The dry forest of Ankarafantsika provided mega birds and mammals including Van Dam’s vanga, Madagascar fish eagle and jacana, white-breasted mesite, Schlegel’s asity, mongoose lemur or Coquerel’s sifaka.

Rainforest and vibrant town life merge in the village of Ranomafana: lemurs by the road, partridges in the outskirts and vangas in the village gardens bring nature into everyday life.

Mauritius capital city turned out to bear good numbers of the endemic and endangered Mauritius flying fox. Curlew and Terek sandpipers or greater sand plovers occur in the city’s Terre Rouge bird sanctuary.

A trip to visit friends in Réunion Island years ago included a hike to Roche-Écrite as the birdwatching highlight. While looking for the extremely rare Réunion cuckooshrike, I encounter most of the island endemics.