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184 IGUANA  •  VOLUME 14, NUMBER 3  •  SEPTEMBER 2007 KERN

This Phelsuma klemmeri demonstrates a possibly symbiotic behavior with arthropods that we observed during the expedition.

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IGUANA  •  VOLUME 14, NUMBER 3  •  SEPTEMBER 2007 185TRAVELOGUE

During the summer of 2006, I was fortunate enough to join
Emmanuel Van Heygen and the Exo Terra Expedition to

explore remote areas of Madagascar in search of Phelsuma (Day
Geckos). Specifically, the team sought to better understand the
habitat and behavior of the species in this genus and, if lucky,
repeat the success of the 2004 Expedition to the same region,
discovering and documenting a new species.

Phelsuma, or Day Geckos, as the common name implies,
are among the few gecko genera that are almost completely diur-
nal. Because they also can be fantastically colored in vibrant

greens, yellows, reds, and blues and have been successfully bred
in captivity, they make for a good show in a home terrarium.
Phelsuma can be found throughout the islands of the West
Indian Ocean, although Madagascar is home to the greatest
diversity of species. Our focus was on the northwestern region
of the country, specifically the Ambasidava Peninsula, an area
that still contains a reasonable amount of primary forest and
bamboo thickets, excellent Phelsuma habitat. Plus, due to the
difficulty of access to the region, it has not been heavily explored
and is rarely visited by tourists — making it an ideal area to
search for a new species.

Once in Madagascar, we had to travel by boat, because no
roads lead to the places we wanted to explore. Within a day of
landing in Nosy Be, we were on the water heading toward the
Mozambique Channel hugging the northwestern coast, enter-
ing rivers and heading as far upstream as possible to the target
areas that had been identified through knowledge gained from
previous trips, data gleaned from maps, discussions with people
who had recently visited or lived in the area, and satellite images
downloaded from Google Earth.

Two members of the four-member team, Emmanuel Van
Heygen and Achim Lerner, had journeyed to this region in 2004
and had discovered and documented a new Day Gecko species,
Phelsuma vanheygeni. Within the last decade, a new species of
Lemur also had been discovered in this area, bolstering our
hopes that another new species of Phelsuma could be found. At
the very least, we knew we would learn more about the herpetol-
ogy of this relatively unexplored region.

Our first sighting of Phelsuma occurred immediately after our
arrival in Nosy Be, an island north of the Madagascan mainland.
Here we found both the abundant and beautiful P. laticauda lati-
cauda as well as P. dubia. The hunt was not particularly difficult,
as P. laticauda readily exploited human habitats. Within a few

T R A V E L O G U E

The Day Geckos of Madagascar
Michael D. Kern

Photographs by the author.

Children take advantage of the low tide to hunt for seafood along the
southern coast of Nosy Be.

Emmanuel van Heygen and Achim Lerner plot the course for the expe-
dition using maps, GPS, and pictures from Google Earth.

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186 IGUANA  •  VOLUME 14, NUMBER 3  •  SEPTEMBER 2007

meters, we also found a hatchling P. dubia shedding, possibly for
the first time. The vibrant blue dots only seen in juveniles were
readily apparent beneath the shedding skin. We had only just
arrived, and were already surrounded by exotic geckos!

Our first stop on the mainland was Ankify, which has roads
that lead to large areas covered by untamed bamboo thickets.
After only about an hour of searching, we found the boldly col-

ored P. klemmeri, which we were able to confirm lives mostly in
and on the dead brownish-yellow bamboo. At the time of the
first sighting, several expedition members were trying to capture
a Madagascan Hognose Snake (Leioheterodon madagascariensis),
for which they had set aside a magnificently colored caterpillar.
With the discovery of the Phelsuma, however, the snake was
stashed in a backpack for later study, the caterpillar quickly for-

KERN

The floor of the bamboo jungle presents a number of challenges and
surprises including this Madagascan Hognose Snake (Leioheterodon
madagascariensis).

What this Oustalet’s Chameleon (Furcifer oustaleti) lacks in size, it makes up in beauty.

A baby Phelsuma madagascariensis grandis perches on a leaf to survey
its surroundings.

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IGUANA  •  VOLUME 14, NUMBER 3  •  SEPTEMBER 2007 187TRAVELOGUE

gotten. Emmanuel’s father, Guy, was filming the adventure while
I was happy taking still shots as the action unfolded. We also
found several species of Chameleons, including a distinctively
marked Furcifer pardalis and the giant F. oustaleti. Ankify was the
last contact with civilization we would have for the next ten
days.

Our next major stop was outside the small village of
Besovana. While seeking a suitable place to set up camp, we
found the first Phelsuma vanheygeni. A campsite near a small
stream gave us an opportunity to clean up and cool down from
the hot and humid equatorial climate. Better yet, the campsite
was surrounded by unspoiled bamboo. Our frequent treks from
camp to the field were short — and almost immediately produc-
tive. We would venture out in the morning as animals began to
bask, return and rest while geckos retreated from the extreme
midday heat, hike out again during the later afternoon as tem-
peratures began to drop, and journey out again after nightfall in
search of nocturnal creatures. We spent four days in this region
because of the density of Day Geckos. Species sighted included
P. vanheygeni, P. klemmeri, P. seippi, P. laticauda laticauda, and P.
madagascariensis grandis. We also saw geckos in the genus

The recently discovered Phelsuma vanheygeni lives on green bamboo stalks. When threatened it retreats into thickets of branches to hide.

Three members of the team relax at our Besovana campsite.

Although we did not realize it at the time, this Forest Night Snake
(Ithycyphus perineti) was on the hunt. Note the frog hiding in the bam-
boo in the lower right corner of the upper frame. The snake completely
ignored us during the hunt and throughout his meal.

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188 IGUANA  •  VOLUME 14, NUMBER 3  •  SEPTEMBER 2007 KERN

Lygodactylus and tree frogs of the genus Mantidactylus. A
Phelsuma fantasy come true!

Also, we observed an unusual behavior in Phelsuma. Many
individuals of several species were found positioned directly
below a moth or cicada, almost touching them, and lying per-
fectly still as if in a trance. We suspected some form of symbi-
otic behavior, which will require additional study to fully under-
stand. Additionally, we confirmed that P. vanheygeni, unlike P.
klemmeri, which makes its home on dead bamboo, prefers liv-
ing on green bamboo. Typically, P. vanheygeni also is found
higher in the denser vegetation of the bamboo stalks. Before we
left the area, the team was treated to a display of the hunting tac-
tics of a local colubrid snake, Ithycyphus perineti, that ignored us
as it moved from branch to branch on its way to a frog hiding
in a broken bamboo branch. Only after the snake quickly struck
the unsuspecting frog did we realize that it was “hiding” in plain
sight right in front of us.

While camping in Besovana, I finally learned to appreciate
the unique local climate and moisture patterns. As nighttime
temperatures drop substantially, the atmospheric humidity is
converted into water droplets. The result is so dramatic that, on
many nights, I thought rain was falling on my tent. By morn-
ing, everything is soaked. Drops of moisture have formed on
each leaf of every tree, giving the chameleons, geckos, and other
wildlife a plentiful and renewable source of drinking water.

Hunting Phelsuma in dense bamboo thickets is an adven-
ture in itself. The floors of the thickets are covered a foot deep
in leaf litter and broken bamboo stalks. Each step could startle
any creature away or, worse yet, the stalker could be impaled on

one of the many spear-sharp bamboo stalks standing upright at
knee to waist height, resulting in an injury that could prove
lethal in such a remote part of the world. So, you move slowly,
quietly, and as carefully as you can. Teams of two are best to
quickly trace each stalk and branch up and down and side to
side, alert for slight movements, flashes of color, or anything that
appears abnormal. Most geckos will see you first and quickly

A pair of camouflaged Leaftail Geckos (Uroplatus henkeli) sleep, well
hidden in the primary forests of Madagascar.

This Madagascan Leaf-nosed Snake (Langaha nasuta) was one of the
most interesting snakes found on the Expedition.

The morning dew forms on a bamboo plant showing how geckos,
chameleons, and other creatures get the water on which they depend.

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IGUANA  •  VOLUME 14, NUMBER 3  •  SEPTEMBER 2007 189

hide but, if you wait quietly for a few minutes, they often return
to their previous basking spots and into clear view.

The journey continued to Ambaleha, a large river village of
around 100 huts. Here we would climb to an elevation of nearly
400 m to get to a part of the remaining primary forests of
Madagascar. Since our arrival time had been dictated by Mother
Nature’s tides rather than our comfort, the grueling hike took
place during the heat of the day. The climb was worth it, how-
ever, for not only did we find primary forest where we were
excited to find a sleeping pair of Leaftail Geckos (Uroplatus
henkeli), but we also found more bamboo! At this campsite, we
found several species of snakes, including the always-interesting
Leafnose Snake (Langaha nasuta) and over seven different species

of geckos. We also were pleasantly surprised to find a Pink
Panther Chameleon, a unique variant of Furcifer pardalis.

Our final campsite was by a river in the village of Jungua,
where we were presented with an idyllic scene. Some men were
readying the large village fishing boat, while others paddled
upstream in their one-person pirogues. Women were washing
clothes, men and women were bathing, and children were run-
ning, playing, and splashing under the morning sun. For all its
simplicity, the village had generator power; so, at the end of the
day, we could venture over for a slightly cooled drink. We found
many of our old friends (Phelsuma vanheygeni, P. klemmeri, P.
seippi, P. madagascariensis grandis, and P. laticauda laticauda), but
were unable to identify and document another new species of
Phelsuma.

We did, however, gain new insights into the lives of geckos
in the genus Phelsuma. We learned more about the distributions
of several species and developed a better understanding of the
natural history and behavior of others. Sadly, the ongoing loss
of primary forest probably will affect the viability of many of
Madagascar’s endemics, but we take some solace in the fact that
the many species of Phelsuma that live in the bamboo are safe
for now and appear to be reasonably abundant. Much still
remains to be learned and the team plans to return to the region
in hopes of identifying new species before they are gone and find
answers to questions that will lead to a better understanding of
these rare and beautiful creatures.

For more information, including additional photos and video from
the Expedition, visit the Exo Terra website (www.exo-terra.com).

TRAVELOGUE

We found several rare “Pink Panther Chameleons” (Furcifer pardalis)
during this trip.

The Jungua River is a major resource and center of activity for this small village in Madagascar.

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