Should I Visit Lemur Island

MADAGASCAR

Should you visit Lemur Island in Madagascar?

Written by Andrew James

Lemur Island

Madagascar is a fascinating country with incredibly diverse wildlife. Many species, such as the various lemurs that inhabit the island, are not found anywhere else. Yet despite this richness in unique biodiversity, you don’t see wildlife everywhere as some people imagine. Instead, you have to visit the many national parks where wildlife is given sanctuary and space to live. Taking photos of the animals in these places can be exciting but isn’t necessarily easy. These are wild animals behaving naturally – feeding high up in the canopy of the dense rainforest, or as animals like lemurs often do, just chilling out and doing very little at all. Without a long lens, a good camera and some understanding of how to take photos in the tricky conditions of dense forest, it’s easy to come away without a good shot. That’s if you even find the animals. Remember, they are wild and don’t necessarily want to be seen. You’ll certainly get some exercise looking for them with your guide.

This is all very different to the experience on Lemur Island, a small sanctuary not far from Andasibe National Park that says its lemur residents are rescued from the pet trade. I have no reason to dispute this, but no evidence to prove it either. On Lemur Island, you will see several species of lemur and get lots of photographs of them, I guarantee it. You don’t even need an expensive camera and lens either, because your smartphone is plenty good enough. Why? Simply because the lemurs are habituated to humans, keen to get a treat, usually mashed banana that will be smeared onto a branch to encourage them in your direction. Sounds great, right? For an easy, ‘I’ve got an Instagram-able photo’, it’s awesome. Even for those with expensive cameras, it provides an opportunity to close-up shots rarely possible elsewhere, and if you don’t care about taking photos at all, you get to see some of Madagascar’s precious wildlife at close quarters.

I’ve photographed wildlife all around the world and I’ll be honest, Lemur Island was my least favourite Madagascan experience. That said, I did love some of the images I took, but I accepted that it was a very different challenge. Instead of the lemurs being too far away, they were often too close. This gave me the opportunity to take images of their hands or the face of a baby clinging to its mother. It also meant I could ditch the heavy long lens I had carried for miles around some of the national parks in favour of a lighter wide-angle lens. So, am I a hypocrite for visiting (more than once) and liking the images I took? Ultimately, I have concluded that Lemur Island is a positive thing. The lemurs I saw were healthy – if inevitably a little broader in the belly than their truly wild brothers and sisters in the forest. However, the occasional smear of banana is far less fattening than the big chunks of it they may have been given in past times. I have also been told that lemurs were once encouraged to jump onto the shoulders of tourists, but this doesn’t happen now, I am pleased to say. Well, I certainly haven’t seen it anyway.

As long as visitors treat the animals with respect under the watchful eyes of the local guides, it is an experience people can enjoy and a life for the rescued lemurs that is certainly better than perhaps they previously experienced. They are free to roam the island and disappear into the trees if, for some reason, they are threatened or are simply bored by human visitors.

I found the best way to enjoy the lemurs was to stand back from the group, but still within sight of the guide, since the lemurs knew he was the one who might give them a treat. This way I could shoot all the images as I wanted, with minimal disturbance and the animals looking relaxed. Not once did I ask the guide to try and encourage an animal onto a particular branch or tree. I let them do what they wanted and simply took my photographs around them.

Practical tips for visiting Lemur Island.

Lemur island is great for photographers, or families with children looking for close lemur encounters. The lemurs are very tame so this is not a wild experience by any stretch of the imagine, but it is a relaxing and easy way to spend an afternoon after a morning trekking through the rainforest. If you dislike zoos, this is one to miss, as it does have that feel to it, despite what they say about the lemurs being "wild".
You can no longer take a boat ride around the islands (unless staying at Vakona Lodge where Lemur Island is located), instead you will cross the river (have some small ariary notes ready for your boatman), from there you will walk around one island and have views over to one other where they will encourage lemurs to the shore with fruit. The path is flat and very short.
Ask your guide to go as late in the day as possible, when the light is nicer and there are less visitors.
Most information online about lemur island is out of date and many tour operators show pictures of ring tailed lemurs which you won't see. The species you will see (as of March 2025) are Common Brown Lemur (Eulemur fulvus), Black-and-White Ruffed Lemur (Varecia variegata), Golden Sifaka (Propithecus tattersalli), Red-Ruffed Lemur (Varecia rubra), Eastern Grey Bamboo Lemur (Hapalemur griseus).
You are not allowed to touch the lemurs and they are no longer encouraged to climb onto people.

Dos and don’ts for photographing at lemur island.

Don’t disturb the animals by chasing them around or getting too close with your camera.
Don’t try to touch a lemur as it will feel threatened or feed them with anything – even fruit!
Don’t ask a guide to make the animal behave unnaturally.
Do stand or sit quietly to one side and enjoy watching them.
Do think about the light and position yourself so you can make your photo more interesting.
Do listen to the guide and ask him what the different species are.

If you would like an honest chat about lemur island and how to plan a trip to Madagasar please get in touch. We'd love to talk.