Harmonious Landscape Protected of Mangoky Ihotry Wetland Complex, Category V
Asity Madagascar
426,146 ha
Province of Toliara; Regions of Atsimo Andrefana and Menabe; Districts Morombe and Manja
Important Bird Area (IBA), Key Biodiversity Area (KBA)
CMI comprises different types of ecosystems typical of this ecoregion of western Madagascar: dense semi-deciduous dry forests, large lakes (Ihotry and satellite lakes), large areas of mangroves and a marine park. This complex also shelters a baobab forest.
The fauna and flora are very rich in endemic species, particularly water birds.
7 species
2 critically endangered (including the “sifaka “or jumping lemur) and 2 endangered (including the “maki” or ring-tailed lemur)
143 species
5 endangered (including Madagascar Harrier and Malagasy Grebe) and 4 vulnerable
41 species
1 tortoise species critically endangered and 5 other species vulnerable (including 2 chameleons)
7 species
2 species
1 classified as vulnerable, namely the fosa
172 species
94 endemic to Madagascar (57%) among which 1 species of baobab endangered
Mangoky River (the longest in Madagascar), brackish lake of Ihotry (Madagascar 3rd largest lake) and satellite lakes, dry deciduous forest, dry spiny thicket, mangroves, secondary grasslands and pastures, swamps, marsh-lands.
Bush fires, slash-and-burn agriculture, selective logging, charcoal making, hunting, illegal logging of mangrove wood, overfishing and use of non-regulatory methods (use of net, poison), invasive plants in the aquatic ecosystem, silting, climate change.
Lake Ihotry and the mangroves constitute a reserve of water resources for the local people. The coastal and delta communities (Andranopasy, Antongo, Mangolovolo, Ambohibe) practice fishing as their main income-generating activity. The lakes also provide drinking water supply and groundwater replenishment. The development of basketry from the exploitation of satrana (Bismarkia spp.), constitutes an additional income for women.
The local communities working with the site manager (Asity Association) are organized in associations grouped in a platform (since 2008): MIARO or Mangoky Ihotry Arovana. This platform is composed of an OPJ section which carries out the verbalizations of infractions and offences in the protected area and the section for the beneficiaries of development activities. All the activities carried out in the protected area are carried out jointly by Asity and the MIARO platform as managers.
FAPBM's support to Asity for the management of the CMI started in 2011. The total amount of grants to date is MGA 2,709,031,426. FAPBM financially supports the manager in the implementation of conservation activities (including patrolling and ecological restorations), and development activities (such as the construction of irrigation canals for land cultivation), and payroll of operating costs. It should be noted that CMI is located in an area of high insecurity which hinders the proper implementation of on-site activities. In addition, the management unit based in Morombe is understaffed. However, in spite of the deficiencies in field data observed, the protected area overall conservation state is stable but remains extremely precarious.
