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Leaping Lemurs - Madagascar
by Carl | Date >
2008-01-25 | Country : Madagascar | City : Anjiabe
| Area : Nosy Komba |
| Nosy Komba (Lemur Island) is a small volcanic island just southeast of Nosy Be. Along with Nosy Tanikely, these three islands make up a small archipelago off the eastern coast of Madagascar. Nosy Komba is one the most visited sites in Madagascar, drawing thousands of tourists every year. They arrive by cruise ship, small boat and local ferry from the mainland, as well as Nosy Be. The draw? The fabled black lemur.
Because of local fady (taboos), black lemurs have long thrived on this dwindling tropical paradise. And because of tourists they are making a comeback. Despite the blessing of protection they are still considered endangered. Many of their cousins have not faired as well and some have even gone extinct. The residents of the Nosy Komba sell local handicrafts and act as tourist guides. When the tourists aren’t around, they go fishing, which is apparent by the abundance of tattered fishing nets and old wooden skiffs scattered about the beaches. The lemurs have the run of the place because of the fady, and because of the tourist money they bring in. Anyone hoping for a ‘wild’ or ‘authentic’ experience will be disappointed, but of course where tourists venture, nature is bound to suffer. This is not to say that the animals are anything less than amazing to behold. After stopping by some of the local shops to check out the wares, we found the lemurs quite easily, and they are readily seen (some times too readily, grabbing treats straight from our hands). They are beautiful animals with black and velvety fur, highlighted by piercing orange eyes. They hovered above us on tree branches, watching our every move.
Just past the village of Anjiabe, there is a secondary forest where many of the lemurs live. They are not fenced in, and come and go as they please, but when the Westerners show up, they tend to hang around, waiting for something to eat. Climbing higher still, we saw giant jackfruits hanging from the trees, as well as iguanas loitering about on vanilla and coffee plants. Vanilla and coffee smells pervade the island. We visited a coffee plantation on our way down. After a long morning of lemur watching we headed back to the boat, passing a gaggle of young women on our way. The women laughed loudly and were eager to show us their ‘painted’ faces, decorative facemasks made of clay, mango and other raw materials to preserve their youthful appearances. One of the women, who wore the most elaborate mask, stuck her tongue out at us, like one of the trickster gods of local lore. Near the beach, we saw people setting off with their diving gear, most likely to one of the small coves sprinkled about the island. In addition to the coves there are several islets peppered around the island, like Nosy Verona. We decided to save our snorkeling for the nearby island of Nosy Tanikely.
Whisking across the water from Nosy Komba toward the uninhabited marine reserve of Nosy Tanikely, we passed a makeshift sail barge laden with firewood, the sail lightly billowing. The men sitting atop the barge waved to us and we waved back. Then they turned their attention to their sail. The wind had just died and they had a long journey ahead of them. Under the light blue skies, we disembarked on the beach and set up under the shade of a green and silver palm trees. After that we headed out to the water. Nosy Tanikely is a tiny island surrounded by patches of shallow coral and sandy beaches, offering the possibility of snorkeling and diving with angelfish, clown fish, puffer fish, grouper, spotted stingrays, turtles and many other species. There always seemed to be at least a few turtles lurking about. It was a welcome break from the bluster of Nosy Komba. The island was quiet and relaxed. After our swim, we signed on with one of the tourist groups from the big island of Nosy Be for a late lunch of crab, curried rice, potato salad and grilled prawns. With our bellies stuffed, we watched the sun head toward the horizon, then set out on our boat again, back to Nosy Be. |
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