It had curled up into a tight impenetrable ball, its self-defence posture assumed as my boots had disturbed it in its home amongst the russet leaf-litter of the rainforest. That made it easy for me to scoop it up and carry it off in my pocket – or so I thought.
The heat of my body must have enlivened it though as I’d only walked a couple of hundred metres when I felt it moving, unfurling in my trousers from its perfect sphere. I pulled it out to take a closer look, interrupting its unrolling. Neither of us moved for a moment.
A flash of sunlight filtered through the forest canopy made it shine a deep emerald green. As it unfurled, its segments showed strongly, more like armour than the exoskeleton of any living thing.
It unrolled further. Two blob-topped segmented antennae appeared at one end, while its feet felt my skin and found purchase along my life line and fingerprints. Then, tentatively at first, the legs moved in ripples like a tiny masseuse exploring the palm of my hand. Tickling.
It progressed towards my outstretched fingertips, then I raised my hand, pointing skywards so I could admire it properly, this perfect giant pill millepede.
There is more about Madagascar here
Return to Ankarana
And for an account of the amazing rainforest where I encountered this impressive animal see
Into the Malagasy Rainforest