Community-based Ecotourism in Andrambovato

 

On Thursday-Friday, after election day euphoria, I took the train to Andrambovato, a village along the FCE, to check out their ecotourism hiking circuit for one of our success stories.  We did quite a long hike, up to the top of a cliff, and back down through the rainforest.  As far as wildlife goes, there were no lemurs, but it was an awesome circuit!  Money to enter the community managed forest is gradually going to help build a new school in the town. 

Looking up at the cliff we wound up on top of 

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on top of aforementioned cliff – they don’t do swichbacks here…just straight up the mountain!

 

this spider is really neat - the little triangle on his back is supposed to make him look frightening to predators

 

this one was just...huge...

 

also huge

 

big black milipede

 

red and black millipede - like my use of of scientific names...?

 

this chameleon looked just like the leaves he was sitting in

 

well camouflaged frog

 

not as well camouflaged

 

mongoose - normally nocturnal, but awake for some reason

 

outside the borders of the community managed forest, people are still burning...

 

post-tavy

 

rice pounding in the village of andrambovato