Zombitse Vohibasia National Park

Leaving Ranohira and heading towards Ifaty on the South West Coast, I begged Mamy to stop at Zombitse National Park as I had heard this was home to the Standings Day Gecko (Phelsuma standingi). When we got there it was one of the driest forests I had ever seen. Sandy soil, densely packed with desiccated trees and thorn scrub. It was almost impossible to stray from the path to explore the surrounding bush. Surprisingly there was a large number of Chameleons and Day Geckos, including the beautiful Standings. We also got to see night active Sportive Lemurs, blinking owlishly in the blinding sunlight. We only had the briefest hour before getting back in the bus, but we were not disappointed here. We carried on towards what would be our last new location of this trip, the seaside town of Ifaty on the Mozambique Channel. When we arrived at the Ifaty Beach Club Resort, we were greeted by two tame Vasa Parrots (Coracopsis nigra), a species that we had so far only seen in the distance whilst at the Ranomafana ArboretumRead more