msafiri 85 Truly unique – Madagascar is home to around 150,000 species that are found nowhere else on earth. Hilary Bradt, Nick Garbutt and Derek Schuurman provide an insight into the variety of enigmatic creatures that inhabit this Indian Ocean paradise Parson's chameleon NICK GARBUTT

WILDLIFE 86 E veryone loves lemurs. They must surely be the most cute and cuddly- looking of all primates, with oh- so- soft fur, black- gloved hands, doggy noses and those extraordinary, round, staring yellow eyes. So if it's lemurs you're after, Madagascar's the place. They are found only here, along with some of the strangest animals in the world: tenrecs that look like spiny mice, weevils with necks like JCBs, geckos pretending to be bark or leaves, and chameleons with wildly swivelling eyes and sulky down- turned mouths. We travellers are twice- blessed with Madagascar. Its sandy shores, washed by the warm Indian Ocean, provide some of the best beaches anywhere, and it's been an island for about 200 million years, so nature has had plenty of time to work its evolutionary experiments. Had humans not stepped into this Garden of Eden around 2,000 years ago we might still find lemurs the size of gorillas and the aptly- named elephant bird, which could look eye to eye with its namesake. However, if you consider that of the estimated 200,000 living things in Madagascar, 150,000 are found nowhere else in the world, you'll see that there's quite enough to be getting on with. Must- see island icons On a short visit you're only going to see a few of Madagascar's treasures. Here's our selection: Lemurs Madagascar's flagship animals come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from tiny mouse lemurs to the tail- less indri, the size of an adolescent chimpanzee. If you don't have time to see all the species of lemur, focus on the ring- tailed lemur and the indri. The ring- tailed lemur is an icon synonymous with its island home and easy to see at close quarters since it spends much of its time swaggering along the forest floor with its extended family. They're very vocal, brimming with charm and character and a joy to watch. There are ring- tails galore at Berenty in the far south and wonderful intimate encounters are guaranteed. Alternatively there are equally tame ones in Anja ( Anjaha) reserve, in the central highlands. For an added bonus, visit in late September/ early October, when the infants ride like little jockeys on their mothers' backs. It's impossible not to go ' Ahhh!' Indri are easily seen in Andasibe National Park. Imagine a humpback whale hidden in the tree- tops and you'll get some idea of their call. Family groups proclaim rights to their territories with an eerie wailing chorus that wafts through the canopy in wave after glorious wave, raising the hairs on your neck and making every nerve- end tingle. This is the sound of Madagascar, and it provides one of the island's most memorable experiences, especially when combined with a close- up view of these piebald teddy bears. msafiri FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Indri; ring- tailed lemur and baby; Avenue of the Baobabs; giraffe-necked weevil, Parson's chameleon and aye- aye. NICK GARBUTT