The first couple of days following my arrival in Ranomafana were spent getting the project equipment organized and meeting with my research team and the staff of the Centre ValBio (Centre International de Formation pour la Valorisation de la Biodiversité); the research station that helps us to coordinate our research.  We also met with the ANGAP staff (Association National pour la Gestion de Aires Protégées, the authorities who are responsible for the management of Madagascar’s national parks), to update them on our research and discuss new developments in Park management. Since it is their job to oversee research and tourism in the park, as well as to protect the forest from human encroachment (hunting, logging, etc.), it is very important that we share the findings of our research with them.

Then, it was off to the forest! It feels great to be back. After a few days following the animals, I’m finally starting to get my forest legs back. (In other words, I’m no longer tripping and slipping and huffing and puffing as I hike around in the forest.) The study animals look good and the Malagasy research technicians with whom I work have been doing a great job of following the animals and collecting project data in my absence. They have identified which sifaka females are pregnant, and it looks like we can expect at least two babies to be born into the disturbed forest study groups in the next month or two!

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