Hanging in the hallway outside my room here at Centre ValBio (CVB) is an embroidered depiction of the nine, yes nine species of chameleons that occur in Ranomafana National Park. I’ve been lucky enough to see a handful of them, mostly at night, with a couple species seen during the day. Almost half of all […]
madagascar diary – chameleons Read More »
The sheer number and diversity of frog species in Madagascar is unlike anywhere else. Just since 1990 new research – large-scale surveys and species inventories – has reached previously unreviewed areas. With this new knowledge the number of documented frog species has increased from 170 to 235 named species and current research is ongoing for
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I’m off on my second visit to Madagascar, this time as a volunteer researcher at Centre ValBio at Ranamafana National Park. Madagascar is an enchanting place – particularly of you have a naturalist’s bent. The wildlife is amazingly diverse. It exhibits both a high species richness and a high rate of endemic species. The island
Published in Seattle Times: https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/springtime-is-for-salamanders-and-journeys-of-discovery/ Warming spring days cause many Northwesterners to reach for binoculars and look up for birds. My inclination is to look down. It’s time to find salamanders, encounters that could lead you to adventures, a career, and your tribe. Sure – bird watching is popular. That’s because it’s easy. Birds flit,
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What draws us into the desert is the search for something intimate and remote. -Ed Abbey. This is a fairly large lizard – up to 24 inches long including its tail. It is a pale gray or whitish with a tan or brownish reticulated pattern on the back and sides. It has a row of
Desert Iguana (Dipsosaurus dorsalis) Read More »