Accompanied to the entrance of the massif by botanist Lucile Allorge, a team of 11 led by Evrard Wendenbaum penetrated the most remote and inaccessible canyons of the Makay for the first time in August 2007. They reached the source of the Makay river, then the summit plateau of the massif and crossed almost two-thirds of the massif from south to north on their own, discovering for the first time some ecosystems totally isolated from the rest of the world and conducive to the development of new species.
The team was composed of:
- Evrard Wendenbaum: expedition leader, film-maker and photographer
- Giovanni Quirici : professionnal climber
- Mohamed Mezaga : geographer
We should also mention the support team, without whom this trip would not have been possible:
- Paul Tafara (Chief porter)
- Didier Rakotonanrasan
- Jean-Pierre Randiamifidy
- Mamalahy
- Zambilahy
- Romain Faralahatra
- Jean-Pierre Ndrianambininatodisoa (Tody)
- Tiby
This exploratory expedition made it possible to identify the various ecosystems studied in the massif and to assess the state of degradation of the environment. It also enabled us to discover the best access points and the logistical difficulties to be managed for future scientific missions. This expedition launched the Makay conservation project and led to the creation of the Naturevolution association.
