Madagascar ~ 88 million years ago a landmass bestowed biodiverse autonomy to an evolving island, now Madagascar. Then prosimians protected by isolation from other primates flourished, and now their lemur ancestors number some 100 species. Madagascar's diversity also extends to birds, frogs, geckos, chameleons, and more. I joined a small group to explore this exotic and often maddening place surviving potholed roads, dust, heat, humidity, and more.

Left to right: (1) Rice, (2) Dancing Verreaux's Sifaka, (3) Red-fronted Brown Lemur, (4) Grey Mouse Lemur, (5) Madagascar Kingfisher, (6) Boophis Rappiodes, (7) Panther Chameleon, (8) Tribute to One Wife.

Panther Chameleon [Google map of photo locale]

Giant Day Gecko [Google map of photo locale]

Madagascar Kingfisher [Google map of photo locale]

Leaf-tailed Gecko [Google map of photo locale]

Stenophis Betsileanus [Google map of photo locale]

Dragonfly [Google map of photo locale]

Short-horned Chameleon [Google map of photo locale]

Short-nosed Chameleon [Google map of photo locale]

Boophis Rappiodes [Google map of photo locale]

Grey Bamboo Lemur ~ [Google Map: On Lemur Island, nearby Mantadia-Andasibe National Park]

Red-fronted Brown Lemur ~ [Google Map: On Lemur Island, nearby Mantadia-Andasibe National Park]

Red-fronted Brown Lemur ~ [Google Map: On Lemur Island, nearby Mantadia-Andasibe National Park]

Black & White Ruffed Lemur ~ [Google Map: On Lemur Island, nearby Mantadia-Andasibe National Park]

Brown Lemur ~ [Google Map: On Lemur Island, nearby Mantadia-Andasibe National Park]

Panther Chameleon [Google map of photo locale]

Avenue of Baobab [Google map of photo locale]

Red-fronted Brown Lemur [Google map of photo locale]

Madagascar Girdled Lizard [Google map of photo locale]

Monarch Butterfly [Google map of photo locale]

Grey Mouse Lemur [Google map of photo locale]

Fossa [Google map of photo locale]

Verreaux's Sifaka [Google map of photo locale]

Tribute to a Man with 2 Wives [Google map of photo locale]

Panther Chameleon [Google map of photo locale]

Collared Iguanid Lizard [Google map of photo locale]

Baobab Sunset [Google map of photo locale]

Mozambique Channel Sunset [Google map of photo locale]

Sunset in Fort Dauphin [Google map of photo locale]

Rice Paddy [Google map of photo locale]

Bathing [Google map of photo locale]

Verreaux's Sifaka [Google map of photo locale]

Ring-tailed Lemur [Google map of photo locale]

Red-fronted Brown Lemur [Google map of photo locale]

Red-fronted Brown Lemur [Google map of photo locale]

Crested Drongo [Google map of photo locale]

Mouse Lemur [Google map of photo locale]

Radiated Tortoise [Google map of photo locale]

Greater Dwarf Lemur [Google map of photo locale]

Giant Coua [Google map of photo locale]

Dancing Verreaux's Sifaka [Google map of photo locale]

Collared Nightjar [Google map of photo locale]

Sakalava Weaver [Google map of photo locale]

Verreaux's Sifaka [Google map of photo locale]

Sportive Lemur [Google map of photo locale]

Ring-tailed Lemur [Google map of photo locale]

White-browed Owl [Google map of photo locale]

Group Photo Standing (l->r): Herb, Ann, Fanny, Margitta, Steve, Sandy, Ray. Sitting (l->r): Richard (leader), Lyndale, Barney, Sally, Barbara, Aileen. [Google map of photo locale]