This summer, we were extremely fortunate to have two outstanding undergrad student photographers on staff — including Patrick Ross, a work-study student in the Education Department (he was an amazing tour guide) and a member of our research team! A senior at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC, Patrick left this August to study abroad in Madagascar. He promised to send us regular photo updates and WOW, has he delivered on that promise!
Image gallery
Notes + photos from the field
“This first week I am in Antananarivo. I arrived today (8/25/18) in the afternoon from a layover in Mauritius. By the time I was truly taking pictures it was dusk.” Photo (c) Patrick Ross.
“Anne worked this stall within a large pop-up market in the center of Antananarivo. She agreed to have this image of her posted on social media — translated by my Malagasy friend. Just before this photo was taken, a chicken and her chicks ran past me. The market, while pungent with the smells of various meats in the air, was a truly great place to be….. Roughly 20x the size of the Durham Farmer’s Market. Many more pictures of animals to come — I’m only hours now away from being in Antalaha. My homestay there is on the edge of a vanilla plantation and I have packed a full macro set for night excursions into the nearby secondary forests.” Photo (c) Patrick Ross.
“Here are the last pic from the central highlands. There are many pictures to come — I’ll be looking at more wild lemurs soon!” Photo (c) Patrick Ross.
“We just landed in the SAVA region. Here is a picture of that greenness… I have a full set of macro and *far* reaching telephoto so be on the lookout of many many animal shots!” Photo (c) Patrick Ross.
“Here are some more pictures from my excursions here in Mada! I have just returned from backpacking in the newly protected 6000ha Makirovina Tsihomanaomby nature reserve, and [this image is] from there — but early Monday morning I’m headed up to the Daraina area where researcher Brandon Semel works. He and I actually are just finishing up a trail camera study there.” Photo (c) Patrick Ross.
Critically endangered golden-crowned sifaka (Propithicus tattersali). “This photo took a whole day’s worth of hiking through sub-humid forest on dusty windy spiky cliffs. They were gorgeous to watch through the lens, and my guide — a huge asset in finding these remote lemurs — was happy to see the photos. These look close-up but I have been lugging around a super telephoto and it happened to be extra worth it this day!” Photo (c) Patrick Ross.
