SEED Madagascar

My August 2024 was spent in Saint Luce, southeast Madagascar, volunteering with the SEED Conservation Research Programme.

From the surreal feeling of touching down in “Tana” (as locals affectionately call Antananarivo, Madagascar’s capital) after a 13-hour flight from Paris, to seeing the sweep of the Indian Ocean on the flight to Fort Dauphin; each new sight of Madagascar left me even more excited to be there. So, too, did the immediate appearance of brown-collared lemurs as soon as I arrived at camp! 

Then followed an unforgettable three weeks. 

Daily surveys saw us scanning Pandanus leaves for frogs and geckos, inspecting planted palm saplings’ condition, squinting to spot the brown lemurs who had since proven considerably more elusive than the first day. Evenings were the scarlet sunsets over the mountains, and the beams of torches scanning the forests on a night survey. Quietly, methodically, searching for the glow of lemur eyes amongst the trees. The swooping of a flying fox far above the canopy provided an occasional distraction, as did the beam of a torch passing over a sunbird resting in the crook of a tree, a snake curling around branches, a ghostly looking chameleon inching its way along a branch. Bright eyes of lemurs peered through the mangroves as we pirogued (canoed) across a lake to reach a survey site, the Milky Way sweeping across the night sky. Taking turns, we scooped the shallow pools of water out of the pirogue, returning the tiny shrimp jumping all around us back to the lake. A wish to see a leaf-tailed gecko was granted on the final survey (to much excitement!). An early end to another survey gave us a mid-morning lunch on the warm sand of the endless stretch of white beaches, the blue haze of the ocean stretching down the mountains to Fort Dauphin in the distance.

It was hard not to want to return.

But the deciding factor to come back was more than just lemurs and beaches… It was the memory of the morning spent getting a cooking lesson, the evening learning about different Malagasy customs, and getting help identifying my wildlife photos. It was the skill and patience with which Malagasy staff would point out to us almost imperceptible herpetofauna (and then immediately be able to identify the species, age and sex, whilst us volunteers were reliably still squinting at vaguely frog-shaped leaves!) and answer all of our questions with their unparalleled knowledge and kindness. It was the time spent monitoring reforestation efforts, helping with the population survey of endemic geckos, and hearing about SEED’s other projects. It was the skills of the guides who would lead us on night surveys, easily finding the route through the forest fragments when our sense of direction had been lost hours before! It was seeing the talents of the ladies at Stitch and Mahampy, and the time spent with the people of Saint Luce. 

There were infinite reasons for hoping to return to volunteer in Saint Luce. But beyond the inevitable excitement of visiting Madagascar for the first time, the best parts of volunteering were also everything I learnt, and the people I met. 

I appreciated that this was also an opportunity not just to learn and take away experiences, but to hopefully reciprocally contribute and participate – though sharing time, a pair of hands, enthusiasm, and through the donation, which funds the long-term research programme. 

I was very grateful for being able to participate in the SCRP, and am excited to return this summer!