Berenty Reserve, Part I

Saturday, August 8. Fort Dauphin.

A day of drama began quietly when our driver arrived to pick us up for an excursion to the Berenty Reserve. Todd invited Donné to join us, a rare experience for him, and Patsy gave up her seat so he could go.

The Reserve is only sixty miles east of Fort Dauphin, and yet the trip took three hours because the road-- a major east-west highway connecting Fort Dauphin and Toliara-- is in such poor condition. Craters comprised vast stretches of the road, and in other sections roads had been washed away and never repaired or filled. 

Berenty Reserve exists as an island amidst the immense sisal plantation which deprived the native lemur population of their natural habitat. The reserve serves as an oasis for the surviving lemurs.

After leaving the main road we drove through the sisal fields along the ravine-like red soil tracks leading to the Reserve. We were directed to a new parking area adjacent to a new complex of bungalows for tourists. Immediately we spotted our first lemurs. Here is a Varika, or White-Fronted Lemur (with another whose legs are dangling from the foliage above):

And these makis:

A guide joined us, and on our way to the forest we passed a new restaurant and bar.

In front of the veranda is a series of short posts with carvings on top. You can see two of them on the left. Here's a close-up of one, depicting a form of Malagasy wrestling while two women look on:

Our guide posed in front of this sign leading into the Ankoba Forest, and naming the four species of lemurs in the reserve: the Sifaka; Maky (Maki) or ring-tailed lemur; the Gidro (red-fronted brown lemur); and the Varika (white-fronted lemur).

Here's are two pictures of a Gidro:

After our leisurely walk through the forest in search of Madagascar fauna, we paused to take in the flora in this garden. In the foreground of this first picture you can see a different species of baobab trees than we saw on the way to the Isalo. Behind them you can see the tall spiny plants, which are only distantly related to cacti.

 

To get a sense of their height, Ingrid is standing next to the baobabs and spiny plants here:

Here's another look at the baobabs:

Because the main restaurant was about to close, we hurried to get lunch.

To be continued!