10,000 Birds

JANUARY 27, 2012

Are humans a part of nature or a force (sometimes benevolent, more often destructive) that acts upon it? Madagascar: The Last Inheritor of Gondwana tries to walk the “all of the above” line, which is sometimes satisfying, sometimes disconcerting, and sometimes outright frustrating. It depends on perspective and context.

Madagascar 157

Madagascar Lemurs Humane Protection 157

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 8, 2011

Paging through a fieldguide, it’s always with a sense of dismay and sadness that I come across reference to an extinct species. Madagascar, however, has had more than its fair share of extinct or lost species and Madagascar Pochard was firmly on this list. This bird was kept in captivity until it died a year later.

Madagascar 233

Madagascar Lemurs 2006 Owls 233

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 6, 2011

I have thoroughly explored vast parts of the continent as well as neighboring Madagascar, in the process seeing over 2,000 birds on the continent and all but one Malagasy endemic. Approximately 2,300 bird species inhabit Africa, however as impressive as that sounds, much smaller South America boasts nearly 1,000 species more.

Papua New Guinea 213

Papua New Guinea Madagascar Africa Equatorial Guinea 213