Crane Family Adventure: Lemur Park

On the way to the Lemur Park

The view outside the Lemur Park

Things here are going well, ON Monday July 8th 2013, we went to a Lemur Park with the Missionaries. On Mondays is their P day. (personal day) they have until 5pm to do laundry, shopping, writing letters, emailing, most anything that is PERSONAL. not church related. So outing we have gone on.. Back to Monday..

We drove for about and thirty min on decent pavement, then about another 30-45 min on this washed out one lane dirt road. The road has ruts from the cars traveling on it, that are about 2 feet deep that swerve all over the path. To avoid the pot holes and rain washed out spots, That are about 3 feet deep. This road winded and went up and down hills, There were spot that were just wide enough to pull over and let someone else pass. Finally we arrive at a small village, and on the other side of the village was the park.

After coming into the park we walked up the hill to a area with several trees. IT was all open air and non of the lemurs were in cages. There was about a dozen Coquerel Sifaka lemurs (brown and white) and a few Sahamalaza sportive lemur (brown) One of the Sahamalaza sportive lemur was blind on his left eye. Dar liked him..

Sahamalaza sportive lemur


Coquerel Sifaka lemur, The lemurs were very gentle, The people who worked/lived there handed us bananas to feed them, we also fed them peanuts and peanut butter, but they really seemed to like the bananas the best. The Lemurs surprised me in the way they genteelly took your hand and slowly brought it up to their mouths, then eat the food you were holding.

Kenna seemed to enjoy feeding them!

Kenna

Corinne, feeding peanut butter covered banana

Corinne, feeding

Abc only got scared one time, when two Lemurs were fighting over some food one of them took up in to the tree. The missionaries enjoyed themselves also, Only 2 of the 8 had been there before.

Dar even did it several times Abc only got scared one time, when two Lemurs were fighting over some food one of them took up in to the tree. The missionaries enjoyed themselves also, Only 2 of the 8 had been there before.

He took the banana so carefully

Kenna seemed to have a good time, one even took her ENTIRE banana!

Abc was so calm!

After Feeding the Lemurs we toured the rest of the park, There were a few turtles. Dar tried to feed them green beens and cabbage.

He would not eat that bean!

The baby turtle did not want to eat either

After Feeding the Lemurs we toured the rest of the park, There were a few bunny’s, and a cool frog, After we were done in the main court yard, One of the men took us to see the crocodiles.


What do you see?? A man, a checken and a croc

There were 2 crocodiles in the pen, One seemed to be sleep and the other was a little more active. Well, His eyes were open... The Elders asked if we could feed them one of the chickens that was running around loose. The answer was YES but for 7000 ARIARY ($3.50) Remember it was only 10000 ariary a piece to get in..($5.00)

One of the men grabbed a chicken and walking he went into the pen, The chicken must have known what was coming because he freaked out. Several times the man tossed the chicken toward the croc and several times the croc missed.

Each time the man grew more leery and seemed to be getting more nervous. With each failed attempt you could hear the croc's jaws slam shut, SUCH AN EIRY sound.

Finally the croc got the wing of the bird. And broke it off. The chicken lay hidden behind a sapling.

Frustrated and wanting us to give us our moneys worth the man inside the cage poked the croc with a stick to get him to move and be able to get the rest of the chicken and with one loud snap the once thriving chicken was in the mouth of the croc.

with the exception of the Crocs we were able to handle all the animals

After the croc pen, we continues on the trail, we saw lots of different little cages, each housing different reptiles, mostly lizards, Chameleon of different types, frogs and One or two snakes. It was a great time!!