The trail climbed gently through a second-growth rainforest. Everything smelled damp even though it hadn’t rained for a while. The tree leaves were a light shade of green, with a hard texture that made them last. Lichens and mosses clung to branches. We’d come to Maromizaha Protected Area near Andasibe to see what might be … Read more
The termite mound glistened in the late afternoon sun. Sand silica caught the rays, making it look as if thousands of diamonds had been embedded by those insects in their home’s exterior. We were climbing a dirt road through scrub savannah, heading for our next stay at Lake Mburo National Park, having just started our … Read more
Flat, undisturbed water lay in Drayton Harbor. No wind was causing any ripples across the bay or out in Puget Sound, for that matter. Surf and white-winged scoters dove around Blaine Pier, occasionally swallowing a mollusk at the surface. A few harbor seals swam in singles and doubles. Sporadically, one would dive, but mostly they … Read more
The yellow, extra-large eyes of the Verreaux’s sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi) seemed to peer right through me. The baby clung tightly to its mother’s back; the adult looked more out over my head and maybe at one of my friends. But the young one glared right at me. Their coats were white, except for black muzzles, … Read more
I like to make a calendar for my family and friends. It is a chance to showcase my photographs around a particular theme and share the wonders of the natural world. It is a chance to look hard at what I’d captured, trying to pull out the very best. A calendar limits me to thirteen … Read more
The light was beginning to fade. The trail weaved around small trees, through several dips, and into a grassy patch. This was our first afternoon in the wilds of Madagascar. That morning, we’d driven from Antananarivo into the eastern mountains. The forest smelled dry, and leaves crunched with each footstep, even though this was a … Read more
Madagascar is often called the eighth continent, underscoring its unique ecology and geography. Located approximately 250 miles off the east coast of Africa, the island is the fourth largest in the world. It boasts a landmass only somewhat less than the combined area of California and Oregon. The landscape is diverse, with high mountains rising … Read more
“Please find me a good seat, someplace where I can sit in the sun and watch the world go by. My happiness will soar.” We spotted this young male Olive Baboon crotched down, with its back to a thick trunk. He gazed out across the bush. One hand gripped the broken branch, and his eyes … Read more
The Nubian giraffe is a subspecies of the northern giraffe and is the most endangered subspecies of this mammal. It is found in Uganda and Kenya. Habitat loss has decreased populations, and this subspecies, because of its unique coat, was highly prized by zoos. We hoped to see some in Lake Mburo National Park, where … Read more
The Trip The goal was to learn more about the country’s ecology and find birds, crocodiles, reptiles, insects, and plants. We planned stops in tropical forests, dry sclerophyll forests, open plains, and even the Great Barrier Reef. Over the coming months, I will do a series of posts on this trip, visiting key sites and … Read more