Giant jumping rat at Kirindy Forest

Kirindy Forest's dry deciduous woodland, with its tangle of baobabs & thorny scrub, is one of the best places in western Madagascar to find the giant jumping rat, a nocturnal specialist that shares this Menabe habitat with fossa, narrow-striped mongoose & red-fronted brown lemur. Photographing this elusive rodent demands patience after dark, when the reserve's arid understorey comes alive with activity. Travellers joining the Madagascar Wildlife & Rainforest holiday typically visit in November, giving photographers a genuine chance to capture this rarely-seen species on camera. A slow shutter approach & a good spotlight are essential companions for a productive night in Kirindy.