Show Navigation

Duncan Murrell - A Whale of a Time

  • Portfolio
  • About
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • Testimonials
  • Facebook
  • Archive
    • All Galleries
    • Search
    • Cart
    • Lightbox
    • Client Area

Duncan Murrell - A Whale of a Time

Search Results

293 images

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
x
Refine Search
Match all words
Match any word
Prints
Personal Use
Royalty-Free
Rights-Managed
(leave unchecked to
search all images)
Next

Loading ()...

  • Masoala National Park, in northeast Madagascar, is the largest of the island’s protected areas. Created in 1997, the park protects 2,300 square kilometres of rainforest and 100 square kilometres of marine parks. The Masoala peninsula is exceptionally diverse due to its huge size, and variety of habitats, including rainforest, coastal forest, flooded forest, marsh, and mangrove. There are over 600 plant species on the peninsula including a staggering 99 species of palms, one of the most diverse groups in the world. Three marine parks protect coral reefs and a dazzling array of marine life; currently over 3,000 species of fish and 41 types of coral have been recorded. There are ten lemur species, of which 4 are listed on the IUCN red list of endangered species, including the flamboyant Red Ruffed Lemur, which is endemic to the peninsula. Other endemic species include the Madagascar red owl and the extremely rare serpent eagle. 102 species of birds have been recorded, of which 60% are endemic.<br />
Unfortunately during the political during a period of political unrest in 2009 and 2010, the national park was invaded by thousands of illegal loggers searching for valuable rosewood.<br />
During 2009 and 2010, the national park was invaded by thousands of illegal loggers searching for rosewood, who would have also been involved in widespread poaching of many rare species, including the Red Ruffed Lemurs that are found nowhere else in the world.
    Kayaking-Madagascar-journey38.jpg
  • It was such a relief to set foot on my first beach along the Masoala Peninsula and what a beautiful beach it was. There was a small river flowing out from the dense forest and I couldn’t wait to explore it. But I was physically drained and the next day was a day of recovery and quiet, relaxed contemplation of my verdant surroundings. When I finally paddled up the river and walked as far as I could I was mesmerised by the vegetation. There was such a wonderful variety of different trees, tree ferns and palms, many of them undoubtedly endemic to Madagascar or even to the Masoala Peninsula. This is what I had been dreaming of when I first made plans for this trip; to be alone in a remote part of Madagascar with the means to explore rivers and penetrate one of the most scientifically valuable rainforests on <br />
the planet. I continued along the peninsula looking for more rivers to explore.
    Kayaking-Madagascar-journey34.jpg
  • DanumValley-14.tif
  • DanumValley-10.tif
  • Danum-Valley-termite.jpg
  • Danum-Valley-spider-5.jpg
  • Danum-Valley-spider-3.jpg
  • MtKinabalo-5.tif
  • Borneo-Danum-Valley9.tif
  • Borneo-Danum-Valley-lizard2.tif
  • DanumValley-11.tif
  • Palawan-underground-river46.tif
  • Kayaking-Madagascar-vegetation2.jpg
  • Kayaking-Madagascar-vegetation5.jpg
  • Kayaking-Madagascar-vegetation3.jpg
  • Danum-Valley-spider.jpg
  • Borneo-Danum-Valley-frog2.jpg
  • Danum-Valley-stick-insect-2.jpg
  • Danum-Valley-spider-4.jpg
  • Danum-Valley-spider-2.jpg
  • Borneo-Danum-Valley5.jpg
  • Danum-Valley-snail.jpg
  • Danum-Valley-snail-2.jpg
  • Borneo-Danum-Valley-lizard5.jpg
  • Danum-Valley-leech.jpg
  • Borneo-Danum-Valley7.jpg
  • Borneo-Danum-Valley-frog3.jpg
  • Borneo-Danum-Valley13.jpg
  • Danum-Valley-ant-2.jpg
  • MtKinabalo-10.tif
  • Borneo-Danum-Valley-lizard3.tif
  • Borneo-Danum-Valley-frog5.tif
  • Borneo-Danum-Valley-lizard4.tif
  • DanumValley-7.tif
  • Borneo-Danum-Valley10.tif
  • Borneo-Danum-Valley12.tif
  • Palawan-underground-river35.tif
  • Palawan-underground-river34.tif
  • Palawan-underground-river39.tif
  • Palawan-underground-river31.tif
  • Palawan-underground-river43.tif
  • Borneo-Danum-Valley1.jpg
  • Danum-Valley-centipede.jpg
  • Danum-Valley-ant-4.jpg
  • Danum-Valley-moth.jpg
  • Danum-Valley-millipede.jpg
  • Danum-Valley-ant.jpg
  • Palawan-underground-river32.jpg
  • Palawan-underground-river41.jpg
  • DanumValley-25.tif
  • DanumValley-27.tif
  • Borneo-Danum-Valley2.tif
  • DanumValley-20.tif
  • DanumValley-17.tif
  • DanumValley-15.tif
  • Borneo-Danum-Valley-frog7.tif
  • Borneo-Danum-Valley11.tif
  • DanumValley-4.tif
  • Palawan-underground-river36.tif
  • Palawan-underground-river45.tif
  • Palawan-underground-river38.tif
  • Palawan-underground-river33.tif
  • Palawan-underground-river30.tif
  • Kayaking-Madagascar-vegetation4.jpg
  • Danum-Valley-crab-2.jpg
  • Mt.Kinabalo-stream.jpg
  • Borneo-Danum-Valley4.jpg
  • Borneo-Danum-Valley8.jpg
  • Borneo-Danum-Valley-frog4.jpg
  • Danum-Valley-ant-3.jpg
  • Borneo-Danum-Valley6.tif
  • DanumValley-18.tif
  • DanumValley-12.tif
  • DanumValley-13.tif
  • Borneo-Danum-Valley-frog6.tif
  • Palawan-underground-river47.tif
  • Palawan-underground-river37.tif
  • Danum-Valley-scorpion.jpg
  • Danum-Valley-mantis-2.jpg
  • Borneo-Danum-Valley3.jpg
  • Borneo-Danum-Valley-frog1.jpg
  • Palawan-underground-river42.jpg
  • Borneo-Danum-Valley-lizard1.tif
  • Kayaking-Madagascar-vegetation21.jpg
  • Amber Mountain National Park, a prominent volcanic massif in the north of the country, is the oldest protected area in Madagascar, and is known for its waterfalls and crater lakes, and is one of the most biologically diverse places in all of Madagascar with 75 species of birds, 25 of mammals, 59 species of reptiles, and ???? species of frogs.<br />
Although it is so accessible and supposedly Madagascar’s most visited natural attraction I was fortunate enough to be there when it was almost empty. The prominent view sites for the park’s waterfalls are really breathtaking. The night walks were very rewarding, especially for an abundance of frog species. The icing on the cake of a very rewarding trip there was discovering a beautiful leaf-tailed gecko on the tree that my hammock was attached to. I discovered it in the middle of the night when I got up to relieve myself. I had trekked far and wide in the hope of finding more of those amazing, elusive creatures and one blessed me with a personal visit in the dead of night.
    Kayaking-Madagascar-journey48.jpg
  • Kayaking-Madagascar-vegetation23.jpg
  • Kayaking-Madagascar-reptiles20.jpg
  • kayaking-Madagascar-frogs53.jpg
  • kayaking-Madagascar-frogs60.jpg
  • kayaking-Madagascar-frogs28.jpg
  • Kayak-Madagascar-invertebrateNew-Mad...jpg
  • Marojejy National Park was undoubtedly one of the highlights of my trip. The Marojejy Massif is a chain of mountains that rises to an elevation of 2,132 metres.The trekking up to the peaks was challenging, the scenery incredible, and the abundance and biodiversity of the flora and fauna all along the way was second to none: at least 118 species of birds, 148 species of reptiles and amphibians, and 11 species of lemur occur within Marojejy National Park. One of the lemurs, the silky sifaka (Propithecus candidus) is one of the world’s 25 most endangered primates.<br />
I travelled with a lovely couple from Switzerland, and we had an excellent guide called Rombo. The second base camp was just out of this world! The camp was raised up on stilts and overlooked a river that plummeted to the valley below and opposite, one of the peaks of the Marojejy massif towered above us; all around was lush verdant forest that resonated with the sound of birds, frogs and insects.
    Kayaking-Madagascar-journey45.jpg
  • Borneo-Gunung-Mulu-rainforest11.jpg
  • Borneo-Gunung-Mulu-reptile9.jpg
  • Mt.Kinabalo-frog-3.jpg
  • Kayaking-Madagascar-reptiles14.jpg
  • MtKinabalo-13.tif
  • MtKinabalo-11.tif
  • MtKinabalo-3.tif
  • Borneo-GunungMulu-invertebrate19.tif
Next