Madagascar Wildlife Conservation Adventure

The magical Island of Madagascar is famous for its bizarre wildlife, dramatic landscapes and unique ecosystems. Journey with us to northern Madagascar, a remote and mysterious land unlike anywhere else on earth! Places on this ancient, exotic island have vegetation and wildlife so strange that at times you'd even think that you were on another planet! Here you can find almost all of the world's 63 kinds of lemurs, dozens of species of chameleon including the world's smallest and largest, and strikingly beautiful fossa, a close relative of the mongoose. Nothing is quite as it seems in Madagascar, with strange animals lurking almost everywhere you look!

Madagascar is home to all of the world's remaining Lemurs, with over 100 species currently described and with new discoveries being made seemingly each year! Madagascar also has a huge diversity of chameleons, including the world’s smallest and largest, many endemic birds and the spectacular fossa, a cat like carnivore which is actually related to the mongoose family. The landscape is also full of strange and unusual plant species including bulbous baobab trees, exotic orchids and sprawling cactus, interspersed with pockets of lush riverine tropical forests and all combining to a produce a varied and wild landscape of steep cliffs and volcanic massifs.

The Frontier-Madagascar wildlife conservation project is based on the 'scented island' of Nosy Be, famous for its vanilla, ylang-ylang and mangoes. Whilst on the wildlife conservation project you’ll discover the huge variety of Madagascar's exotic species as you trek through remote regions of this hugely exciting island. Working alongside other dedicated volunteers, you’ll help to monitor the distribution and abundance of many groups of animal, assessing how they use their forest habitats and the important roles they play within the ecosystems. You will also help to evaluate the impacts that humans are having on the wildlife and the forests, and will contribute to the conservation of this rich and special land.

After a hard days trekking and exploration you can always take advantage of the camp’s beach front location and relax and on the golden beaches or snorkel in the crystal clear waters.

 

Read the latest science updates from this project on SeeConservation

Check out all the latest updates, videos, pictures and articles
from our Madagascar projects on the Gap Year Blog:

Location	Madagascar Discovering rare Madagascan wildlife
Activities	Assessing the biodiversity Compiling species lists Setting up trapsites Leaf-litter surveys Mapping of vegetation Assessing human disturbance Recording how local communities use their precious natural resources Beach R & R and snorkelling at the end of your trip
Transport	Minibus/truck/taxi-brousse/boat to beach camp
Accommodation	Bush-camp and beach camp

Before you go

Pre-departure support Travel & medical advice & documentation Equipment advice Discounted medical kit Free Frontier t-shirt UK residential briefing weekend including food, accommodation and training FREE for 10 week+ volunteers (US$128 per person for those participating for less that 10 weeks)

In-country

Food Accommodation Airport pick-up for those arriving on the first Monday of the month Internal Ground transfers & in-transit accommodation for those arriving on the first Monday of the month Local orientation and training  In-country emergency support 24-hour international HQ back-up Vocational qualification diploma or certificate in Tropical Habitat Conservation or CoPE available (4 week+ volunteers) PADI scuba diving courses available extra cost applies (subject to availability)

What Next? Apply Now!

WHAT DOES THE PROJECT DO?

Spot species found nowhere else on Earth

Madagascar has been isolated for over 165 million years, creating a biodiversity resource of global significance, with over 80% of species found nowhere else on earth, including leaping Sifaka Lemurs, Lesser Mouse Lemurs or even the elusive Fat-tailed Dwarf Lemur. Reptiles include tortoises, snakes, iguanas and a vast array of chameleons, including both the smallest and largest in the world. There is spectacular bird life, and over three-quarters of the flora are endemic, with palms and more orchids than in all of mainland Africa.

This incredible flora and fauna, unique in its ability to resist the region's aridity, has led naturalists to describe Madagascar's forests as "the eighth wonder of the world".

Desertification & hunting

Madagascar's human population has doubled since 1960, leading to increased deforestation and overgrazing, which in turn has caused massive soil erosion and desertification. Only one tenth of the original forests remain, and this situation is rapidly deteriorating.

Empower Malagasy communities

You will be surveying the flora and fauna of the region through biodiversity surveys of mammals, birds, butterflies, reptiles and amphibians. Madagascar is also one of the few places you can learn to handle snakes without fear of being bitten. You will learn about friendly Malagasy culture from working with local university students, and you will interact with communities to survey their resource use and conduct environmental education days. This will enable you to evaluate the impact of human populations on the wildlife, and help to develop areas where communities can lead sustainable lifestyles.

WHAT WILL I BE DOING?

The main aims of the programme are to assess the biodiversity in this little-studied area and compare different habitat types and altitudes. Compiling a species inventory will involve carrying out extensive surveys of mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians in the surrounding forests. This means setting up several trap sites to collect species in buckets, canopy traps and from leaf-litter extraction as well as surveys of lemurs and night walks. In addition we will also be doing mapping of vegetation, disturbance and resource-use in the area to build up a GIS map. 

If this is your first time doing conservation work, don't worry! It will only take a short while for you to feel totally at home on camp and confident with the science work. Although the work is intense you'll find that living in such a beautiful and inaccessible environment alongside friends who share your passion for conservation will be the experience of a lifetime!

You'll find your team to be a fun, dynamic mix of ages (usually between 18 and 25, though no age limit applies), and experiences, with members who all share a passion about travelling in developing countries and saving endangered life. Your staff will be young, friendly individuals who are highly experienced in their field and many may have volunteered on a Frontier project earlier in their career.
 

What Next? Apply Now!

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I ARRIVE?

You will be welcomed by a Frontier representative at Nosy Be airport before 12 noon on the first Monday of the project. From here it's a short minibus or truck ride from the airport to the town centre prior to transferring by boat over to the Frontier Madagascar camp on the beach at Nosy Be. Here you will be introduced to the Frontier-Madagascar research and conservation program. You will meet staff, receive some initial project briefings, including an introduction to the work programme and to the field research techniques used, as well as being given health and safety lectures, so make sure your medical kit is complete and start reading your Safety and Medical Guides now.

At the end of your trip you will join the marine research team for a well earned beach party before heading back home or off on independent travels. If you are joining for the 4 weeks project you will be transferred back to the town of Nosy Be  from where you can reach the airport or start your onward independent travel.

Independent travellers arriving on dates other than the first Monday of the month can arrange a separate airport collection (extra cost; US$56GBP) by contacting the camp staff in Nosy Be.   

WHERE WILL I BE STAYING?

During the project you'll trek each day from the main campsite on the beach at Nosy Be, along with other Frontier volunteers and staff, to distant and remote sites in the forest to conduct the field work. We aim to provide you with a unique and memorable living experience. The Frontier field camps are designed to blend in with the surrounding natural environments. They  consist of a collection of tents and shelters sometimes incorporating simple local dwellings constructed by Frontier volunteers working with local staff, using traditional building techniques and locally sourced materials. Your beach camp will make no permanent or intrusive impact on the environment and will provide you with a special home during your stay. 

Life on camp is simple unsophisticated and fun. We believe that part of the excitement of journeying to a foreign country comes from immersing yourself with the local communities and living at one with nature.  In your beach-camp your "shower" may consist of a river-pool, jug or bucket of water or wash in the sea and you will be cooking over an open fire: so prepare yourself for the simple, footprint less, unencumbered lifestyle!  When you are trekking away from the base camp you may stay on a "satellite camp" which may consist of a mosquito net pitched in a remote clearing. You will help run camp from day-to-day, taking turns to cook, collect firewood, purify water, and other essential camp maintenance duties.

At the end of your period of field work you will enjoy a few days of well deserved rest and relaxation with swimming and snorkelling in the fabulous crystal clear offshore waters.

WHAT WILL I BE EATING?

Camp food is basic and nutritious and consists largely of rice, vegetables, beans and noodles, all of which are purchased locally in order to help support the local economy. Luxuries such as chocolate, peanut butter and drinking chocolate must be imported from the local town, so make sure you stock up before heading to the field! Part of your role on camp will be to help with the cooking, so get your cookbooks out now and start practising! Also, with luck you'll be invited to local feasts and festivals – a great way to meet locals and enjoy local culture.
 

What Next? Apply Now!

CAMP SITES ARE BEAUTIFUL!  | 8 Mar 2013
    When we first landed in Madagascar, we were all feeling a little tired as o...

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RARE AND AMAZING WILDLIFE IN MADAGASCAR  | 1 Mar 2013
  When we first landed in Madagascar, we were all feeling a little jaded as our flight h...

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MADAGASCAR- AN ABUNDANCE OF COLOUR  | 30 Jan 2013
My role is as assistant research officer on the Madagascar forest program. In the three weeks tha...

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FOREST RESEARCH, FUN AND SUN  | 25 Jan 2013
Being an Assistant Research Officer with Frontier has allowed me to travel in a different way. In...

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BUCKET LIST FROM CHLOE ROSSI MADAGASCAR ARO  | 19 Dec 2012
ARO for Madagascar, Chloe Rossi, who has been out of Frontier's camp since September sent us ...

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MADAGASCAR IS UNIQUE AND INCREDIBLE  | 22 Nov 2012
Since wanting to come here for so long I finally am here, it has taken a while to sink in. Madaga...

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A MUST FOR ALL!  | 9 Nov 2012
I have been on the Madagascar camp for 2 months now and I am really enjoying the experience. ...

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MADAGASCAR IS A WONDERFUL PLACE  | 25 Oct 2012
Coming to Madagascar has been an ambition of mine for a long time, ever since I first read one of...

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HELPFUL AND ENTHUSIATIC STAFF IN MADAGASCAR  | 18 Oct 2012
From the beginning of the process, Frontier went out of their way to be helpful which to a first ...

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A TRULY INCREDIBLE WEEK IN MADAGASCAR  | 2 Oct 2012
The Madagascar forest group visited two satellite camps in special forest reserves. These include...

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1 to 10 next >

THE STONE FOREST HOLDS MANY SECRET INHABITANTS  | 30 Apr 2013
The Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the Melaky Region...

BLOODSUCKING FLIES HELP IDENTITY RARE MAMMALS  | 22 Jan 2013
Researchers have found a new day of tracking the movement of rare and hard to find species. They ...

ANIMAL SUPER-SENSES AND HUMAN TECHNOLOGY  | 26 Nov 2012
Here is a roundup of animals’ extraordinary super-senses and the lessons we can learn from ...

MADAGASCAR’S PALMS COULD BECOME EXTINCT  | 1 Nov 2012
The IUCN Red List of threatened species doesn’t just feature the most endangered animals; i...

MADAGASCAR HOME TO MOST THREATENED PRIMATES  | 19 Oct 2012
The biannual top 25 primates list, ‘Primates in Peril’, has been released by a group ...

SMALL TREE FROGS USE "CHEAT" TO FIND A MATE  | 15 Oct 2012
A recent publication in Animal Behaviour, carried out research looking at the tactics differ...

HOW TO BE A BAT DETECTIVE  | 8 Oct 2012
Bat Detective is an online citizen science project where you can help monitor bats across Eu...

BAT MONITORING ADVANCES - A KEY FOR NOSY BE  | 12 Sep 2012
In July this year a collaboration between Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust and Bristol Univers...

SCIENTISTS FIND BIRDS HOLD FUNERALS  | 4 Sep 2012
A recent publication in the journal Animal Behaviour has found that the western scrub jay holds &...

KILLER ANTS STRIKE INSECTS ON THEIR HEAD  | 5 Jul 2012
The trap-jawed ant Daceton armigerum is an ant to be reckoned with. It is known to dominate other ants and take down prey a hundred times its own weight.

WILDLIFE DIVERSITY AFFECTED BY DEFORESTATION  | 7 Jun 2012
Madagascar’s beautiful and vibrant environment makes it a thriving habitat for exotic flora and fauna and diverse landscapes.

CHAMELEONS - HOW AND WHY THEY CHANGE COLOUR  | 1 May 2012
Chameleons are fascinating creatures. They have the ability to see in two different directions at...

Exciting new discoveries in Madagascar....  | 27 Feb 2012
The foresters were on satellite camp last week and had the privilege of seeing all sorts of new s...

In the Heat of the Moment  | 23 Jan 2012
Findings published by the International Journal of Primatology describe how the aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis is able to heat its middle finger to aid in the detection of prey items.

Lemur studies in Madagascar  | 28 Dec 2011
  Over the past few weeks, the Madagascar Forest research team have been dedicating...

Get that lemur feeling in Madagascar  | 11 Aug 2011
Our Madagascar Forest volunteers started an exciting new lemur distribution survey on the island of Nosy Be last weekend

Going batty in Madagascar  | 4 Aug 2011
Only a few weeks into phase and Madagascar's bat surveys are well under way.

Snake sightings in Madagascar  | 24 Jun 2011
Madagascar is home to some of the world's most spectacular and least explored wildlife and ec...

Illegal logging crackdown in Madagascar  | 6 Jun 2011
Attempts to stem the tide of illegal logging in Madagascar have taken a postive turn recently with a government crackdown

Plight of the Fossa  | 21 Feb 2011
Recent research been undertaken by a PhD student at Germany's University of Göttingen has found that the unique Madagascan Fossa may be far more endangered than currently thought.

Social meltdown in Marmots  | 31 Jan 2011
The allee effect has been shown to have dire consequences, are there further risks for madagascar's lemurs?

Forest Fire Threat to Wildlife in Madagascar  | 10 Jan 2011
Recent analysis of NASA images have shed light on the huge number of forest fires affecting Madagascar in the last two years.

Lemur Discovery in Madagascar  | 13 Dec 2010
A new species of lemur has been discovered in Madagascar, very close to the Frontier project site!

Madagascar under threat  | 2 Dec 2010
Environmentalists are warning that much of Madagascar’s unique biodiversity may be under threat from an increase in illegal logging, resulting from the country’s recent political troubles.

Bird is the Word  | 26 Oct 2010
Bird census surveys in Northern Madagascar have been quite successful. The data collected will be used to gain a better understanding of species assemblages in different habitat types.

Trapped like a Mouse Lemur  | 8 Sep 2010
The Frontier Madagascar research team has been laying out traps to identify the small mammal species present in isolated forests in Northern Madagascar. This is what they have discovered.

Chameleon Compendium  | 21 Jul 2010
Chameleon Surveys in Madagascar have shown some success. The data collected will be used to assess chameleon populations and their habitat dependencies.

On The Prowl For Fossas  | 28 May 2010
Considering the incredible diversity of wildlife in Madagascar, it may not be surprising that our team keeps coming back with amazing stories of the most incredible animals

Lemurs "Feeding in the Dark"  | 30 Mar 2010
n Madagascar, one of our budding assistant research officers has undertaken some groundbreaking research and produced some very interesting data

Eavesdropping on Lemurs  | 25 Feb 2010
This week we are following the research team in Madagascar, who at this very minute, are conducting research in an unchartered paradise

Ssssignificant Discovery  | 3 Dec 2009
The Madagascar Forest teams’ reptile surveys have paid off, yielding some amazing discoveries

Unique to Madagascar: Survey brings exciting findings  | 1 Jun 2009
I don’t think there is anywhere else in the world quite like Madagascar. Crammed full with weird and wonderful creatures!

Volunteers essential to conservation  | 26 May 2009
New research carried out by ex Frontier staff has shown the importance of volunteer work to conservation in one of the world’s most threatened areas

CARNIVOROUS PLANTS GET 'FULL' ON POLLUTION  |
  Photo courtesy of  wendye7123 A recent study in Sweden shows that c...

LEECHES - THE FUTURE OF CONSERVATION ?  |
  Photo Courtesy of Thejaswi   A recent breakthrough in the mission to...

ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

The Frontier-Madagascar camp is great fun and in your spare time you'll have opportunities to swim in waterfalls, play football and beach / river volleyball against the mostly unbeatable local teams.  You can socialise, sit around the campfire, enjoy a traditional Saturday night themed camp party, play chess, poker or backgammon or join in a camp quiz night. After a long hard day of trekking and working in the field you may wish to relax with a drink and sway in the camp hammock, if you've made one, chatting to your new friends under a tropical sky lit by a million twinkling stars, before drifting off to sleep to the exotic calls that fill a tropical night.

A range of adventure and cultural activities like visits to remote villages, dive trips, and river rafting are available. Talk to our local staff teams to fix these with local providers and tour operators.

Scuba diving courses may be available (subject to availability of spaces and time constraints).

Dive courses run monthly commencing on the first Monday of the month

• Single Day snorkelling off the boats US$16/$16
• Single Day Dive US$48/$48
• Double Dive US$80/$80
• 4-dive package US$160/$160
• 10-dive package US$320/$320

COURSES*

• Discover Scuba Diving US$104/$100
• Open Water Dive Course US$400/$390
• Advanced Open Water US$368/$360
• Emergency First Responder US$160/$155
• Rescue Diver US$480/$470
• Dive Master US$800/$775

*Medical certificate is mandatory for participation in dive courses