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

Manager

Madagascar National Parks (MNP)

Surface Area

157,710 ha

Geographic Location

Province of Mahajanga; Region of Melaky; Districts of Antsalova and Morafenobe

International label

UNESCO World Heritage Site, Key Biodiversity Area (KBA), Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE) Site, Important Bird Area (IBA)

Flagship Species

Bemaraha National Park was the first natural World Heritage Site in Madagascar in 1991. It contains different types of ecosystems ranging from wet to very dry and arid habitats, and especially the Tsingy.

The fauna and flora are very rich with spectacular and insular adaptive characteristics, including rare endemic endangered species.

There are 12 species of lemurs, 100 species of birds and 67 species of reptiles, most of which are endemic to the region and even to the national park.

Lemurs

12 species

1 local endemic species critically endangered, 1 other species also critically endangered, 4 endangered species (among which the nocturnal Aye-aye lemur) and 4 vulnerable species (among which the Pygmy mouse lemur)

Birds

100 species

1 critically endangered (the Madagascar eagle or ankoay), 2 endangered and 3 vulnerable (the Madagascan Pranticole)

Reptiles

67 species

3 local endemics among which 1 chameleon species endangered / 5 other species are also endangered and 7 are vulnerable

Amphibians

18 species

1 locally endemic endangered, 1 critically endangered and 1 other endangered species

Carnivorans

3 species

1 vulnerable, namely the fosa

Bats

18 species

1 locally endemic and 3 vulnerable (including the Madagascar flying fox)

Other mammals

13 species

1 locally endemic species endangered

Plants

568 species

404 endemic to Madagascar (72%): 5 species are classified as endangered and 5 as vulnerable
23 local endemics (4%): 4 are classified as critically endangered, 2 endangered and 2 vulnerable

Landscapes and habitats

Tsingy, dry decicuous forest on eroded karstic limestone, xerophytic thicket, moist semi-deciduous forest, rupicolous forest, secondary grasslands and pastures, swamps.
Particularity: The protected area is home to important sites for the Sakalava and Vazimba (ancient and modern tombs) and sacred sites.

Pressures and threats

Fires, illegal logging, clearing of forest for new agricultural land, lemur hunting, invasive species.

Economic value

It is the most visited national park in the SAPM (Madagascar Protected Areas System). The Park plays the role of water tower of all the downstream parts of the Bemaraha plateau, we find there the Bemamba plain which is one of the rice barns of the region. It also contributes to the protection of the traditional and cultural values of the Sakalava by the presence of vazimba tomb in the Manambolo Gorge.

Local communities'initiatives

Like all protected areas managed by MNP, Bemaraha National Park management is collaborative co-management with the participation of local community members in conservation and development activities. They are brought together in CLP (Local Park Committee) and the COSAP (Protected Areas Orientation and Support Committee).

Category