Blog Posts

Field notes #9

8/11/2023

My Forest Adventure: Ten Weeks of Discovery and Learning

Text by Diary Randriamora, a Malagasy student who spent last summer working with our research group in Ranomafana through the National Geographic Society's STEM Field Assistant Mentorship program

I spent ten weeks in the rainforest of Ranomafana, Madagascar, working on a research project about lemurs and their environment. It was an amazing experience that I will never forget. In this text, I will share some of the highlights and challenges of my forest adventure.

One of the challenges I faced was communicating in English with the American researchers who were part of the project. English is not my native language, and I was not very fluent in it. However, I didn’t give up and tried to learn from them. They were very patient and supportive, and they helped me improve my language skills. As a Malagasy proverb says, “tsy misy mafy tsy laitry ny zoto”. (lit. meaning: nothing is hard with diligence).

Diary in the rainforest of Ranomafana National Park

Working in a rainforest that rains a lot is itself also very challenging. One day, we had a heavy rainstorm on our way to our campsite in Valohoaka. The rain was so strong that it soaked my rain boots and made my feet swell. I also had many leeches stuck to my feet, which was very unpleasant. But I did not let that ruin my mood, because I knew that rain was essential for this tropical forest ecosystem. I embraced the adventure and enjoyed every moment!

Diary holding a red-fronted brown lemur

One of the things I enjoyed the most was watching lemur captures and holding three different species of lemurs: Eulemur rubriventer, E. ruffifrons and Varecia variegata editorium (my favorite!), as a team of veterinarian and technicians checked their health and put GPS collars on them. It was the first time in my life that I touched a lemur, and I felt a strong connection with these amazing animals.

I also enjoyed following and observing the lemurs’ daily activities every day. I learned a lot about their behavior, diet, social interactions, and adaptations to the forest environment. Sometimes they would run away too far and I would lose sight of them, but that was part of their natural instincts. I also appreciated the opportunity to discuss scientific articles with my mentor Dr. Razafindratsima and another student participating in the research program; such healthy discussions helped me get a better understanding of various ecological concepts and think about future research.

Diary surveying seedlings under a seed trap

I came home feeling inspired and ready to go on the next adventure. One of the things that inspired me the most was the story that my mentor shared with us about her experiences and how she achieved her goals as a researcher. She also gave me valuable advice and feedback, improving my research skills.

Diary watching lemurs in Ranomafana NP

I also participated in a new project that the lab set-up to gain a better understanding of plant-frugivore interactions in the system. This project involved both field work and lab work. It was also the first time that I did some practical lab work, such as using a pipette to measure samples. I was nervous at first, but Dr. Tonos, who also mentored and trained me along with Dr. Razafindratsima, was very helpful and encouraging.

I have a message for those who love research like me: don’t be afraid to try something you like and see as beneficial for you because there is always a good way behind adventure. Be determined to achieve your goals and don’t let them be just dreams!

Field note #8

8/3/2023

Madagascar field updates summer 2023

Text by Onja H. Razafindratsima

This year, we decided to deploy a couple of GPS collars on the three large-bodied frugivorous lemur species in Ranomafana National Park to get a better sense of their movement patterns and activities. We worked with a team of experts in capturing and handling lemurs led by DVM Haja Rakotondrainibe. These GPS collars will allow us to investigate how lemur movement and foraging patterns change across seasons with varying fruit availability. I have been studying lemur ecology for more than a decade and this was the first that I got up close to my study species in their natural environment. It was exhilarating!

Onja with a black-and-white ruffed lemur

Dr. Haja Rakotondrainibe checking the vitals of a lemur before putting the GPS collar

Hasina using a tracking device to locate the collared lemurs

In addition to collaring lemurs and continuing our research on lemur movement, foraging and their role in seed dispersal in Ranomafana, we also set-up a new project that uses genetics and seed traps to try to gain a better understanding of frugivore-plant interactions in this system. This approach allows us to determine what animals consumed and dispersed a seed to a given location, without the need to be present to observe the event.

CVB technician Georges Razafindrakoto surveying seedlings under the seed traps

After spending quite some time in Ranomafana, I then joined my mentees in Ihofa, in the eastern part of Madagascar to check on their projects. I enjoyed very much the visit!

Field team in Ihofa

Lunch with lab members and collaborators in Antananarivo. Some of us went to the field the next day, others went back home.

Some pictures from the field can be found in this link.

Field note #7

9/6/2022

Torrential rain, ravenous leeches, rainforest bramble, and the all-pervasive bean!

Raine Zulueta, an undergraduate student at the University of California Berkeley, shares his field experience working with the field team in Ranomafana, Madagascar.

It all began in Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar, where I enjoyed a peaceful sojourn complete with a plethora of snacks and, of course, sambos of all flavors! As a week passed and my jet lag began to subside, we were set onto a 15-hour journey down to Centre Val-Bio via car. With roads bumpy, views blurred in passing, the Malagasy sun beamed down to grant us a sunny welcome to Madagascar’s countryside. I particularly enjoyed passing through Madagascar’s many townships settled right beside the nation’s main speedway, RN7, not to mention the herds of humble zebu that would calmly meander alongside the road.

On the way to Ranomafana. Photo by Onja Razafindratsima

Time would pass in the car, and it felt as though I had gained a heightened sense of patience as I took notice of the passage of time. After around 15 hours, complete with dark winding roads up the mountainside, we would eventually arrive. Our legs numb and figuratively full of static, we turned in for two nights to relax before our very first day in the field. This was only the beginning of this two-month journey, and I was more than excited to take my first steps into the rainforest.

View of Ranomafana National Park from the rooftop of Centre ValBio. Photo by Onja Razafindratsima

After becoming accommodated with the mosaic of other individuals at the research station, from inquisitive graduate students, droves of New Yorker undergraduates, and researchers from all over the world, it was time to say goodbye to civilization and head out into the rainforest. Conditions were ideal; the sun gleamed to warm the earth beneath us, reducing the risk of injury by-way-of falling. I, of course, still fell, slipped, and slid, but I felt that this ultimately was all part of the trek experience. Two miles into this rainforest crash course, elevations dipping up and down as we traverse the mountainsides, I began to lose service and all forms of communication to the outside world. Whilst puffing and panting the thin mountain air, I was alarmed. I had never truly been off the grid, let alone in the tropical rainforests of Madagascar. Yet still, motivated by my Spotify playlist, research mates, and the burning desire to sit down, we would eventually make it to Valohoaka, our campsite.

With about 5 miles under our belts, and food on our minds, we immediately make it down to the camp kitchen to set down our bags. With a new feeling of weightlessness I felt able to truly take in my surroundings, rest, and admire both the rainforest and campsite. Valohoaka, or Valo for short, is situated on the side of one of Ranomafana National Park’s many mountains. Visions of tarps of all colors first catch the eye, acting as roofs to provide shelter against the everpresent rain. Each camper occupied their own tent to create what seemed to be a miniature village on the mountainside, reaching capacities that would force new researchers to set up camp near the peak where the plateau rested. With the gracious help of local guides, my tent was established, and before I knew it I retired to a deep slumber. This was home for the next two months.

Valohoaka campsite. Photo by Raine Zulueta

Time would pass, and by mid-July I had reached a rhythm and routine that felt like second nature. I would scurry down to the dining table, consisting of local wooden planks fastened with homely leather straps and cordage, beginning to devour my breakfast typically composed of either meat or eggs, rice, and beans

At around 7:00 in the morning, we would begin to hike to the research site up the mountain, to begin our search for one of the three lemur species within the project: Eulemur rufifrons, Eulemur rubriventer, and Varecia variegata editorum. My responsibility within the project revolved around tracking and taking note of their behavior every five minutes. With my Rite-in-the-Rain handy, I would utilize different codes that would act as shorthand to describe what the lemurs were doing. For example, sleeping was shortened to “SL”, feeding to “F”, and even defecating and drinking water to “D” and “DW” respectively. To help gain experience in the different species, I would be placed onto one of the three different teams every week or so. This entailed mass amounts of learning through the experience itself, which I particularly enjoyed. It was fascinating to take note of the different temperaments and personalities that each species sustained, in addition to the behavioral patterns that would naturally arise.

Eulemur rubriventer (red-bellied lemur). Photo by Raine Zulueta

Data notebook with a chameleon. Photo by Raine Zulueta

One of my fondest memories in the field happened during an Eulemur rubriventer follow. As you can likely assume, it rains quite a lot in the rainforest, and truthfully I expected the same if not more before arriving to Ranomafana National Park. But on this particular day, I had seen rain in a way I had never seen it before. It was truly torrential, hefty droplets of water plummeting at speeds and in sheer volumes unbeknownst to me as a Californian. We were bounding up the mountain, slashing through the rainforest foliage while chasing a red-bellied lemur as it sprung from canopy to canopy. Seemingly increasing in speed, the male lemur swiftly scaled the mountainside, the slashing of brush audibly constant, almost rhythmic. Crossing through ephemeral rivers, waterfalls, slippery rocks and more, we eventually reached the mountain’s peak. Upon our arrival we were greeted by a sight I hold dearly to my heart, what I think made this lemur follow so special: a lone E. rubriventer female sitting in the middle of a clearing, looking up at the canopy and rainfall misting her visage, almost in admiration. While the rain completely soaked all of our belongings, my backpack and rain coat dripping to the touch, I found solace in the cooling relief that it delivered as I found my body fatigued from the scramble up the mountain. This is but one of many memories created, stories encountered, and experiences lived, throughout this field season.

In all of its totality, Madagascar taught me a lifetime of lessons that I am more than grateful to have experienced. It felt incredible to be able to reconnect with nature, rediscover how far I am willing to push myself, and enjoy science for its ability to hone in on what makes our planet so special. As a child I loved to explore, in addition to the natural world, science, and its animals. And by going on this trip, seeing the lemurs, doing research, and feeling like a scientist, I like to think that my younger self would be ecstatic to see where I ended up.

And with a field experience full of twists and turns, ups and downs, and absolutely everything in between, the summer between my freshman and sophomore year transformed into the experience of a lifetime. Entering the project as a rising sophomore, I truly had no expectations.

Raine & Hasina at Valohoka camp

My association with field work, yet alone tropical fieldwork, could be expressed as a blank slate. Lemur research in the tropical rainforests of Madagascar is not where I saw myself five years ago, but I am genuinely more than grateful to have ended up where I did. As niche as this entire summer was, I firmly believe that this trip helped me find myself on levels deeper than I could ever imagine, all while learning what it means to conduct research and contribute to crucial conservation efforts.

Field note #6

5/9/2022

Reconnection through pandemics and cyclones

Jade Tonos is back in the field and shares her experience ...

In many ways, 2022 has so far been a year of reconnection. As pandemic restrictions lift across the world and people return to their previous habits, many of us have specifically sought the joy of reunion. For many field biologists, the most important reunions have been their return to the forests, grasslands, coasts, wetlands, and mountains where they work. Like many others, I had to cancel my 2020 field season in Madagascar when the pandemic hit. This disruption threw my PhD completion plans out of sync and left me with the challenge of creating new projects and defending on time. After pulling that off, I was thrilled to join the Razafindratsima lab as a post-doc at UC Berkeley. This position brought immediate reunions, getting to see and work alongside the people I had missed from my work in Madagascar. It also brought the promise of a bigger reunion in the future, a return to Malagasy forests. I have now been in Madagascar for three weeks, filled with brilliant reunions and new encounters. Though when I began this journey, I did not expect to also encounter another reunion in-process: the return of Malagasy lemurs to forests damaged by recent cyclones.

First Connections: People, Cities and Landscape

I arrived in Madagascar in mid-April, landing in the vibrant capital city of Antananarivo. Though cities have never been my preferred terrain, I have always had a fondness for this one. Being the first part of Madagascar I ever explored and the first and last place I visited on every journey to the island, Antananarivo holds a special place in my heart. In the city, I reconnect with old friends and make some new ones, and I spend an almost traditional week of chaotic administrative work and gear shopping.

This year the visit was full of re-wirings, as I practiced my Malagasy and continued to fill out my mental map of the city after a long absence. It is always a pleasure to turn an unfamiliar corner to find yourself in a familiar place or to successfully navigate to a location you have only visited once or twice before. During this process, I rely heavily on colleagues and friends, and this year I was particularly happy to be greeted with familiar faces. After a week, I finally set out to Ranomafana. As always, it was a relief to leave the busy city for quieter landscapes, and though one may be inclined to despair at the lack of forests, it is hard to deny the beauty of the Malagasy countryside.

Forest Connection

Black and white ruffed lemur in Ranomafana. Photo by Onja R.

Arriving in Ranomafana is always a satisfying homecoming. Despite difficulties caused by the pandemic, I was glad to see the staff had barely changed. The forest, from the road, looked similarly unchanged. An expanse of green clinging to vast hills. The story drastically changed when I entered the forest; in the lowlands, the damage appears minimal; but as you climb further in and up you begin to encounter damage. The damage caused by the two cyclones in early 2022 is first apparent by single fallen trees blocking the path, eventually becoming whole sections of forest knocked flat across the trail, blocking it completely and forcing us to take alternative routes. These encounters leave me with a mix of sadness and admiration. The death of these trees is sad, but getting to witness their vast but shallow roots now exposed has left me with a better appreciation of the structure of this forest. These open locations also offer dazzling views of the whole forest stretching away in a way that may trick you into thinking they are never-ending. Though I did not notice during that first harrowing hike, it did become apparent soon afterward that the cyclone had also left the forest a quieter place. We did not hear groups of Black-and-white ruffed lemurs greeting the morning with their haunting calls. We did not encounter red-fronted lemurs dashing noisily through the forest in large groups. And no matter how hard I peered at lumps of reddish moss in the canopy, none of them unfolded to reveal themselves as a quiet and observant, red-bellied lemur family.

Conversing with my local technicians and other researchers, the picture came clearly together. The cyclone severely affected the forest, damaging many of the largest fruit-producing trees, and hampering the ability of the rest to provide on their regular schedule. At the same time, reports of lemur groups venturing farther out of the forest than they ever have, keep coming. For a startling example, the black-and-white ruffed lemur, the shiest of the three primarily frugivorous lemurs, has been spotted snacking on bananas in the middle of nearby villages. Our project for the summer was focused on examining how the qualities and spatial distribution of fruits affect lemur behavior, movement, and seed dispersal. And though this situation throws a wrench in our plan, it also provides us with an opportunity to study the recovery of plant-animal interactions. These connections, severed by the cyclones, must recover as plants regain the resources to flower and fruit again and the lemurs return to the forest. I am eager to continue my work here and to be a front-seat witness to this reconnection between the displaced lemurs and the trees that feed them and rely on them for seed dispersal.

Text and pictures by Jade Tonos

Field note #5

4/27/2022

Mpikaroka mankafy manao sakafo anaty ala

Rindra Nantenaina, a PhD student at the University of Antananarivo, affiliated with the lab, shares a story about how she loves cooking in the field ...

Tiako ny misakafo fa mbola tiako kokoa ny miaina ny natiora any an’ala

Rindra no anarako, mpianatra mpikaroka, misehatra manokana amin'ny fifandraisan’ny zava-maniry sy ny biby mpamafy voa/vihy an’ala aho. Anisan'nyy fialam-boly tiako ny mandeha misakafo miaraka amin’ny namana rehefa mitoetra ao an-drenivohitra. Fa mbola tiako lavitra mihoatra an’izay anefa ny misitraka ny fitsokan’ny rivotra madio, ny mahita ireo zava-maitso isan-karazany ary ny maheno ny hiram-borona sy varika sy ny fikorianan’ny rano ao anaty ala.

Nitsiry tany anatiko ny hevitra hanambatra ireo fialam-boliko roa ireo...

Amin’ny maha mpianatra mpikaroka ahy dia matetika aho mandeha manao terrain any anaty ala, manao ny asa fikarohana izay ataoko. Iarahana mahalala fa any ambany ravin-kazo any dia sady alavitra ny tanan-dehibe, no alavitra tsena, ary alavitr’ireo izay mety ho sakafo haingam-pahavitana sy matsiro isan-kazany koa. Vary, voamaina, kitoza, trondro sy atody no sakafo miverimberina isan’andro rehefa any. Tsy hoe ratsy akory ireo (sady ara-pahasalamana ireo no manome hery ampy hiatrehana ny terrain), fa kosa rehefa lavalava ny fotoana anaovana terrain dia mahatsapa leo ihany ny lela sy ny vavony ny farany; hany ka mahatsiarotsiaro ny fihinanana karazan-tsakafo maro miaraka amin’ny namana any an-drenivohitra.

Teo no nitsiry tany anatiko ny hevitra hoe maninona tokoa moa raha ampisiana aty anaty ala aty izany karazan-tsakafo izany e!!! Sady mampiala voly rehefa tsy miasa iny, no manome fahafaham-po ny lela, ary mahavoky ny kibo. Angaha izay ihany, fa sady mizara fifaliana ho an’ireo mpiara-miasa any an-toerana ihany koa, satria vitsy amin’izy ireo no manana fahafahana hiakatra an-drenivohitra sy ho afaka ny hanandrana ny tsiron’ireo karazan-tsakafo ireo.

Dia nanomboka nianatra nanao sakafo aho ...

Ny olana anefa, raha izaho manokana tsy manana traikefa akory amin’ny fanaovana sakafo. Soa ihany fa amin’izao vanim-potoana izao, dia efa mivoatra be ny teknolojia, ka tsy ny asa fikarohana ara-tsiansa na ny toy izany ihany akory no afaka atao any anaty internet fa na ny fanaovan-tsakafo sy ny fikarakarana ao an-dakozia ihany koa, dia tena feno isan-karazany any. Arak’izany dia naka "recette" tamin'ny internet aho, toy ny fanamboarana mofo dipaina, mofo gasy, pizza, sandwich, crepe, cake, hamburger, beignet isan-karazany sns… Isaky ny miakatra miantsena any an-tanan-dehibe dia niezaka nanangona ireo singa rehetra ilaina amin’ny fanamboarana azy ireny aho. Matetika rehefa faran'ny herinandro, na amin’ny fotoana hafa tsy iasany, na rehefa haivariva avy miasa iny no manao sakafo izahay. Dia miezaka mamoaka "menu" iray isaky ny manao. Sady mianatra aho, arak’izany, no mampianatra ireo ekipa miaraka amiko ihany koa. Lasa fifaliana iombonanay ny fiarahana eo am-pikarakarana, maika moa fa rehefa injay vonona ny nahandro ka hiara-komana, dia tena samy finaritra avokoa ny rehetra e! Tsy hoe akory variana nanao sakafo izahay dia tsy vita ny fikarohana, fa tena nanampy anay hahatratra ny tanjona aza ny fiarahana. Ny kibo voky moa ny asa vita ara-dalana. Mampisy firaisam-po sy "ambiance" ary fahazotoana ao anaty asa ny fisian’ny fialam-boly tahaka an’izany.

Lasa fialam-bolin’izy ireo koa ny fialam-boliko ...

Tombony azoko tamin’izany ny fahaizako nampiaraka ireo fialam-boliko anakiroa ireo: misakafo miaraka amin’ny namana sy ny miaina tontolo maitso any anaty ala, no mbola niampy fahaiza- manao ody ambava-fo isan-karazany hanohananay aina nandritra ny terrain. Ho an’ny ekipako kosa indray dia sady nahafantatra no nanandrana zava-baovao (karazan-tsakafo sy ny fanamboarana azy) izy ireo, no voky sy niala voly niaraka tamiko nandritra ny fotoana izay nanaovako niasako tany. Tsy nijanona ho anay teo amin’ny campement samy irery akory izany traikefa sy fifaliana izany, fa nentin’ireo ekipa nody tany an-tranony avy koa, sady dia nazoto nanao fampiharana mihitsy ary ry zareo rehefa tonga any anivon’ny ankohonany.

Hafatra manokana ho antsika mpikaroka

Azo atao tsara ny manambatra ny fialam-boly tiantsika amin’ny asa fikarohana ataontsika, satria manampy betsaka amin’ny fahombiazantsika ao anatin’ny asa izany.
Azo atao tsara koa ny mampisy fialam-boly any anaty ala ambany ravin-kazo, mba hialantsika sasatra rehefa reraky ny asa iny.