26 okt Efter morgontur till Zombitse (del3) bar det av till Isalo NP800 möh där vi fick lunch i det fria med ringsvanslemurer och härfåglar. Därefter vandring in i en ravin med vackra vyer och fjärilar, Namaza gorge.

Bensons stentrast Monticola bensoni Benson's Rock-Thrush E

Oplurus sp Spiny tailed iguana

Skruvpalmer Pandanus sp.

Div insekter

Vandrande pinne

Leptotes rabefaner Madagascar zebra blue endemisk blåvinge

Västlig madagaskardvärguv Otus madagascariensis Torotoroka Scops-Owl E

Ringsvanslemur Lemur catta

Madagaskarhärfågel Upupa marginata Madagascar Hoopoe E

Junonia hierta paris Yellow pansy E

Madagaskarbuskskvätta Saxicola sibilla sibilla Madagascar Stonechat E

Övernattning Isalo Ranch

27 okt Vi gör flera fina fågelstopp på vägen genom den savannartade naturen. Vi besöker Anja Community-reservatet för att titta på ringsvanslemurer. Lunch i Ambalavao

Kapuggla Asio capensis hova Marsh Owl, underart finns bara på Madagaskar

Madagaskarkärrhök Circus macrosceles Madagascar Marsh-harrier E hotad 100-249 individer

Ringsvanslemur Lemur catta

Furcifer oustaleti Oustalet's chameleon

Gräsfjäril

Phromnia rosea Madagascan flatid leaf bug

From Wikipedia

Established in 1962, the Isalo National Park is located approximately 700 km southwest of Antananarivo and protects 815 km² of sandstone massif wildly eroded by wind and rain into bizarre ridges (known as “runiformes”) featuring wild forms, impressive gorges and canyons and tiny stalagmite pinnacles. The far Wild West reminiscent of the landscape, dominated by rugged massive that rises up from the flat surrounding grassy plain, attracts hikers from the whole world that gather here to admire the sweeping colours of this Jurassic scenery. The climate is dry tropical with warm temperatures all year around.

Though wildlife is here not as prominent as in other parks of the country, there are still a couple of species worth to look out: Ring-tailed lemurs, brown lemurs, sifakas and 14 nocturnal lemurs hide in dense vegetation along the streams.
The park homes also approximately 80 species of birds (including the rare Benson’s rock-thrush, the knob-billed duck or the crested ibis), 35 of reptiles and several endemic frogs.
The flora is indeed more interesting than the fauna. There are several local endemic plants among the 500 species which are found within Isalo, such as the elephant´s foot and some rare palms and aloe species.

The Anja Community Reserve is a woodland area and freshwater lake, situated at the base a large cliff. Much of the reserve is dominated by fallen rocks and boulders and there are two small caves providing habitat for bats and owls. This reserve has much sheltered habitat in the pocket of forest that has established between the vast boulders. The reserve was created in 2001 with the support on the UNDP to help preserve the local environment and wildlife, and to provide additional employment and income to the local community. The reserve is home to the highest concentration of maki, or ring-tailed lemurs, in all of Madagascar. The people, who have a belief in not eating the maki, used to sell the maki to outsiders. However, after finding that 95% of makis in Madagascar are now gone, the people initiated the formation of a nature reserve, effectively establishing the world's largest congregation site for makis. Due to its high biological, cultural, and natural importance, scholars have suggested the possibility of its inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List .