First day in the Special Reserve forest!
June 9th
The coolness of the damp forest air and shade was a welcome
to my hot and sweating body. No shade on the 45 minute trek in, crossing a
narrow river on a single plank log serving as a bridge and through shoulder
high dry grasses. We entered the forest where 10 years prior it had been slashed
and burned, but now had regrown. I learned that this soil, although plentiful
in nutrients, is too rich in iron, and so when farmers do actually cut it down
to use the soil, it only lasts for 2 years or so and then no longer good for
farming.
I was on the lookout for animals right away, and recalled
from my travel book that this reserve was renowned for a diverse snail
population. Indeed, I found myself stepping over many empty shells. My
companions were no strangers to the forest, chatting amongst themselves as we
walked along the path. They were not overly concerned with scaring away
animals, as I was, still in awe at the biodiversity surrounding me. My 2 neighbors,
who make up half of the guide team for the NGO presence working to preserve
this rainforest, led our 6 person group. Their boss, who has recently finished
research in the forest, accompanied us as well as his boss, who was in town
from Tana for the Environment Day festivities.
The tree and vines grew more and more dense and you could
only see 10 feet or so in any direction before the foliage layered on itself
blocking the view. We passed (an easily 100 meter tall) indigenous tree to the Manombo
Special Reserve: Fatsinakoho-which means “white like a chicken spur. I had to
explain a “spur” to my Malagasy friends.
Then, splitting into 2 groups, the air changed and we all
fell quiet, on the lookout for any of the 7 species of lemur, “gidro”, that
call this forest home. I spotted the first animal, a “varaka mena” or brown
lemur (which is more reddish than brown) high up in a tree. My companions told
me that I was “tsara vintana” or good
luck for missing what the guide and veteran researcher hadn’t seen. My eyes
were as big as a kid in a candy stores’ excitedly staring at the creature. We soon
joined the other group who had come across a family of “varzas” also known as
the black & white bearded lemur, who were lounging and feeding on fruits in
the mid day sun. I learned that the number of individuals in a family group
correlate to the amount of food available. With less food, the groups split up
to forage, but with plentiful food the groups have many individuals.
Our luck must have been strong because in this group was a
particular individual that the veteran researcher had followed and studied 10
years prior. It still had the red tracking collar on it and was guessed to be
30 years old. The lemurs munched on the fruit and napped while the researchers
sat & talked, which even though we were loud, the lemurs didn’t seem to
mind. While we sat, I was told that the lemurs could sense poachers/hunters “
mpihazo” and distinguish between them and us (researchers and friendly
observers), so that was why they allowed us to stay so close observing them.
We took some photos of the team and then moved on, all
together in search of a nocturnal lemur, whose favorite sleeping spot was in
the crotch of a tree trunk. Unfortunately, it was not there this day, so we
rested then returned back to our original tree log starting point. Along the
way we passed many types of trees and I was told about a new project in the
forest, cataloging the tree species, size, and density per hectare of
forest. I also learned the name of a
large palm, pandanos and thought of
my dad, thinking he would enjoy seeing all of the tropical plants here.
We talked about research in general, and I shared my
experience doing research with zebrafish in college. It was refreshing being
able to explain my higher level of thought in English (to the veteran
researcher who is fluent in English).
Once leaving the thick of the forest, we met two “polis ny
ala”, the enforcement that patrols the forest, and stopped to chat.
As the shade of the ancient and primitive forest thinned, I
was brought back to the 21st century as a GPS locator was pulled out
and the group discussed coordinates and tracking. Although I am a world away from the 1st
world, I am still reminded of the technology and advancement over the history
of the earth. Even in rural Madagascar cell phones are accessible, but I do enjoy
being able to separate myself from that world every once in awhile.
