Thursday, June 5, 2008

Where in the world?

Field research is far from glamorous. As the summer goes by, you'll see me picking up lemur poop, collecting lemur hair, pushing my way through dense dry forests and slogging through ankle-deep mud in the rain forests. And showers, you ask? Probably about every 3 weeks in the dry country, and every 30 minutes in the rain forests, whether I like it or not.

So why would I put myself through something like this? Well, I think wildlife health is an important issue (more on that later). But also, Madagascar is an absolutely amazing place. I'll try to share some of those fantastic moments from this summer through pictures and videos. And lucky for you, those glimpses will come without having to withstand my 3-week hiatus from bathing.

I'll work on both the west and east coasts of Madagascar this summer. Because I'm interested in how lemur health levels vary based on location, geography, climate and type of forests, I need to visit several parks throughout the country. I know, rough assignment. I'll spend a lot of time in Kirindy Mitea National Park (west), then in Betampona Strict Nature Reserve and Parc Ivoloina (east). Check out the map below!





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