Chien C. Lee

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  • Ivohimanita Madagascar Frog (Mantidactylus majori), male guarding eggs. 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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  • Madagascar Plover (Charadrius thoracicus). Toliara, 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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  • 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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  • Madagascar Giant Day Gecko (Phelsuma grandis). Canal des Pangalanes, 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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  • 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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  • Deforested savannah in the central highlands of Madagascar. Fianarantsoa, Madagascar.
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  • A pair of Madagascar Hoopoes (Upupa marginata) perch outside of their cliffside nest burrow. Isalo 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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  • Madagascar Green Lynx Spider (Peucetia madagascariensis). Canal des Pangalanes, Madagascar.
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  • Graceful Madagascar Ground Gecko (Paroedura gracilis). Marojejy National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Madagascar Fire Millipede (Aphistogoniulus hova), found in the rainforest of Masoala National Park. Antsiranana, Madagascar.
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  • Madagascar Pygmy-kingfisher (Corythornis madagascariensis), female. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Anamalozoatra Madagascar Frog (Spinomantis aglavei). Andasibe, 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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  • 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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  • Madagascar Cat-eyed Snake (Madagascarophis colubrinus). Mahajanga, Madagascar.
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  • Madagascar Cat-eyed Snake (Madagascarophis colubrinus). Antsiranana, Madagascar.
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  • Lowland rainforest in Masoala National Park. Antsiranana, Madagascar.
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  • Lowland rainforest in Masoala National Park. Antsiranana, Madagascar.
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  • The eroded Jurassic sandstone massif of Isalo National Park, southwestern 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 eroded Jurassic sandstone massif of Isalo National Park, southwestern 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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  • Camouflage or a more cunning mimicry? Although cryptically patterned, this flatid planthopper from the Madagascan rainforest doesn't appear to blend particularly well against the tree bark on which it rests. However, a closer examination of its lace-like texture reveals that it is covered with filamentous white tufts, giving it a remarkable resemblance to an insect corpse that has been consumed by an entomopathogenic fungus. Given the abundance of such fungi in these wet forests, and their undesirability as food, this may be a clever strategy to deceive predators. Andasibe, Madagascar.
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  • Lowland rainforest in Masoala National Park. Antsiranana, Madagascar.
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  • Ring-tailed Vontsira (Galidia elegans). Ranomafana 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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  • 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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  • 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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  • A study on perfection in mimicry: a Satanic Leaf-tailed Gecko (Uroplatus phantasticus). One of 14 species of leaf-tailed geckos endemic to Madagascar, this nocturnal insectivore utilizes its incredible camouflage to hide among dead foliage by day. All Uroplatus geckos are under severe threat from deforestation and over-collecting for the international pet trade. Andasibe, 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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  • 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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  • A Malagasy Kingfisher (Corythornis vintsioides), found only on Madagascar and the neighboring islands of Comoros. Although famous for its lemurs, well over 100 species of birds are endemic to Madagascar, including several entire families. Tomasina, 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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  • 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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  • Blue-legged Mantella (Mantella expectata), found only from a few locations in Madagascar's arid southwest. Isalo 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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  • 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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  • With its large stiff flower bracts and copious amounts of sucrose-laded nectar, Madagascar’s Traveler’s Palms (Ravenala spp.) have evolved to be pollinated almost exclusively by several species of lemurs. Here, a Common Brown Lemur (Eulemur fulvus) feeds at the infloresence of Ravenala hladikorum. Andasibe, 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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  • 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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  • 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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  • Madagascar’s largest land predator, the Fossa (Cryptoprocta ferox). This receptive female has climbed a tall tree where she waits for a male who is able to join her on one of the upper branches. Reaching her isn’t always an easy task for the males, which are considerably larger and heavier, and they often face fierce competition when attempting to do so. Kirindy Reserve, 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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  • 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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  • 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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  • The mimicry of a dead leaf is so precise for the Satanic Leaf-tailed Gecko (Uroplatus phantasticus), they can often hide effectively in plain sight. It has been untested to what degree these geckos actively select a substrate that matches their individual patterns, but U. phantasticus appears to typically hide among dead foliage which suits it perfectly. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Hills covered with Traveller's Palm (Ravenala madagascariensis), habitat for Madagascar Sucker-footed Bat (Myzopoda aurita) which roost in the young unfurled leaves. Fianarantsoa, 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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  • 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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  • 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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  • 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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  • 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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  • 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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  • 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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  • 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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  • Feared by some, revered by others, the Aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis) is surely one of Madagascar's most bizarre lemurs. Unique among primates, the Aye-aye's front incisors grow continuously like a rodent, leading to the early belief that they were some sort of gigantic nocturnal squirrel. Equally unusual are its long bony middle fingers which are used by the animal to tap tree trunks for the sound of insect grubs inside and then extract them like a fish hook. Unfortunately, Aye-ayes have become gravely endangered from habitat loss and persecution by people: they are often killed on sight due to the superstition that they are an omen of death. Tomasina, 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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  • The critically endangered Greater Bamboo Lemur (Prolemur simus) is restricted to wet rainforests of Madagascar's southeast where it is highly dependent on Cathariostachys bamboo. 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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  • 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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  • Huntsman spider (Chrosioderma sp.), female guarding eggs. Andasibe, Madagascar.
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  • Although masterful visual predators by day, chameleons lack light-sensitive rods in their eyes and thus have poor night vision. Because of this they typically retire at dusk to a sleeping perch, often returning to a favorite exposed branch which ideally puts them out of the reach of nocturnal snakes. This dozing Two-banded Chameleon (Furcifer balteatus) can be identified as a mature male by the two large rostral horns on his head, ornaments which are used to compete for mates. Endemic to only a small region of Madagascar’s southeastern rainforests, this species has become increasingly endangered and rare due to habitat loss and collection for the pet trade. Ranomafana 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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  • 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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  • Spiny Ground Gecko (Paroedura bastardi). Amboasary, Madagascar.
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  • Endemic to the spiny forests of southern Madagascar, the dainty Spider Tortoise (Pyxis arachnoides) is the smallest of the island’s five tortoise species – with shell lengths of only 10-12 cm it can comfortably sit in the palm of your hand. Like most of its close relatives it is Critically Endangered, having suffered greatly in recent years from habitat loss (clearing, wildfires, and invasive plants), hunting for food, and poaching for the pet trade. One reason they are so vulnerable to threats is because of their extremely slow reproduction rate: despite a lifespan of up to 70 years a female will usually lay only a single egg at a time which can take over 8 months of incubating before hatching. Amboasary, 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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  • 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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  • 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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  • Grandidier's Baobab (Adansonia grandidieri), endemic to highly seasonal habitats of western Madagascar. Morondava, Madagascar.
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  • Giant ant lion (Palpares amitinus). Amboasary, Madagascar.
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  • Malagasy Giant Hognose Snake (Leioheterodon madagascariensis), a burrowing species and Madagascar's largest colubrid. Tomasina, 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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  • 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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  • Kirindy Leaf-toed Gecko (Paroedura rennerae), juvenile. Tsingy de Bemaraha 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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  • Short-legged Ground Roller (Brachypteracias leptosomus), one of several families of birds which are completely endemic to Madagascar. 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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  • Satanic Leaf-tailed Gecko (Uroplatus phantasticus). Ranomafana 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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  • A master of camouflage, the Mossy Leaf-tailed Gecko (Uroplatus sikorae) is almost completely undetectable when it is at rest on a small tree in the forest understory. Frilled flaps of skin along its body break up its outline, making it appear nearly seamless with the tree on which it rests. Andasibe, Madagascar.
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  • Aphiocephalus guerini. Andasibe, 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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  • Boophis luciae, amplexing pair. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Pitta-like Ground-roller (Atelornis pittoides) with earthworm. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • The mimicry of a dead leaf is so precise for the Satanic Leaf-tailed Gecko (Uroplatus phantasticus), they can often hide effectively in plain sight. It has been untested to what degree these geckos actively select a substrate that matches their individual patterns, but U. phantasticus appears to typically hide among dead foliage which suits it perfectly. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Andranolava Reed frog (Heterixalus luteostriatus). Tsaranoro Valley, 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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  • Net-casting Spider (Deinopis madagascariensis), at rest. Isalo National Park, 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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  • Satanic Leaf-tailed Gecko (Uroplatus phantasticus). Andasibe, Madagascar.
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  • Spiny narrow-mouth frog (Scaphiophryne spinosa). Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Madagascan Nightjar (Caprimulgus madagascariensis). Tomasina, Madagascar.
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