Been thinking a lot about Madagascar lately and how much I’d love to get back there before it hardly resembles what I saw back in 2007. Not only for the lemurs, but also the staggering variety of chameleons — nearly half of the world’s 150 or so species. This is a Parson’s chameleon, the largest in the world by weight. Photographed at Pereyras Nature Farm on the way to Andasibe-Mantadia National Park.
Nikon D200 with Nikkor 80-200mm lens (at 80mm with Canon 500 close up filter) ISO 100, f/5.6 at 1/10th of as second

The indri, also called the babakoto, is the largest living lemur and can grow to about three feet tall and weigh more than twenty pounds. It can also turn that head around 180 degrees. It was a bit unnerving to see them in the trees and on the forest floor with their backs to me, but staring directly at camera. I photographed this one in the wilds of Andasibe-Mantadia National Park, which of course, is in Madagascar.
Nikon D200 with Nikkor 80-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/60th of a second

I’ve posted other shots of the diademed sifaka lemur before, but it deserves another look. With its ruby red eyes and yellow, black and white coat, it is considered one of the finest looking of all the lemurs.
Nikon D200 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 17mm) ISO 100, f/5.6 at 1/60th of a second, two Nikon SB-600 flash units

A few weeks ago I posted a white-fronted brown lemur photographed on the small island of Nosy Mangabe, just off the much larger island of Madagascar to which it belongs. Here’s another of the colorful locals from Nosy Mangabe. This time a small tree frog called the green-backed mantella. Unfortunately, this beauty is endangered due to habitat loss. It is also popular in the pet trade, although highly regulated due to its conservation status.
Nikon D200 with Nikkor 80-200mm lens (at 200mm) with Canon 500D close up filter attached, ISO 100, f/22 at 1/60th of a second, two Nikon SB-600 flash units

It may be a simple brown lemur, but in my estimation, the white-fronted brown lemur is one of the finest looking of them all. Something elegant about this little guy. This is a male. Females don’t have the light colored head, and are more uniformly brown. I photographed him on the island of Nosy Mangabe, which is off the east coast of the mainland of Madagascar.
Nikon D200 with Nikkor 600mm manual focus f/5.6 lens, ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/250th of a second

This white-footed sportive lemur was resting in a forest of thorn trees. It’s a nocturnal species, but this one took a quick look up before resuming his/her nap. I was in the extreme south of Madagascar at the Berenty Reserve.
Nikon D200 with Nikkor 80-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 100, f/5.6 at .3 seconds

First off, thanks everyone for the kind words on yesterday’s post. Much appreciated. As for today, well, I’ve been in quite a lemur mood lately and have been thinking a lot about my trip to Madagascar back in 2007 and how much I’d love to get back there sometime soon. One of the things I liked so much about the country is that it doesn’t really feel like anywhere else in the world. The animals are different than anywhere else, the trees are different, and even the rocks are different. In the south of the country where these Verreaux’s sifaka lemurs live, the tree branches looked like giant pipe cleaners protruding from their thorny trunks. Truly a magical place.
Nikon D200 with Nikkor 80-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 400, f/3.2 at 1/250th of a second

Going through my lemur photos last week, I came across this guy, a white-footed sportive lemur. I never noticed just how thick that black eye liner could be, nor how sweet their faces could be. Sportive lemurs are medium-sized and strictly nocturnal. They spend the majority of their time in trees, but when on the ground, they hop around like kangaroos. This one was spotted in the same place as last week’s ring-tailed lemur that I posted — Berenty Reserve in southern Madagascar.
Nikon D200 with Nikkor 600mm f/5.6 manual focus lens, ISO 100, f/5.6 at 1/60th of a second, Nikon SB-600 flash

Ring-tailed lemurs spend most of their time on the ground, but they also like to climb trees — especially when there’s plenty of fruit to eat. Photographed on the extreme southern tip of Madagascar at Berenty Reserve.
Nikon D200 with Nikkor 80-200mm lens (at 145mm) ISO 100, f/6.3 at 1/160th of a second

It’s been a while since I posted a dancing lemur. This is the Verreaux’s sifaka lemur, best known for the way they move on the ground — a frantic shuffle that could best be described as balletic. The truth is, they hate being on the ground and this is fastest way for them to get from one tree to another. Photographed at Berenty Private Reserve in southern Madagascar.
Nikon D200 with Nikkor 80-200mm lens (at 100mm) ISO 400, f/5 at 1/500th of a second