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

Manager

Madagascar National Parks (MNP)

Area

22 227 ha

Geographic Location

Mahajanga Province; Boeny Region; Soalala District

International label

Key Biodiversity Area, Important Bird Area (IBA), Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE) site

Flagship Species

The National Park of Namoroka is constituted by a massif of lapiezed limestones or “Tsingy” essentially forested in its northern half, and by a landscape of meadows and secondary pastures in the southern half. The floristic species that are met there are known to have morphological characteristics of particular adaptation. From the fauna point of view, the park shelters an important fauna of bats, with the highest specific diversity among all the protected areas, thanks to the presence of numerous caves.

Primates

9 species

2 of which are critically endangered (e.g., von der Decken's sifaka), 2 endangered (e.g., the aye-aye nocturnal lemur) and 3 vulnerable (e.g., the northern giant microcebe)

Birds

102 species

3 of which are endangered (e.g. the Madagascan grebe) and 2 of which are vulnerable (e.g. the common falcon)

Reptiles

31 species

1 critically endangered, 1 endangered and 1 vulnerable

Amphibians

6 species

Bats

21 species

3 vulnerable species (e.g. the Madagascar flying fox)

Carnivores

2 species

1 vulnerable (the fosa)

10 species

Plants

544 species

364 endemic to Madagascar, of which 2 are endangered and 4 vulnerable; 15 local endemics among which 3 are critically endangered and 3 endangered

Landscapes and habitats

Tsingy, dense dry forest on limestone plateau, dense semi-deciduous forest, swamp forest, rock forest, secondary meadows and pastures.

Pressures and threats

Bush fires associated with the traditional practice of cattle rearing, illegal logging.

Economic value

The park constitutes a water reservoir that feeds the Kapiloza and Mandevy rivers, which provide water to the plains that enter the three existing communes in Soalala District (Soalala, Andranomavo and Ambohipaky) and discharge into the Mozambique Channel. The disappearance of the Park would deprive the District of Soalala of its hydrographic network: this would make it arid and without economic interest.

Initiatives of the populations

Like all protected areas managed by MNP, the management of the Baie de Baly - Namoroka MU is of the "collaborative co-management" type, with the participation of local community members in conservation and development activities. They are grouped in the CLP (local park committee) and COSAP (committee for orientation and support of protected areas)

Category