Ring-tailed lemur, Parc National de l’Isaloįor many, ring-tailed lemurs are the archetypal lemur, with fluffy coat, bushy tail, expressive eyes and big family groups. Guides at Parc National de la Montagne d’Ambre have an uncanny ability to spot it.ĥ. The Brookesia chameleon is the world’s smallest chameleon: at just 2cm, it will fit on the tip of your thumb, but good luck trying to spot it! The diminutive reptile lives in leaf litter and is perfectly camouflaged thanks to its brown, bark-like skin. Brookesia chameleon, Parc National de la Montagne d’Ambre For your chance to see this reclusive nocturnal lemur, join a night walk on the aptly named Aye-Aye Island on Madagascar’s east coast.Ĥ. It was long thought to be a bad omen and was extensively hunted as a result although the animal is now protected, aye-ayes are still the subject of superstition. With unkempt hair, oversized ears and its dexterous ‘magic digit’ (middle finger, used to echolocate and extract food), the aye-aye is a strange-looking animal. Ile Sainte Marie and the Baie d’Antongil are Madagascar’s whale-watching hotspots, but the animals can be observed off Fort Dauphin, Tuléar and Nosy Be, too. Humpbacks are best known for their spectacular breaching, part of their courtship ritual.

Breaching humpback whales, Ile Sainte MarieĮvery year over the winter months (July to September), humpback whales leave their feeding grounds in the cold waters of the Antarctic to mate and give birth in the warmer waters of the Indian Ocean. Your best chance to see (or hear) them is at Parc National d’Andasibe, early in the morning.Ģ. Like many lemurs, they were hunted for years and are now one of Madagascar’s many endangered species. Indris are tree-dwellers and can leap up to 10m with surprising grace. Madagascar’s largest lemur, the indri is well-known for its distinctive song, which can travel up to 3km in the forest and which the animals use to keep rivals at bay. It’s very likely you’ll hear this lemur before you see it. If you decide to visit, here are 10 of our wildlife highlights and the best time and place to find them. The Malagasies are also increasingly aware of the value - both scientific and economical - of their unique environment, so the prospects are good. Despite some tough times since the political turmoil of 2009, notably with the spike in rosewood trafficking, Madagascar’s national parks remain excellent, with knowledgeable guides and good infrastructure for visitors part of the park fees also help fund community projects. For travellers, admiring this modern-day Noah’s Ark is a highlight of a trip to the Red Island.įortunately, there are plenty of opportunities to do so. Madagascar is well-known for its biodiversity 5% of all animal and plant species known to man live here and only here (70% of the fauna and 90% of the flora are endemic).

The red dust road