Ankarea - Fondation pour les Aires Protégées et la Biodiversité de Madagascar

Manager

WCS

Area

135 556 ha

Geographic location

Diégo-Suarez Province; DIANA Region; Ambilobe District

International label

Key Biodiversity Area

Flagship Species

The Harmonious Landscape of Ankarea is of known ecological importance thanks to its rich marine biodiversity: a wide variety of resilient coral reefs, marine mammals, sharks and rays, as well as sea turtles. Coral cover in the Harmonious Landscape of Ankarea is estimated at 40%, with the greatest biological wealth in the Indian Ocean. The PA is ranked among the top 10 sites in the world in terms of fish species richness, with a potential biomass of reef fish. It has three marine turtle nesting sites: the islet of Tsarabanjina and the villages of Ankarana and Andatsatsa on Grand Mitsio. In addition, the site’s phanerogam meadows provide food for marine mammals and green turtles.

Reptiles

4 species

Sea turtles, including 2 critically endangered species (hawksbill turtle, leatherback turtle) and 2 endangered species (green turtle, loggerhead turtle)

Marine mammals

6 species

3 classified as vulnerable (dugongs, long-snouted dolphins, Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins)

Seabirds

10 species

One species critically endangered (Ankoay or Madagascar Fish Eagle)

Corals

117 species

Scleractinian corals

Sharks and rays

25 species

Fish

109 species

Mollusks

79 species

Seagrass beds

5 species

Phanerogam

Economic value

Households are dependent on fishery resources. Diving fishing generates the most income for fishermen. Furthermore, the management of the Ankarea Harmonious Landscape takes into account measures for good fisheries governance as outlined in the fisheries code (Law No. 053 2015 of 02/12/2015) and the guidelines of the Fisheries Management Plan for the area.

Contribution of local communities

A shared governance approach has been adopted for the management of the Ankarea site, characterized by cooperation between the PA manager, WCS, and stakeholders, including local communities. As co-managers, WCS and the Ankarea association work together in carrying out the activities assigned to the Management Committee, ensuring the complementarity of interventions by each structure (decision-making, development of DINA, PAG, monitoring activities). The communities also participate in conservation activities such as patrols and ecological monitoring.

Category