Madagascar

In the spiny forests of Madagascar, ring-tailed lemur troops might spend up to eight hours a day looking for food. The hostile environment is home to the euphorbia plant, which produces a sticky sap rich in fat. While the sap is known to burn human skin, ring-tailed lemurs have adapted to resist its corrosive powers, and it now acts as a major food source for this species.

In the village of Ampotaka, the dry season can last several months. In order to survive, its residents rely on the neighboring baobab trees passed on by their ancestors. When hollowed out, their trunks act as tanks to store water collected from the brief rains and can naturally hold over 20,000 gallons of water within their structures.

The Grand Tsingy is home to over 500 square miles of sharp, limestone pinnacles, towering over 400 feet. The area’s deep ravines hold moisture and create pockets of fresh vegetation sought after by the Decken’s sifaka. With thick, rubbery soles and the ability to jump up to 30 feet, this species of lemur is able to cross the miles of exposed rock to feed themselves and their young.

In Madagascar’s remote western desert, divers explore a hidden pool of water. Over 160 feet below the surface, this incredible underworld opens to over seven miles of connected tunnels and some of the largest underwater chambers in the world. Within these caves lies a graveyard carrying remains of now-extinct animals in Madagascar, including a lemur that once grew to the size of a gorilla.