Around the world in 108 days: March 25

March 25 – Taolanaro, Madagascar

Madagascar is approximately the same size as Texas. Specialists speculate that there could be in excess of 200,000 animal species in Madagascar today. Of those, approximately eight out of ten live nowhere else on the planet, except in zoos. The stars of the show are the lemurs. Before man arrived in the jungle, there were giant lemurs the size of gorillas. Man, however, managed to wipe them out within a short period. Today there are around 100 species of lemurs living in Madagascar. Most live in little family groups with the females at the top of the pecking order. We were able to see 4 kinds of lemurs on our trip to the Nahampoana Private Reserve in Taolanaro; the White Dancing Lemur, The Fat-Tailed Dwarf Lemur, Brown Lemurs, and the Ring-Tailed lemur. We were able to get pretty good pictures of all but the Dwarf Lemur, who was too fast to catch more than a blur.

The Reserve is also home to numerous chameleons, frogs, the radiated tortoise, birds and even 2 Nile crocodiles. As you’ll see from the pictures, it is a popular area for tourist.

Taolanaro is a little better off than Ambodifotatra in that a large mining company has come in and built a harbor and paved the road leading from the harbor to the town. They’ve also built a housing area for those employed by the mining company. The sad fact, explained our guide, is that the level of education is so poor in Madagascar that few of the residents have the knowledge necessary to work at the mine and employees are brought in from Africa and India. Children who live near town can attend public school. There is also a private school, but it is too expensive for most parents in Taolanaro to afford. Add that to the fact that public school teachers are not always qualified to teach!

Once you turn off the main paved road, required to reach the Private Reserve, you only have to travel about 100 yards to be in the “Bush”, where the level of living deteriorates rapidly. The road was dirt with pot holes and ruts (some 3 feet deep or more and 10 to 20 feet long), which made for a precarious ride. Most of those living there have to walk wherever they need to go. Our guide said they walk an average of 20 miles per day. Families live in small villages, in structures made from the fan palm branches. Very few children attend school, because they are needed to work at home. Life expectancy is around 50 years. Marriages are arranged by parents for girls from 12-14 years old. Their lives are hard. Eight-five percent of the people are farmers or fishermen. We saw women carrying baskets of fish on their heads and walking over 5 miles into town to take them to the market, then back for more. They are subsistence farmers who are often more interested in feeding their families than protecting the environment. They have burned land to desperately try to grow rice, corn and bananas with a sprinkling of coffee, cloves and vanilla. Sadly, the soil is poor and they describe is as being as fertile as a brick. Those that live in town have it a little easier and are probably better educated, but our guide told us very few can afford to go to college because it requires going to another country.

As we made our way through the “Bush” to the Reserve we encountered children standing by the road yelling greetings to us, but asking for candy, or money at the same time. Our driver would not stop, because the vehicle would be swarmed by these children and women. Inside the park, we were asked for money to take a picture of the chameleon someone had on a stick, or trinkets they had to sell. As we were leaving to head back to the ship, one little boy running alongside our van was begging for candy. One lady only had an unopened bottle of water, which she gave him. He proceeded to run to the other side of the van trying to sell it! He was maybe 8 years old. We found it a very heart wrenching experience. They were so beautiful, but they struggle to survive.

The pictures we were able to take from the windows of the van show some of the conditions, yet smiles on the faces. I love the little girls with the chickens. Once in the Reserve we got some good shots of the lemurs and other animals. So enjoy!

Arriving at Taolanaro

Welcome reception as we arrive for our excursions

Zebu cattle roaming down the paved road. They provide the islanders with a bit
of protein to their meager diet which is mostly rice.

I love these little girl's smiles! They thought it so funny to be holding the flapping chickens. The man on the bicycle is
one of just a few to have a means of transportation.