#Madagascar desert cattle

[ultramaximumcollectionlove]

Twin Tulips by Steve Evans

[fairuzfan]

hi! I know you like getting messages of support from other nations so I hope you will find some worth in this one, however meandering. it's a bit related to your talk about food appropiation,

In the Sierra Madre, seeing a prickly pear is nothing less than a relief. The land is full of life, but it is of a kind that can be thoroughly indifferent to human life, so seeing the bright red of a tuna can feel like gift from the land. It is the friendliest plant around, in its context. A lone dot of color and edible flesh in a sea of thornscrub. There's spines, sure, but those are a non-issue if you know how to handle the plant. It's not hard to peel the fruit one-handed, using just a sharp knife and a flat rock. My grandpa used to do that, and still does when we visit the ranges in San Luis Potosí where he used to shepherd sheep and goats as a child. The flesh is refreshing on a hot day and the sweetness warms you on cold one.

Which makes it all very shocking that Israelis adopted it as a national symbol, calling it "sabra", and also giving that name to the "native"-born Israeli populace. They say it is because they have a sweet interior surrounded by tough spines to pierce their enemies, but that does not sound right. The only way you could possibly see it as unfriendly or standoffish or as a symbol of self-defense, is if you are unfamiliar with land and context and go shoving youself places you shouldn't be. I can't help but think of their "making the desert bloom" mindset, and their misunderstanding of natural characteristics as hostility.

When Madagascans introduced the plant into their lifestyle, they used the fruit to feed cattle, and stave off hunger. And when French colonizers tried to get past the walls of cactus they wove with it, they were stung. It was only the engineered sabotage of the cactus with pests that ended that era of self-sufficience. I think the people of Madagascar were infinitely more worthy of taking it as their symbol!

I guess what I am trying to say is that Israel does not just merely appropiate things that are geographically close to it, and similarly, it is not just its neighbors that take stock of its, wrongness, to put it mildly. As much as Israel would like to believe that support for Palestine is a fad, we simply are not as incapable of drawing parallels as they would like us to be.

I think of Palestine every time I have to try and master my anxiety around U.S. Border Patrol. I tell myself I'm not allowed to back down give up when other people haven't given up, with walls in their own land. I hope that thought helps!

this is such an amazing message filled with so much thought, thank you SO much for sending this in. We also eat sabr in Palestine, I remember my mom and grandma talking about eating it back in the 80's when it was more available.

I did not know that about Madagascar, thank you for telling me. I'm going to write this down in my sketchbook for illustration ideas.

I hope that one day soon, the borders that are so violent to our peoples fall and are replaced with a kindness and community that we dream of. I'm sorry that you have to encounter such division in your life with the border wall, but I hope that we both work together to tear them down :)

[markhors-menagerie]

🦍Markhor’s menagerie masterpost🦌

🦧Primates🐒

.

Primate kin

Colugos. Not quite primates, but I love them anyway.

.

Basal primates

Basal animals are those which are closer to the base of a particular section of the tree of life. A more traditional word for this concept is primitive. So for example, amphibians are basal land vertebrates. Here I have classified basal primates as any which are not monkeys and/or apes, including Strepsirrhini and Tarsiiformes.

Lemurs

A group of basal primates found exclusively on the island of Madagascar.

.

New world monkeys

Monkeys which are native to the “new world”, or the Americas. They are the only non-human primates found here. It is thought they arrived to the Americas tens of millions of years ago, when a group of African monkeys were blown out to sea by a storm. They survived the journey across the Atlantic on a natural raft of floating vegetation, and founded a new group of primates: Platyrrhini.

.

Old world monkeys

These are monkeys native to the “old world”: Africa and Eurasia. Also known as Cercopithecidae.

.

Apes

A group of large old world monkeys most recognisable by their lack of a tail. More formally known as Hominoidea.

Lesser apes

Consists of all the gibbon species, found in the treetops all across Southeast Asia.

Great apes

Includes orangutans, gorillas, chimpanzees, and humans. All living species of great ape have been documented using tools.

🐫Ungulates🐃

.

Odd-toed ungulates

Odd-toed ungulates, of course, have an odd number of hooves. They include horses, tapirs, rhinos, and their extinct relatives. They might actually be less closely related to even-toed ungulates than you’d think!

.

All ungulates from here on out are Even-toed ungulates:

These have an even number of hooves, and include most living hoofed mammals. Whales are technically included in this group, but they’re best left for another time.

.

Camelidae

Consists of camels, llamas, and their extinct relatives. They are often adapted for harsh climates such as deserts and mountains.

.

Pigs, hippos, & kin

This isn’t a “real” group, but I’ve put them together to make classifying extinct species simpler. This includes peccaries, pigs, hippos, and a bunch of related extinct animals. Whales are also in here, but again, are best left for another time.

.

All ungulates from here on out are Ruminants:

Ruminants are a group of even-toed ungulates with a robust digestive system to get as much nutrition as possible out of their food. They will regurgitate their food in order to chew it again, in a process called chewing the cud.

.

Chevrotains

Also known as mouse deer, these are the smallest of all ungulates.

.

Protoceratids

A strange group of extinct ungulates, once found in North America.

.

Giraffes & kin

Pronghorn antelope, okapi, giraffes, and their extinct relatives.

.

Deer & kin

Mostly deer, but I’ve included musk deer as well for simplicity’s sake. No, musk deer are not deer, apparently.

.

Bovidae

Bovidae is a group of incredibly diverse ruminants. They’re also quite complicated phylogenetically, including everything from bison and antelope to gazelles and goats.

Bovini

Cattle, bison, buffalo, and some more of their relatives.

Caprinae

A group of mountain-dwelling bovids, including sheep, goats… and markhors!

Antelope

This isn’t a “real” group as much as it is a bunch of bovids that kind of look alike. For simplicity’s sake I’ve included any bovid that isn’t in the two above groups.

[marciamattos]

"Madagascar, 1890's."

Identification:

The official name of the country is the Republic of Madagascar ( Repoblikan'i Madagasikara ). The extent to which Malagasy from different regions view themselves as sharing a unified culture is context dependent. In terms of international politics, they see themselves as Malagasy unless they are recent immigrants or members of one of the minority populations (i.e., Chinese, Indo-Pakistani, and Comorian). Domestically, however, in the political arena, there is a significant degree of regionalism that is loosely based on ethnicity.

A common regional division is between those ethnic groups living on the high plateau and the côtiers , who inhabit coastal areas (or live outside of the high plateau region). Historically, the largest ethnic group is the Merina located on the high plateau. The traditions of this group (e.g., turning the bones of the dead) represent many Malagasy, and are often portrayed in tourist documents as the primary island traditions. However, people who live in some outlying coastal regions do not identify with or observe these traditions. The highland/ côtier division can be understood in terms of the historical domination by the Merina Empire, which was originally centred on Imerina (the current capital Antananarivo).

There are some common cultural practices that all Malagasy share. Consulting with, and reflecting upon, dead ancestors ( razana ) guides the living in making choices about social, moral, and religious aspects of everyday life. The building and maintenance of tombs and observance of religious ceremonies related to ancestors are central to the way of life for most Malagasy. Another important commonality is that kinship terminology is consistent across different ethnic groups.

Location and Geography. Madagascar is located off the eastern coast of southern Africa in the Indian Ocean along the Mozambique Channel. It is the fourth largest island in the world with a landmass of 226,498 square miles (586,889 square kilometres) which includes its offshore islands. It is one thousand miles long (1,609 kilometres).

Regional ethnic divisions loosely coincide with geographically distinct locations. To some extent internal migration has resulted in sharing some customs such as spirit possession ( tromba ). The West Coast is characterized by deciduous trees on dry, open savanna grassland sloping toward the sea. It was once, like much of the island, thickly forested. Sakalava is the dominant ethnic group in this region. They are involved in agriculture fishing, and cattle herding. The East Coast consists of several narrow bands of lowlands that lead to an intermediate zone of steep bluffs and ravines abutting a 1650 foot escarpment which provides access to the central highlands. The Betsimisaraka, the second largest ethnic group, is the most numerous group pursuing trading, seafaring, fishing, and cultivation. The South west is defined by the Ivakoany Massif to the east and by the Isala Roiniforme Massif to the north and includes the Mahafaly Plateau and the desert region. The arid south west is inhabited by Antandroy and Mahafaly who pursue cattle raising and limited cultivation. The northern end of the island features the Tsaratanana Massif with an elevation of 9,500 feet. The coastline is very irregular. The Antankarana inhabiting this region are involved in cattle raising and tropical horticulture. The High Plateau (Central Highlands) contains a wide range of topographies: round eroded hills, granite outcroppings, extinct volcanoes, and alluvial plains and marshes. It is defined by an escarpment along the east coast and a more gradual slope along the west coast. The predominant ethnic groups are the Merina and the Betsileo. The capital, Antananarivo, located in this region, is the largest town, with over one million people, and is an ethnic melting pot. The Betsileo live south of the Merina and are considered the best rice farmers in Madagascar.

History and Ethnic Relations:

Emergence of the Nation. The Malagasy people are of mixed Malayo-Indonesian and African-Arab ancestry. It is generally accepted that the first migrants appeared between 1,500 and 2,100 years ago. One migration theory asserts that what is considered the Malagasy mix arrived already blended having followed a coastal route over a long period with stops in India, the Arab peninsula, and eastern Africa. Another theory contends that the common elements the people share were developed from interactions over a period of time after the arrival of various immigrants groups.

National Identity. Malagasy history has been marked by both international and domestic tensions, some of which are present in contemporary society. During the eighteenth and nineteenth century there were four main kingdoms: Merina, Betsileo, Betsimisaraka, and Sakalava. Friction between the Merinas, the largest ethnic group, and the other ethnic groups during the pre-colonial period eventually resulted in domination by the Merina Empire. Ethnic groups that controlled regions outside of the high plateau were classified as a single group called côtiers even though they were made up of unaligned kingdoms. Two Merina monarchs were responsible for establishing political dominance over the island: King Andrianampoinimerina (reigned 1797-1810) and his son Radama I (r. 1810-1828) who succeeded him upon his death. Radama I was forward-thinking with an interest in modernizing along western lines. He organized a cabinet and invited the London Missionary Society to establish schools. The latter action was to have far-reaching effects. Successive Merina rulers embraced or rejected advances made by France to control the island. In 1894 France declared Madagascar a protectorate, and a colony in 1896. The colonial period was marked by the vacillating popularity of French influence over Merina elites. Nationalist sentiments against the French emerged resulting in various concessions made by France to give the Malagasy people greater control. This eventually led to independence on 20 June 1960. Political tensions between the main Malagasy groups (high plateau and côtier) still exists today and are characterized by the perception that the central government does not meet the needs of the côtiers. Each of Madagascar's presidents has struggled to achieve a viable cultural balance between the acceptance of western ways of life, most notably French, and the safeguarding of traditional Malagasy customs. That which has emerged as quintessentially Malagasy in the national sense is a constantly evolving product of all of these influences.

Read more: http://www.everyculture.com/Ja-Ma/Madagascar.html#ixzz3wY6WBQaT

[sciencespies]

Breakthrough research examines the effects introduced animals had on Madagascar’s extinct megafauna

https://sciencespies.com/environment/breakthrough-research-examines-the-effects-introduced-animals-had-on-madagascars-extinct-megafauna/

Breakthrough research examines the effects introduced animals had on Madagascar’s extinct megafauna

Madagascar is renowned for its unique and varied biodiversity, which spans dry grasslands, wet rain forests, mangroves and deserts. This variety, combined with the island’s isolation and size, has fostered distinctive assemblages of plants and animals, including the country’s famous lemurs and baobab trees.

Yet until relatively recently, Madagascar was even more diverse. Species like the elephant bird, dwarf hippo and giant lemurs inhabited the island within the past 2,000 years. The causes and timeline of their extinctions are intertwined with the arrival of humans and the animals we brought with us, a topic that has challenged scientists for decades. Now this is the focus of two studies led by UC Santa Barbara anthropology doctoral student Sean Hixon.

“Madagascar’s remarkable biodiversity is threatened, yet people have lived on the island for over a millennium,” Hixon said. “A long-term understanding of how people and introduced species shaped Madagascar’s ecosystems gives important context to the current crisis.”

“Because this is an island that has so much biodiversity, and so much of that biodiversity is native only to Madagascar — is highly endemic — the question has always been what impact has human arrival had on this large, biodiverse island,” added co-author Kristina Douglass, an archeologist at Pennsylvania State University.

The new studies have finally answered some of these questions by analyzing different isotopes of nitrogen and carbon in ancient animal remains. In the process, the team nearly doubled the number of reliably radiocarbon dated traces of past human activity from the island.

The most recent study, which appears in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, establishes an overlap between the arrival of domesticated herbivores and the continued existence of some of the region’s megafauna. It then compares the animals’ ecological niches and discusses how they may have influenced one another. The other paper, published in Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, details how dogs interacted with Madagascar’s ancient ecosystems and compares them to the island’s native top predator, the fosa.

advertisement

“The extinction of large-bodied animals sometime in the past 1,000 years has always been a very contentious debate,” Douglass explained. “And what we’ve done in this paper, for the first time, is really look at how much interaction there was between animals that people brought and those that ended up going extinct to see if any kind of competition or interactions played a role.”

Ultimately, the researchers confirmed that most of Madagascar’s recently extinct megafauna briefly co-occurred with introduced species, meaning that the newcomers likely contributed to their demise. “We found that a series of disappearances of large endemic animals — including giant tortoises, elephant birds, pygmy hippos and giant lemurs — coincides with the arrival of goats, sheep, bush pigs and cattle in southern and western Madagascar between 1,200 and 700 years ago,” Hixon said.

However, the results suggest that direct competition may not have been what drove the island’s large herbivores over the edge. Rather, indirect impacts like changing habitats and an expanding human population could have had more pronounced effects.

A time and a place

Although the earliest traces of human activity on Madagascar are subject to debate, some estimates of human arrival suggest that people were perhaps present on the island as long as 10,000 years ago. At some point dogs and livestock joined them.

advertisement

Hixon and his team sought to determine whether these domesticated animals even crossed paths with the island’s megafauna. Settling this question required dating as many bone samples as possible, both from the field and from collections, using radiocarbon analysis.

Atoms of a given element all have the same number of positive protons; indeed, this number defines an element. But they can vary in the number of chargeless neutrons in their nuclei, giving the different isotopes slightly different weights. Scientists can glean a lot of information by analyzing these ratios.

For example, a living organism will have a similar proportion of stable carbon-12 to radioactive carbon-14 as its environment. However, after death, the creature can no longer replenish the decaying 14C. So, scientists can use the ratio between the two isotopes to estimate the age of organic matter.

Hixon and his colleagues used this approach to date 83 introduced animals (dogs and livestock) and 75 endemic animals. They found that the two groups did overlap in time and space, and statistical analysis suggests that all the regional extinctions occurred within the span of 500 years, between A.D. 800 and 1300. These are the first papers to show an overlap between human-introduced animals and Malagasy megafauna, Hixon and Douglass said.

This is a significant finding in a line of research that has been plagued by a paucity of data. Malagasy specimens are uncommon, and many are poorly documented, Hixon explained. What’s more, carbon dating is expensive. Commercial services can cost more than $500 for a single sample. Fortunately, Penn State has the facilities to do this in house, and co-author Douglas Kennett (Hixon’s advisor) has recently established a lab at UC Santa Barbara to prepare specimens for this technique.

Still, radiocarbon dating cost the team over $100 per specimen. Given the cost and facilities this requires, it’s a significant issue in terms of scientific and cultural equity for researchers and communities in regions with fewer resources invested in the paleosciences, the authors said. These two studies alone have increased the number of reliably dated traces of past human activity from the island by more than 75%. “So this is a massive contribution and increase in just building up the chronology for human arrival and activity in Madagascar,” Douglass said.

Diets and interactions

The team also analyzed ratios between two stable isotopes of both carbon and nitrogen to investigate the ecology of ancient animals. Ratios of carbon isotopes are sensitive to the type of photosynthesis different plants employ. Woody plants, like trees and shrubs, tend to use C3 photosynthesis. Grasses and the succulents of the island’s southwest tend to employ C4 and CAM photosynthesis, respectively, which use different enzymes.

The pathways differ slightly in their tendency to incorporate different carbon isotopes into biomass: C3 plants have a lower ratio of carbon-13 to carbon-12 compared to their C4 and CAM relatives. By analyzing a sample’s 13C to 12C ratio, the researchers could learn about an herbivore’s diet and the type of ecosystem it likely inhabited: open grasslands or dense forests. They could also extend this information to carnivores, like dogs and fosa, by extrapolating from the types of herbivores they ate.

The nitrogen isotopes also provided the team with information on animals’ ecological niches. Animals higher on the food chain tend to have tissues enriched in heavier 15N, as opposed to 14N.

The stable isotopes revealed a mixture of overlapping and non-overlapping niches between the endemic megafauna and the introduced herbivores. For example, goats appear to have eaten similar forage to the island’s giant tortoises and pygmy hippos. Zebu and sheep likely relied significantly more on succulents and grasses than did any of the island’s endemic megafauna, especially the giant lemurs and elephant birds.

Meanwhile, the analysis reveals stark contrasts between introduced dogs and endemic fosa. Ancient fosa primarily consumed forest-dwelling animals, while dogs relied more heavily on prey from relatively open habitats and possibly food scraps from people. “Dogs certainly arrived in time to help people hunt megafauna,” Hixon said, “and could have interacted with some of the extinct giant lemurs. But the data suggests that dogs weren’t consistently eating any of the extinct megafauna.”

Despite the often distinct diets of introduced and endemic animals, the introduction of new species to the island could still have contributed to the extinction of Madagascar’s megafauna. It is easy to construct a simplified concept of extinctions based on direct impacts like overhunting or direct competition, but the process can be much more subtle. “People are extremely good at settling new places, in the sense of creating a niche that suits them,” Douglass said. “And not only just suits people, but suits the animals that people rely on.”

For instance, expanding zebu herds could have impacted the island’s native animals even if they ate different plants. Their presence may still have threatened the megafauna through indirect competition if people were clearing land for grazing and occasionally hunting megafauna. And the success of the zebu would have fostered human population growth, with all the impacts it entails. Indirect interactions such as these could account for a period of coexistence between humans and Malagasy megafauna.

Understanding a process like extinction will require looking at many different angles. “It’s not just that people arrived on Madagascar, it’s that people arrived and then were experimenting with different kinds of livelihoods,” Douglass added. “And each of those different livelihoods had different types of impacts on the environment.”

Continuing to unravel the past

There’s evidence that Madagascar was also experiencing climatic changes around the time of human arrival. The recent studies don’t exclude the possibility that environmental changes may have contributed to the demise of the island’s megafauna. In fact, the team just submitted a paper investigating how endemic and introduced herbivores responded to drying conditions in the island’s southwest during the past 1,600 years. And competition between plants, as well as human land use, could have contributed to historical vegetation changes.

Hixon, Douglass and their co-authors have many plans for future research. To start, they want to look at specimens from more areas of the island. These papers were mostly limited to the country’s arid southwest, where specimens preserve well. However, Madagascar hosts an astounding diversity of ecosystems that researchers have yet to fully explore.

Hixon plans to further investigate the island’s ancient food webs. He is curious to learn more about when introduced mice and rats arrived on the island, how they likely interacted with endemic small mammals, and how they responded to past vegetation and climate change.

Douglass’ lab has begun using remote sensing technology to predict the locations of undiscovered archeological settlements and signatures of land use change in the Southwest. She’s curious if pastoralists living in particular places for generations have altered the soil chemistry and distribution of different vegetation types.

This research also has potential applications beyond its importance in documenting the culture, history and ecology of the island. As a biodiversity hotspot, Madagascar’s ecosystems are critical areas for conservation, and there is ongoing work to rewild parts of the island. For instance, giant tortoises have already been reintroduced to western Madagascar from Aldabra Atoll in the western Indian Ocean.

“The type of work that we’re doing is important for the long-term success of efforts like this,” Hixon said, “because if we don’t understand why the animals disappeared in the first place, it’s pretty unlikely that reintroduction efforts will work.”

#Environment

[johannahairasfmpyear2]

Savanna

Savanna, also spelled savannah, vegetation type that grows under hot, seasonally dry climatic conditions and is characterized by an open tree canopy (i.e., scattered trees) above a continuous tall grass understory (the vegetation layer between the forest canopy and the ground). The largest areas of savanna are found in Africa, South America, Australia, India, the Myanmar (Burma)–Thailand region in Asia, and Madagascar.

Savannas arose as rainfall progressively lessened in the edges of the tropics during the Cenozoic Era (66 million years ago to the present)—in particular, during the past 25 million years. Grasses, the dominant plants of savannas, appeared only about 50 million years ago, although it is possible that some savanna-like vegetation lacking grasses occurred earlier. The South American fossil record provides evidence of a well-developed vegetation, rich in grass and thought to be equivalent to modern savanna, being established by the early Miocene Epoch, about 20 million years ago.

Climates across the world became steadily cooler during that period. Lower ocean surface temperatures reduced water evaporation, which slowed the whole hydrologic cycle, with less cloud formation and precipitation. The vegetation of midlatitude regions, lying between the wet equatorial areas and the moist cool temperate zones, was affected substantially.

When human beings (Homo sapiens) first appeared, in Africa, they initially occupied the savanna. Later, as they became more adept at modifying the environment to suit their needs, they spread to Asia, Australia, and the Americas. There their impact on the nature and development of savanna vegetation was superimposed on the natural pattern, adding to the variation seen among savanna types. The savannas of the world currently are undergoing another phase of change as modern expansion of the human population impinges on the vegetation and fauna.

In general, savannas grow in tropical regions 8° to 20° from the Equator. Conditions are warm to hot in all seasons, but significant rainfall occurs for only a few months each year—about October to March in the Southern Hemisphere and April to September in the Northern Hemisphere. Mean annual precipitation is generally 80 to 150 cm (31 to 59 inches), although in some central continental locations it may be as low as 50 cm (20 inches). The dry season is typically longer than the wet season, but it varies considerably, from 2 to 11 months. Mean monthly temperatures are about 10 to 20 °C (50 to 68 °F) in the dry season and 20 to 30 °C (68 to 86 °F) in the wet season.

Savannas may be subdivided into three categories—wet, dry, and thornbush—depending on the length of the dry season. In wet savannas the dry season typically lasts 3 to 5 months, in dry savannas 5 to 7 months, and in thornbush savannas it is even longer. An alternative subdivision recognizes savanna woodland, with trees and shrubs forming a light canopy; tree savanna, with scattered trees and shrubs; shrub savanna, with scattered shrubs; and grass savanna, from which trees and shrubs are generally absent. Other classifications have also been suggested.

In spite of their differences, all savannas share a number of distinguishing structural and functional characteristics. Generally, they are defined as tropical or subtropical vegetation types that have a continuous grass cover occasionally interrupted by trees and shrubs and that are found in areas where bushfires occur and where main growth patterns are closely associated with alternating wet and dry seasons. Savannas can be considered geographic and environmental transition zones between the rainforests of equatorial regions and the deserts of the higher northern and southern latitudes.

Flora

Different groups of plants are prominent in the savannas of different regions. Across large parts of the tropical American savannas, the most-common broad-leaved trees are Curatella, locustberries and maricao cimarrons (Byrsonima), and Bowdichia, their place being taken in some seasonally waterlogged sites by the palms Copernica and Mauritia. Grasses include species of cutgrass (Leersia) and bahia grass (Paspalum). In Argentina the most-common woody plant is the bean relative Prosopis.

Fauna

Savannas provide habitats for a wide array of animals, some of which foster the vegetation through grazing, browsing, pollinating, nutrient cycling, or seed dispersal. Many areas of savanna are managed today to maintain large grazing mammals, such as the native fauna of Africa or the cattle used for commercial production in large areas of Australia and South and Central America. Less spectacular but nevertheless very important are the small invertebrates; for example, grasshoppers and caterpillars are among the chief consumers of the understory foliage, and termites are significant consumers of dead plant matter, including wood.

Large animals are uncommon in Australian savannas and are represented mainly by several species of the family Macropodidae, such as kangaroos and wallabies. However, in that region a wide variety of very large mammals and reptiles became extinct several thousand years ago, after the first arrival of humans. Their place today is taken by animals, both domesticated and feral, that have been introduced by humans: mainly cattle but also horses and, more locally, camels, donkeys, and the Asian water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis).

[sitting-on-me-bum]

Wild Boar.

PHOTOGRAPH BY JAN VERMEER, MINDEN PICTURES, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CREATIVE

Unforgettably Sweet Moments Between Animal Moms and Babies

Timber Wolf. Minnesota.

PHOTOGRAPH BY JIM BRADENBURG, MINDEN PICTURES, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CREATIVE

Giant Panda. Wolong Nature Reserve, China.

PHOTOGRAPH BY KATHERINE FENG, GLOBIO, MINDEN PICTURES, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CREATIVE

Galapagos Sea Lion. Galapagos Island.

PHOTOGRAPH BY LUCIANO CANDISANI, MINDEN PICTURES, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CREATIVE

Ring-tailed Lemur (Lemur catta) mother with twins, vulnerable, Madagascar

Hanuman or Grey or Common Langur. Thar Desert, Rajasthan, India

PHOTOGRAPH BY CYRIL RUOSO, MINDEN PICTURES, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CREATIVE

Grey-headed Flying Fox. Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney, Australia

PHOTOGRAPH BY PIOTR NASKRECKI, MINDEN PICTURES, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CREATIVE

Stone or Dall's Sheep. Rocky Mountains, Canada

PHOTOGRAPH BY PATRICO ROBLES GIL, MINDEN PICTURES, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CREATIVE

Capybara. Pantanal, Brazil

PHOTOGRAPH BY KONRAD WOTHE, MINDEN PICTURES, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CREATIVE

Domestic Cattle. Germany

PHOTOGRAPH BY HEIDI & HANS-JURGEN KOCH, MINDEN PICTURES, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CREATIVE

Western Lowland Gorilla. Mondika, Democratic Republic of the Congo

PHOTOGRAPH BY IAN NICHOLS, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CREATIVE

[the-morgan]

People in Africa suffer from a lack of clean water

New Post has been published on https://sos.greenpeace.fund/new-building-for-business-company/

People in Africa suffer from a lack of clean water

It may surprise you, but there are quite a significant amount of drinking water in Africa – up to 9% of the world’s sources. Its availability, however, determines several crucial and not very pleasant reasons in individual countries.

Up to 300 million people live in areas without access to clean water? This applies especially to countries lying in Sub-Saharan Africa, such as Somalia, Ethiopia, Madagascar, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique, Niger, Mali, Chad, Sierra Leone, Mauritania and several others.

One of the biggest causes of water scarcity is their sub-Saharan climate, identified primarily by desert, semi-forested areas and subtropics.

One of the biggest causes of water scarcity is their sub-Saharan climate, identified primarily by desert, semi-forested areas and subtropics.

While residents in tropical lands don´t dramatically lack drinking water, the situation of the inhabitants of the desert and semi-desert areas are totally different. The only significant river that brings a lot of moisture to these dry areas is the Nile.

Conversely, only 10% of the total African population lives in the valley of the second longest african river – Congo. It is the most significant source of water on the continent, comprising up to 30% of its reserves.

Global warming

In addition, deserted and semi-deserted parts of the continent are also strongly affected by global warming. It causes the air temperature to rise and also affects the density and yield of precipitation.

In some areas, the incidence of rainfall has decreased by up to 25% due to global warming.

Access to clean and drinkable water also varies depending on where people come from. If they live in a bigger city, aquiring drinking and healthy water is easier. Significantly this is supported by functioning urban infrastructure and sewerage system.

The situation among villagers is completely different. To have water, they have to travel a few miles a day to a distant water supply.

The situation among villagers is completely different. To have water, they have to travel a few miles a day to a distant water supply.

Some water canisters are of the same weight as a small hippo.

The water in the family is mainly worn by young girls and women. To a large extent, the role of water carriers leaves no room for education, which leads to a decrease in their ability to work better and lead to quality life in adulthood.

It can also happen that water from the power supply is contaminated. The risk of infection to a member of the family is therefore very high.

It can also happen that water from the power supply is contaminated. The risk of infection to a member of the family is therefore very high.

However, people do not have the choice, so they will take the water first. But it does not have to kill all germs, so according to statistics, one in five children is just dying of water poisoning from a contaminated source.

Agriculture on the continent employs up to 60% of the working population. However, agricultural crop productivity is low, which raises overall food inefficiency.

It is expected that by 2050 the population in Sub-Saharan Africa will increase twice. Countries must therefore take measures to help them improve the cultivation system, especially with regard to irrigation of growing crops.

Up to 95% of Sub-Saharan farmers rely on green water. It irrigates mainly rice or sugar beet and feeds her cattle.

Green water is caught in the soil by seasonal rainfall. Due to increasing global warming and its impact, however, the possibility of using this water will gradually decrease.

Therefore, gradual learning is important in this case. Farmers and organizations should learn to use water from stock and gradually change the system of traditional irrigation.

At present, there are several pilot projects in Africa that help and teach farmers how to get the best possible harvest using the smallest water reserves.

However, only 5% of global climate-related funding goes to Africa, although it is directly exposed to up to 65% of the African population.

Access to clean and drinkable water is particularly difficult in areas with persistent intergovernmental and national conflicts. This may also come from a power struggle for a water resource that usually runs across several countries at once.

Political Situation in Africa. Life in Kenya captured by war photographer John Husar. Source: Aktuality.sk

This tension is generally increased under the weak leadership of the “push” government, the impact of corruption, the mismanagement of natural resources, bad investment, and insufficient research into the environment and urban infrastructure.

Infrastructure and water scarcity in Africa

One of the most important conditions for access to the often single source of drinking water is the construction of transport infrastructure.

The infrastructure is not only about road traffic but also about the construction of sewers and pipelines that would bring water directly to human dwellings.

At the same time, it would prevent the rapid spread of diseases and epidemics and increase awareness of hygiene.

With a shortage of water in Africa, several hundred million people are struck daily. However, this problem will not be solved from one day to the next. But what can we do now?

Years of conflicts, lack of finances, lack of support from the outside and hostile climate can be defeated, in particular, by supporting of the projects and collections that are trying to solve this enormous problem in the sub-Saharan area.

[psykonee]

Madagascar

A queue.  Another slow moving queue.  A third queue.  Hours in stuffy, slow moving lines.  Not the best first impressions of a country. Welcome to Madagascar.  Madagascar is beautiful, dysfunctional, scared, diverse and unlike anywhere else I’ve ever been.  A part of Africa, but very different from the mainland.  The people tend to look more like those from Malaysia and Indonesia than the rest of Africa.  Much of the wildlife and fauna are unique to Madagascar. The landscape varies within a few hundred miles to encompass rainforests, deserts,  highlands of rice terraces and more temperate mountains.

Humans have left many scars on the land.  Overgrazing from cattle (zebu), logging, slash and burn agriculture and the global problem of disregarded plastic littering many places.  Some of it is from development, but it is mostly as a consequence of people trying to survive.  The country is very poor, with some villages lacking electricity or any infrastructure beyond the road through the middle. Housing in rural areas is mainly made of mud bricks, often made in the kilns in the vicinity.  The children in these areas tended to be curious of outsiders and looked like they were generally happy.

At higher income levels and for tourists there remains a strong French colonial influence.  Menus in French instead of Malagasy, French style food, fresh baguettes (one of the best things is many former French colonies is the availability of good fresh bread).  One of the main supermarkets in the capital Antananarivo could have been fairly seamlessly teleported to France.  If you like steak and chips you’re in the right country.  In the south zebu grazing dominates much of the landscape.  Chips are really good for some reason – perhaps the climate is ideal with for the right potatoes and everything is freshly prepared.

Lemurs are the most well known Madagascan animals.  They are primates and different species of them live everywhere from the rainforests to the mountains.  From what I saw some lived almost entirely in the trees, swinging and leaping from branches.  Others moved along the ground almost like kangaroos hoping and using their long tails for support. In protected areas they appeared to be completely disinterested in the presence of humans.

Of the fauna the baobab trees stand out the most, which can be hundreds if not thousands of years old.  To survive in the more arid areas the trees can appear almost lifeless, with few leaves to be seen in the dry season.  Some of the trees were very tall, others more squat in appearance.  The fruit is edible and on some trees you could see the distorted steps that had been cut into the trunk decades previously to get the fruit.

[melissagarcia8]

30 Epic Photos From My Trip to Madagascar

Madagascar. It has an exotic hold over the imagination, conjuring up a land of wild nature: plains of baobab trees, armies of lemurs, unique animals, and lush rainforests.

Since so few people visit (roughly 350,000 per year), our imagination runs wild when we hear its name. It’s some otherworldly region, a lush rainforest teeming with wildlife and white sand beaches from end to end. It would be like Avatar.

Most people I talked to thought the same. After all, with so few visitors there, the chances of knowing someone who has been is tiny.

But the Madagascar most of us envision is not the one that exists. The country is quite arid thanks to mining, deforestation, and climate change. These days, the landscape is a lot less lush than it once was. It’s not as wild and exotic as we think.

Yet there’s a lot of beauty here. From Westworld-like deserts and tiny tropical rainforests to valleys filled with rice fields and giant mountains, Madagascar is still outrageously magical and raw. While I’ll be posting many articles on what to see and do, how to visit the country, and my experience there in the upcoming weeks, I thought I’d start with some photographs from my visit to set the scene:

Lemurs, lemurs, and more lemurs. There’s over 60 species in the country.

One of the beautiful and lush valleys on the island.

The Paradise bird. Just one of the many colorful birds I saw.

“King Julien” lemurs (so called because this is the kind that was the character in the movie).

The poor infrastructure in Madagascar makes the country hard to get around.

There’s a lot of chameleons here too.

Madagascar has this samosa tasting spring roll. I ate them all the time. They made me very happy. Delicious and at three cents each, budget friendly.

Baby lemurs!

This lemur is actually asleep. It sleeps with its eyes open to deter predators.

Some of the famous baobab trees.

A beautiful pastel sunset over the capital, Antananarivo!

A narrow bridge made even more crowded by a weekly market.

Always be on the lookout for thieves!

A candid shot!

So many lemurs, so little time.

Hiking in Isalo national park, a very Westworld like place.

This spider was frighteningly huge.

Taking in the amazing view!

Learning about the country with my awesome guide, Patrick.

Out for a hike with the Intrepid group.

The zebu (a type of cow) market, where people buy and sell cattle.

The hills and valleys of Madagascar fill up the long, slow driving days. And they are a wonderful sight.

This is what most of Madagascar looks like.

Just another Lemur doing his thing!

Chatting with my awesome guide Patrick.

This big fella was just relaxing in the sun.

Home sweet home!

Taking the classic Instagram picture!

Ok, one last lemur picture.

I found my new best friend while in Madagascar!

***Sixteen days was not nearly enough time to visit a country the size of France, especially since Madagascar severely lacks decent infrastructure. roads are filled with potholes and there’s no regular train service (a common theme in my upcoming posts).

So, while there was much I missed, I’m grateful for everything I did see.

I guess, as always, it’s just another reason to go back, right?

Note: I went to Madagascar with Intrepid Travel as part of our ongoing partnership. They paid for the tour and my expenses during the trip. I paid for my flights to and from Madagascar. They offer 10% off their tours to readers so click the link and save on your next trip.

P.S. – We are hosting a Q&A with professional travel photographer Laurence Norah on October 29th, so be sure to attend if you want to step up your photo game!

The post 30 Epic Photos From My Trip to Madagascar appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

from Traveling News https://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/madagascar-in-pictures/

[vidovicart]

29 Epic Photos From My Trip to Madagascar

Madagascar. It has an exotic hold over the imagination, conjuring up a land of wild nature: plains of baobab trees, armies of lemurs, unique animals, and lush rainforests.

Since so few people visit (roughly 350,000 per year), our imagination runs wild when we hear its name. It’s some otherworldly region, a lush rainforest teeming with wildlife and white sand beaches from end to end. It would be like Avatar.

Most people I talked to thought the same. After all, with so few visitors there, the chances of knowing someone who has been is tiny.

But the Madagascar most of us envision is not the one that exists. The country is quite arid thanks to mining, deforestation, and climate change. These days, the landscape is a lot less lush than it once was. It’s not as wild and exotic as we think.

Yet there’s a lot of beauty here. From Westworld-like deserts and tiny tropical rainforests to valleys filled with rice fields and giant mountains, Madagascar is still outrageously magical and raw. While I’ll be posting many particles on what to see and do, how to visit the country, and my experience there in the upcoming weeks, I thought I’d start with some photographs from my visit to set the scene:

Lemurs, lemurs, and more lemurs. There’s over 60 species in the country.

One of the beautiful and lush valleys on the island.

The Kingfisher. Just one of the many colorful birds I saw.

“King Julien” lemurs (so called because this is the kind that was the character in the movie).

The poor infrastructure in Madagascar makes the country hard to get around.

There’s a lot of lizards here too.

Madagascar has this samosa tasting spring roll. I ate them all the time. They made me very happy. Delicious and at three cents each, budget friendly.

Baby lemurs!

This lemur is actually sleep. It sleeps with its eyes open to deter predators.

Some of the famous baobab trees.

A beautiful pastel sunset over the capital, Antananarivo!

A narrow bridge made even more crowded by a weekly market.

Always be on the lookout for thieves!

A candid shot!

So many lemurs, so little time.

Hiking in Isalo national park, a very Westworld like place.

This spider was frighteningly huge.

Taking in the amazing view!

Learning about the country with my awesome guide, Patrick.

Out for a hike with the Intrepid group.

The zebu (a type of cow) market, where people buy and sell cattle.

The hills and valleys of Madagascar fill up the long, slow driving days. And they are a wonderful sight.

This is what most of Madagascar looks like.

Just another Lemur doing his thing!

Chatting with my awesome guide Patrick.

This big fella was just relaxing in the sun.

Home sweet home!

Taking the classic Instagram picture!

Ok, one last lemur picture!

***Sixteen days was not nearly enough time to visit a country the size of France, especially since Madagascar severely lacks decent infrastructure. roads are filled with potholes and there’s no regular train service (a common theme in my upcoming posts).

So, while there was much I missed, I’m grateful for everything I did see.

I guess, as always, it’s just another reason to go back, right?

Note: I went to Madagascar with Intrepid Travel as part of our ongoing partnership. They paid for the tour and my expenses during the trip. I paid for my flights to and from Madagascar. They offer 10% off their tours to readers so click the link and save on your next trip.

P.S. – We are hosting a Q&A with professional travel photographer Laurence Norah on October 29th, so be sure to attend if you want to step up your photo game!

The post 29 Epic Photos From My Trip to Madagascar appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

[esprit-de-corps-magazine]

The Freedom Fighters

By Bill Twatio

 Blacks in Canada had no problem choosing sides in the American Civil War. Enlisting in the Union cause in great numbers, they too fought for “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Among them was Harriet Tubman, who made repeated trips into the South to guide slaves north on the Underground Railroad.

  Convinced long before Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation that the fight against slavery and the preservation of the Union were synonymous, Henry Jackson, a black Canadian wrote: “I wish to impress upon your mind that the war is a trial between freedom and slavery not only here, but all over the world.” True to his convictions, he enlisted in the Union Army and was killed at Campbell’s Station on November 16, 1863.    

Black Canadians had no problem in choosing sides in the American Civil War. Bred in slavery, they rallied to the Union cause as soon as President Abraham Lincoln issued a directive allowing black enlistments in the Union armies. Maritimers made their way to Massachusetts to enlist in the famous 54th, celebrated in the movie “Glory,” while young blacks from the Elgin and Buxton Settlements in Ontario crossed the border at Detroit to join the 1st Michigan Coloured Infantry. Others, encouraged by Joseph Henson, a schoolteacher at Dresden whose escape from slavery inspired Harriet Beecher Stowe’s book, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, would serve in the cavalry, artillery and navy in every theatre of war. Two of every 100 Canadians who served were black Canadians fighting for the freedom of black Americans.

 The Road to Freedom 

Although most black Canadians were American born, blacks had settled in Canada as early as 1629 when David Kirke arrived at Quebec with a black slave from Madagascar who he promptly sold to Champlain’s master-builder, Guillaume Couillard. Little is known about this first black resident of Canada except that he was baptized under the name Olivier Le Jeune, served as a domestic and died, still a young man and a slave, in 1654.     

Slavery was forbidden in France, but Louis XIV gave it limited approval in Canada, informing the colonists that “His Majesty finds it good that the inhabitants import Negroes there to take care of their agriculture.” Blacks were soon set to work as household servants and field-hands and did much of the heavy work in the new fur-trading outposts. Although there would be fewer slave-owners in New France than in the neighbouring English colonies to the south, the attitude to slavery was similar. Enumerated with the animals, a black was a slave everywhere and no one was astonished to find him in bondage.    

Slavery in Canada continued to flourish under the British regime, Jeffrey Amherst assuring the Marquis de Vaudreuil, a slave-owner, that “Negroes of both sexes shall remain in their quality of slaves in possession of the French or Canadians to whom they belong.” This assurance was included in the Articles of Capitulation signed at Montreal in 1760.    

Many prominent citizens acquired slaves. The Reverend David Delisle of the Church of England in Montreal bought a slave name Charles in 1766 and two years later James McGill, a wealthy merchant, bought “a negro woman named Sarah, about the age of 25 years for the sum of 56 pounds, lawful money of the Province.” Much of the dealing in slaves was carried on through the newspapers. When Fleury Mesplet founded the Montreal Gazette in 1778, he announced that his paper would “give notice to the public at any time of slaves deserted from their masters.”    

Slaves accompanied the Loyalists to their new homes in British North America in the wake of the American Revolution. Veterans of Butler’s Rangers who settled along the Niagara Frontier brought slaves with them or bought them from livestock dealers who brought their wares to Canada. A Colonel Clark of Ernestown in Prince Edward Country recalls that “drovers used to come in with horses, cattle, sheep and negroes, for the use of the troops, forts, and settlers in Canada, and my father purchased his four negroes, three males and one female named Sue.”     

Wherever the Loyalists brought their slaves, black settlements began to form – at Birchtown near Shelbourne in Nova Scotia; at York, Kingston and Prescott; at Sandwich, Amherstburg and Chatham. Although they came as slaves, hope was beginning to dawn. In 1791, Colonel John Graves Simcoe, the newly-appointed Governor of Upper Canada, pledged himself never to support any law that “discriminates by dishonest policy between the Natives of Africa, America or Europe.” Two years later he introduced a bill in the Legislative Assembly prohibiting the importation of slaves, which passed “with much opposition but little argument.”

 The Underground Railroad

In spite of its limitations, Simcoe’s bill helped to change public attitudes to slavery and by the turn of the century most Canadian blacks were free. Moreover, American blacks, learning that they would not be enslaved north of the border, began a trek to freedom honouring Simcoe’s memory with an abolitionist song:

”I’m on my  way to Canada

That cold and distant land

The dire effects of slavery

I can no longer stand -

Farewell, old master,

Don’t come after me.

I’m on my way to Canada

Where coloured men are free.”

The legendary Underground Railroad, with its mythical “trains” running through the northern states to terminals in Canada, had no track or rolling stock. It was underground only in the sense that it was a secret operation. Quakers and Methodists, free blacks and slaves, “shareholders” united in their hatred of slavery, worked out of border states and used railway terms to confuse the authorities. “Conductors” drove carts and farm wagons with slaves hidden in false compartments and transferred them to “stations” along the many routes leading to Canada. The most famous, Harriet Tubman, called the “Black Moses” of her people, made repeated trips into the South to guide slaves north. Her forays ended at St. Catharines at the home of the Reverend Hiram Wilson, the leader of the local refugee community. Operating informally without reports, meetings and memoranda, the Underground Railroad spirited some 30,000 fugitives to Canada between 1800 and 1860.

 Cheers for Massachusetts

Harriet Tubman continued her work during Civil War as a spy and nurse for the Union Army. Discriminated against and denied a pension, her experience was only too familiar to Canadian black volunteers. Black soldiers did not receive the same pay as whites and could not become officers. Many served for long periods without pay until they were grudgingly awarded half the standard rate, prompting the 54th to adopt the bitter battle cry: “Three Cheers for Massachusetts and Seven Dollars a Month!” The men who died in the attack on Fort Wagner were never paid.    

Military hospitals had separate but unequal facilities for black and white troops leading to a higher death rate among blacks. Only eight black surgeons received commissions and they were they were resented by their white colleagues. Dr. Alexander Augusta, who had trained at Trinity College in Toronto, was removed from his position as head of surgery at Camp Stanton in Maryland after his white assistants personally complained to the Secretary of War. Returning to Washington by train, he was attacked by two men who tore his officer’s insignia from his uniform while a mob watched.

Approximately 180,000 blacks served in the Union Army. They participated in over 500 military engagements, 40 of which were major battles. Their most difficult battle, however, was waged against entrenched racial attitudes. American and Canadian blacks alike, faced the fires of war and hatred with courage hoping that they too would finally have the right to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

 Reprinted from the encyclopaedia Canada at War and Peace II:  A Millennium of Military Heritage, published by Esprit de Corps Books in 2001.

[fadingfartconnoisseur]

30 Epic Photos From My Trip to Madagascar

Madagascar. It has an exotic hold over the imagination, conjuring up a land of wild nature: plains of baobab trees, armies of lemurs, unique animals, and lush rainforests.

Since so few people visit (roughly 350,000 per year), our imagination runs wild when we hear its name. It’s some otherworldly region, a lush rainforest teeming with wildlife and white sand beaches from end to end. It would be like Avatar.

Most people I talked to thought the same. After all, with so few visitors there, the chances of knowing someone who has been is tiny.

But the Madagascar most of us envision is not the one that exists. The country is quite arid thanks to mining, deforestation, and climate change. These days, the landscape is a lot less lush than it once was. It’s not as wild and exotic as we think.

Yet there’s a lot of beauty here. From Westworld-like deserts and tiny tropical rainforests to valleys filled with rice fields and giant mountains, Madagascar is still outrageously magical and raw. While I’ll be posting many articles on what to see and do, how to visit the country, and my experience there in the upcoming weeks, I thought I’d start with some photographs from my visit to set the scene:

Lemurs, lemurs, and more lemurs. There’s over 60 species in the country.

One of the beautiful and lush valleys on the island.

The Paradise bird. Just one of the many colorful birds I saw.

“King Julien” lemurs (so called because this is the kind that was the character in the movie).

The poor infrastructure in Madagascar makes the country hard to get around.

There’s a lot of chameleons here too.

Madagascar has this samosa tasting spring roll. I ate them all the time. They made me very happy. Delicious and at three cents each, budget friendly.

Baby lemurs!

This lemur is actually asleep. It sleeps with its eyes open to deter predators.

Some of the famous baobab trees.

A beautiful pastel sunset over the capital, Antananarivo!

A narrow bridge made even more crowded by a weekly market.

Always be on the lookout for thieves!

A candid shot!

So many lemurs, so little time.

Hiking in Isalo national park, a very Westworld like place.

This spider was frighteningly huge.

Taking in the amazing view!

Learning about the country with my awesome guide, Patrick.

Out for a hike with the Intrepid group.

The zebu (a type of cow) market, where people buy and sell cattle.

The hills and valleys of Madagascar fill up the long, slow driving days. And they are a wonderful sight.

This is what most of Madagascar looks like.

Just another Lemur doing his thing!

Chatting with my awesome guide Patrick.

This big fella was just relaxing in the sun.

Home sweet home!

Taking the classic Instagram picture!

Ok, one last lemur picture.

I found my new best friend while in Madagascar!

***Sixteen days was not nearly enough time to visit a country the size of France, especially since Madagascar severely lacks decent infrastructure. roads are filled with potholes and there’s no regular train service (a common theme in my upcoming posts).

So, while there was much I missed, I’m grateful for everything I did see.

I guess, as always, it’s just another reason to go back, right?

Note: I went to Madagascar with Intrepid Travel as part of our ongoing partnership. They paid for the tour and my expenses during the trip. I paid for my flights to and from Madagascar. They offer 10% off their tours to readers so click the link and save on your next trip.

P.S. – We are hosting a Q&A with professional travel photographer Laurence Norah on October 29th, so be sure to attend if you want to step up your photo game!

The post 30 Epic Photos From My Trip to Madagascar appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

via Travel Blogs http://ift.tt/2h0UCMf

[touristguidebuzz]

30 Epic Photos From My Trip to Madagascar

Madagascar. It has an exotic hold over the imagination, conjuring up a land of wild nature: plains of baobab trees, armies of lemurs, unique animals, and lush rainforests.

Since so few people visit (roughly 350,000 per year), our imagination runs wild when we hear its name. It’s some otherworldly region, a lush rainforest teeming with wildlife and white sand beaches from end to end. It would be like Avatar.

Most people I talked to thought the same. After all, with so few visitors there, the chances of knowing someone who has been is tiny.

But the Madagascar most of us envision is not the one that exists. The country is quite arid thanks to mining, deforestation, and climate change. These days, the landscape is a lot less lush than it once was. It’s not as wild and exotic as we think.

Yet there’s a lot of beauty here. From Westworld-like deserts and tiny tropical rainforests to valleys filled with rice fields and giant mountains, Madagascar is still outrageously magical and raw. While I’ll be posting many articles on what to see and do, how to visit the country, and my experience there in the upcoming weeks, I thought I’d start with some photographs from my visit to set the scene:

Lemurs, lemurs, and more lemurs. There’s over 60 species in the country.

One of the beautiful and lush valleys on the island.

The Paradise bird. Just one of the many colorful birds I saw.

“King Julien” lemurs (so called because this is the kind that was the character in the movie).

The poor infrastructure in Madagascar makes the country hard to get around.

There’s a lot of chameleons here too.

Madagascar has this samosa tasting spring roll. I ate them all the time. They made me very happy. Delicious and at three cents each, budget friendly.

Baby lemurs!

This lemur is actually asleep. It sleeps with its eyes open to deter predators.

Some of the famous baobab trees.

A beautiful pastel sunset over the capital, Antananarivo!

A narrow bridge made even more crowded by a weekly market.

Always be on the lookout for thieves!

A candid shot!

So many lemurs, so little time.

Hiking in Isalo national park, a very Westworld like place.

This spider was frighteningly huge.

Taking in the amazing view!

Learning about the country with my awesome guide, Patrick.

Out for a hike with the Intrepid group.

The zebu (a type of cow) market, where people buy and sell cattle.

The hills and valleys of Madagascar fill up the long, slow driving days. And they are a wonderful sight.

This is what most of Madagascar looks like.

Just another Lemur doing his thing!

Chatting with my awesome guide Patrick.

This big fella was just relaxing in the sun.

Home sweet home!

Taking the classic Instagram picture!

Ok, one last lemur picture.

I found my new best friend while in Madagascar!

***Sixteen days was not nearly enough time to visit a country the size of France, especially since Madagascar severely lacks decent infrastructure. roads are filled with potholes and there’s no regular train service (a common theme in my upcoming posts).

So, while there was much I missed, I’m grateful for everything I did see.

I guess, as always, it’s just another reason to go back, right?

Note: I went to Madagascar with Intrepid Travel as part of our ongoing partnership. They paid for the tour and my expenses during the trip. I paid for my flights to and from Madagascar. They offer 10% off their tours to readers so click the link and save on your next trip.

P.S. – We are hosting a Q&A with professional travel photographer Laurence Norah on October 29th, so be sure to attend if you want to step up your photo game!

The post 30 Epic Photos From My Trip to Madagascar appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

[theladyjstyle]

Madagascar. It has an exotic hold over the imagination, conjuring up a land of wild nature: plains of baobab trees, armies of lemurs, unique animals, and lush rainforests.

Since so few people visit (roughly 350,000 per year), our imagination runs wild when we hear its name. It’s some otherworldly region, a lush rainforest teeming with wildlife and white sand beaches from end to end. It would be like Avatar.

Most people I talked to thought the same. After all, with so few visitors there, the chances of knowing someone who has been is tiny.

But the Madagascar most of us envision is not the one that exists. The country is quite arid thanks to mining, deforestation, and climate change. These days, the landscape is a lot less lush than it once was. It’s not as wild and exotic as we think.

Yet there’s a lot of beauty here. From Westworld-like deserts and tiny tropical rainforests to valleys filled with rice fields and giant mountains, Madagascar is still outrageously magical and raw. While I’ll be posting many particles on what to see and do, how to visit the country, and my experience there in the upcoming weeks, I thought I’d start with some photographs from my visit to set the scene:

Lemurs, lemurs, and more lemurs. There’s over 60 species in the country.

One of the beautiful and lush valleys on the island.

The Kingfisher. Just one of the many colorful birds I saw.

“King Julien” lemurs (so called because this is the kind that was the character in the movie).

The poor infrastructure in Madagascar makes the country hard to get around.

There’s a lot of lizards here too.

Madagascar has this samosa tasting spring roll. I ate them all the time. They made me very happy. Delicious and at three cents each, budget friendly.

Baby lemurs!

This lemur is actually sleep. It sleeps with its eyes open to deter predators.

Some of the famous baobab trees.

A beautiful pastel sunset over the capital, Antananarivo!

A narrow bridge made even more crowded by a weekly market.

Always be on the lookout for thieves!

A candid shot!

So many lemurs, so little time.

Hiking in Isalo national park, a very Westworld like place.

This spider was frighteningly huge.

Taking in the amazing view!

Learning about the country with my awesome guide, Patrick.

Out for a hike with the Intrepid group.

The zebu (a type of cow) market, where people buy and sell cattle.

The hills and valleys of Madagascar fill up the long, slow driving days. And they are a wonderful sight.

This is what most of Madagascar looks like.

Just another Lemur doing his thing!

Chatting with my awesome guide Patrick.

This big fella was just relaxing in the sun.

Home sweet home!

Taking the classic Instagram picture!

Ok, one last lemur picture!

***Sixteen days was not nearly enough time to visit a country the size of France, especially since Madagascar severely lacks decent infrastructure. roads are filled with potholes and there’s no regular train service (a common theme in my upcoming posts).

So, while there was much I missed, I’m grateful for everything I did see.

I guess, as always, it’s just another reason to go back, right?

Note: I went to Madagascar with Intrepid Travel as part of our ongoing partnership. They paid for the tour and my expenses during the trip. I paid for my flights to and from Madagascar. They offer 10% off their tours to readers so click the link and save on your next trip.

P.S. – We are hosting a Q&A with professional travel photographer Laurence Norah on October 29th, so be sure to attend if you want to step up your photo game!

The post 29 Epic Photos From My Trip to Madagascar appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

29 Epic Photos From My Trip to Madagascar http://ift.tt/2h0UCMf

[tamboradventure]

29 Epic Photos From My Trip to Madagascar

Madagascar. It has an exotic hold over the imagination, conjuring up a land of wild nature: plains of baobab trees, armies of lemurs, unique animals, and lush rainforests.

Since so few people visit (roughly 350,000 per year), our imagination runs wild when we hear its name. It’s some otherworldly region, a lush rainforest teeming with wildlife and white sand beaches from end to end. It would be like Avatar.

Most people I talked to thought the same. After all, with so few visitors there, the chances of knowing someone who has been is tiny.

But the Madagascar most of us envision is not the one that exists. The country is quite arid thanks to mining, deforestation, and climate change. These days, the landscape is a lot less lush than it once was. It’s not as wild and exotic as we think.

Yet there’s a lot of beauty here. From Westworld-like deserts and tiny tropical rainforests to valleys filled with rice fields and giant mountains, Madagascar is still outrageously magical and raw. While I’ll be posting many particles on what to see and do, how to visit the country, and my experience there in the upcoming weeks, I thought I’d start with some photographs from my visit to set the scene:

Lemurs, lemurs, and more lemurs. There’s over 60 species in the country.

One of the beautiful and lush valleys on the island.

The Kingfisher. Just one of the many colorful birds I saw.

“King Julien” lemurs (so called because this is the kind that was the character in the movie).

The poor infrastructure in Madagascar makes the country hard to get around.

There’s a lot of lizards here too.

Madagascar has this samosa tasting spring roll. I ate them all the time. They made me very happy. Delicious and at three cents each, budget friendly.

Baby lemurs!

This lemur is actually sleep. It sleeps with its eyes open to deter predators.

Some of the famous baobab trees.

A beautiful pastel sunset over the capital, Antananarivo!

A narrow bridge made even more crowded by a weekly market.

Always be on the lookout for thieves!

A candid shot!

So many lemurs, so little time.

Hiking in Isalo national park, a very Westworld like place.

This spider was frighteningly huge.

Taking in the amazing view!

Learning about the country with my awesome guide, Patrick.

Out for a hike with the Intrepid group.

The zebu (a type of cow) market, where people buy and sell cattle.

The hills and valleys of Madagascar fill up the long, slow driving days. And they are a wonderful sight.

This is what most of Madagascar looks like.

Just another Lemur doing his thing!

Chatting with my awesome guide Patrick.

This big fella was just relaxing in the sun.

Home sweet home!

Taking the classic Instagram picture!

Ok, one last lemur picture!

***Sixteen days was not nearly enough time to visit a country the size of France, especially since Madagascar severely lacks decent infrastructure. roads are filled with potholes and there’s no regular train service (a common theme in my upcoming posts).

So, while there was much I missed, I’m grateful for everything I did see.

I guess, as always, it’s just another reason to go back, right?

Note: I went to Madagascar with Intrepid Travel as part of our ongoing partnership. They paid for the tour and my expenses during the trip. I paid for my flights to and from Madagascar. They offer 10% off their tours to readers so click the link and save on your next trip.

P.S. – We are hosting a Q&A with professional travel photographer Laurence Norah on October 29th, so be sure to attend if you want to step up your photo game!

The post 29 Epic Photos From My Trip to Madagascar appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

from Travel Blog – Nomadic Matt's Travel Site http://ift.tt/2h0UCMf via IFTTT