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

msafiri 87 Chameleons Madagascar is the world centre for this spectacular family of lizards. Around 50% of all chameleon species, including the world's largest and smallest, are found only here. A chameleon's ability to change colour is one of its most celebrated attributes and it's a common misconception that this is just for camouflage. Certainly, at times, they are extraordinarily adept at matching their background, but in the chameleon's world, colour is also a language. The male panther chameleon, for instance, will instantly erupt into a kaleidoscopic display of colour when confronting a rival. The females of some species go black with coloured polka dots once they have successfully mated. This tells other males she is ' off the market'. It's not just colour that makes chameleons special. They have independently swivelling eyes so they can look in all directions without moving their head, and an extraordinarily long tongue which can zap a fly at distances up to the length of their body. Baobabs There are few more quintessentially African images than a baobab silhouetted against the setting sun. Yet only one species of baobab is found on mainland Africa ( and one in Australia). The remaining six of the world's eight species are restricted to Madagascar. Some baobabs in Madagascar are pollinated by bats. According to local legend, the bat and baobab have always been close friends. Back in the beginning of time, the baobab's constant boasting angered God who, as a punishment, pulled it up and planted it head- down in the soil, with its roots waving forlornly in the air. So now its best friend, the bat, hangs upside down too, mooning at God. Weird, Wacky & Wonderful Madagascar has more than its fair share of the world's weirdest creatures. Here are some of the most outrageous. Giraffe- necked weevil In a land where the bizarre is commonplace, the giraffe- necked weevil courts disbelief: a baked bean- sized beetle that looks like an entomological interpretation of an angle- poised lamp. They are easy to find in Ranomafana and Mantadia National Parks. Aye- aye There are no woodpeckers or squirrels on Madagascar. Their equivalent niche is instead occupied by a lemur, the aye- aye, the most peculiar primate in the world. The aye- aye appears to be cobbled together from bits of other animals: teeth of a rodent, ears of a bat, tail of a squirrel. The result is an other- worldly incarnation of a witch's cat with gargoyle features and spider hands. And it is devilishly difficult to find. Before I started taking tourists around Madagascar, I was aware that Madagascar's natural history is special and worth investigating. But the more I took people into the parks, the more enthusiastic I became… I think the reaction of the tourists when they see the wildlife and flora increased my understanding of just how unique and special our country's natural history is. I'm so proud of it, and always want to share my enthusiasm with other people, and I try to do my best to contribute towards the conservation of our natural assets, even though our contribution may be small. Nivo Ravelojaona owner of Za Tour, Antananarivo