in the wild, the Critically Endangered Golden Bamboo Lemur (Hapalemur aureus) holds on to a tenuous existence in the rainforests of Madagascar. It’s discovery in the mid-1980’s was a crucial factor that led to the foundation of the now famous Ranomafana National Park – a reserve that protects over 400 sq. km. of tropical forest. Like other bamboo lemurs, it feeds primarily on bamboo shoots which, due to their high cyanide content, are lethally toxic to most other animals. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • With forests full of keen-eyed predatory birds, many of Madagascar’s smaller creatures have evolved incredibly cryptic appearances to evade detection. In the case of this Ghost Mantis (Phyllocrania paradoxa), the remarkable leaf like mimicry serves also to conceal it from potential prey, which will be seized and eaten alive if they venture too close. Andasibe, Madagascar.
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  • Morning sunlight reaches the top of the Tsaranoro Massiff, an enormous 800m high granite cliff in southeastern Madagascar.
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  • Whitebelly Reed Frog (Heterixalus alboguttatus). Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Satanic Leaf-tailed Gecko (Uroplatus phantasticus). Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Pitta-like Ground-roller (Atelornis pittoides) with earthworm. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Mantis (Enicophlebia hilara). Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Forest Water Snake (Thamnosophis infrasignatus). Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Spiny spider (Augusta glyphica), female. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar
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  • Deep within spiral of an unfurled Ravenala leaf, a Madagascar Sucker-footed Bat (Myzopoda aurita) roosts in safety. With its adhesive pads it is able to cling to the smooth surface of the leaf where even insects cannot find a foothold. In this way, Myzopoda are remarkably free of the ectoparasites which plague most other bat species. Fianarantsoa, Madagascar.
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  • Established in 1991, Ranomafana National Park protects over 160 sq. mi. of tropical rainforest, a habitat which has been reduced to less than 10% of its original extent in Madagascar.
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  • Arguably Madagascar’s most iconic insect: the Comet Moth (Argema mittrei). Despite its obvious beauty, the long twisted tails of its wings aren’t made for aesthetic purposes – recent studies have shown that they play an important role in defense against their main predator: echolocating bats. When closing in for a kill, the acoustic reflections from the tail confuse the bat so that it misses the moth’s body, often ending up with nothing but a bit of broken tail in its mouth. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Kirindy Leaf-toed Gecko (Paroedura rennerae), juvenile. Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Schlegel's Asity (Philepitta schlegeli), endemic to Madagascar. Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Morning sun illuminates emergent baobab trees (Adansonia rubrostipa) in Madagascar's dry deciduous forest, one of the island's most endangered habitats. Despite receiving no rain for up to nine months each year, these forests are home to an astonishing diversity of wildlife, including Madam Berthe's Mouse Lemur, the world's smallest primate. Sadly, due to logging and land clearing, these forests have been reduced to less than 3% of their original extent, and now remain in only a few reserves along the western coast. Kirindy Reserve, Madagascar.
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  • Madagascan Reed Frog (Heterixalus madagascariensis), possibly killed by chytrid fungus which has arrived in Madagascsar in recent years. Akanin'ny Nofy, Madagascar.
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  • Madagascan Flexible-legged Spider (Hygropoda madagascarica), camouflaged on curved leave it has purposefully suspended into its web. Andasibe, Madagascar.
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  • Huntsman spider (Chrosioderma sp.), female guarding eggs. Andasibe, Madagascar.
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  • In addition to their gaudy dorsal colors, many Mantella frogs show striking ventral patterns – this may serve as a double warning of their toxicity when attacked by a curious predator. Although unrelated, Mantellas, which are all endemic to Madagascar, show remarkable convergence with Central and South America's poison dart frogs (family Dendrobatidae), and share a number of common features including skin toxicity (acquired from their diet, primarily ants) and diurnal behavior. This is the Harlequin Mantella (M. baroni) from the rainforests of Madagascar’s eastern escarpment. Mantadia National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Without seeing it move, you could almost mistake the Golden Mantella (Mantella aurantiaca) for a bright orange plastic toy. This is one of Madagascar’s most endangered amphibians and is an icon for conservation of the island’s threatened wildlife. Efforts targeted at protecting this frog’s habitat, coupled with ex-situ breeding programs and reintroduction have helped to protect it from extinction in the wild, but it remains highly threatened and is still known to exist at only two small isolated patches of rainforest. Andasibe, Madagascar.
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  • Hidden from predators and prey alike, a brown leaf mantis (Brancsikia aeroplana) is almost indistinguishable from the dead leaves of the rainforest floor. Once believed to be related to Southeast Asia’s brown leaf mantids (Deroplatys) this species is now placed in the unrelated Madagascan endemic family Majangidae; its cryptic appearance thus representing another case of convergence. Andasibe, Madagascar.
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  • A sleeping Short-horned Chameleon (Calumma brevicorne) wakes too slowly to react in time when an unaware spider clambers over its face. Andasibe, Madagascar.
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  • Nearly a splitting image of its namesake, a Lesser Hedgehog Tenrec (Echinops telfari) is a remarkable example of convergent evolution. All of Madagascar's tenrecs, which are more closely related to golden moles and elephant shrews, are descendent from a single colonizing ancestor, which has diversified into a variety of species to fill various niches. This particularly spiny one is native to the island's arid southwest, where it forages for ground insects much like the European hedgehogs. Toliara, Madagascar.
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  • Net-casting Spider (Deinopis madagascariensis), at rest. Isalo National Park, Madagascar.
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  • The eroded Jurassic sandstone massif of Isalo National Park, southwestern Madagascar.
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  • The eroded Jurassic sandstone massif of Isalo National Park, southwestern Madagascar.
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  • Satanic Leaf-tailed Gecko (Uroplatus phantasticus), female. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • A well camouflaged tree-wrapping spider (Caerostris sp.) found in the rainforest of Ranomafana National Park in Madagascar. These spiders construct large orb webs to capture prey, but conceal themselves on a small branch when at rest. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Two-banded Chameleon (Furcifer balteatus), female. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Mirror spider (Thwaitesia sp.), female. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • With over one hundred species occurring throughout the island in virtually all habitats, Madagascar is a hotspot for gecko diversity and endemism. This Graceful Madagascar Ground Gecko (Paroedura gracilis) is an inhabitant of the eastern rainforests and, unlike most arboreal species, lacks the enlarged toe pads for climbing vertical surfaces. Active only at night, it hunts insects from low perches in the forest understory. Marojejy National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Weighing in at less than 1kg, the Ring-tailed Mongoose (Galidia elegans) is a quick and agile predator, feeding on a wide range of small animals and insects. Together with all of Madagascar’s endemic carnivores (in the family Eupleridae), it is believed to have descended from a single common ancestor that arrived on the island about 16-22 million years ago. Marojejy National Park, Madagascar.
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  • White-fronted Brown Lemur (Eulemur albifrons), male. Marojejy National Park, Antsiranana, Madagascar.
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  • Grey Mouse Lemur (Microcebus murinus). Kirindy Reserve, Morondava, Madagascar.
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  • A juvenile Parson's Chameleon (Calumma parsoni). More frequently occurring in shades of green, this is one of the world's largest chameleons, with adult specimens sometimes reaching the size of a house cat. They are endemic to rainforest habitats on Madagascar and are threatened by both habitat loss and collection for the international pet trade. Andasibe, Madagascar.
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  • Only distantly related to other mongooses, the Narrow-striped Mongoose (Mungotictis decemlineata) is actually a member of the family Eupleridae and descendant from the same lineage as the much larger Fossa. Active by day, these small predators are endemic to the dry deciduous forests of western Madagascar where they live in small matriarchal family groups. Having only a patchy distribution, they are severely threatened by habitat loss. Kirindy Reserve, Madagascar.
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