La Reserve Spéciale Analamazaotra
La Réserve special Analamazaotra, part of the national park Analamazaotra-Mantadia is located along the route nationale RN2 which connects the capital Antananarivo to the main port of Madagascar, Toamasina, on the East coast. The main office and entrance to the reserve is located a couple of kilometres distance northwards of the route national RN2, thus some 130 km away from the capital Antananarivo.
La Réserve special Analamazaotra features natural vegetation of medium altitude moist evergreen forest with a canopy at an height of 14 to 16 m sometimes reaching 20 to 30 m and modified vegetation which is being colonised by secondary forest. The vegetation comprises plants of varied families among the most notable Lauraceae, Clusiaceae, Rubiaceae, Myrtaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Phyllanthaceae, Anacardiaceae… The modified vegetation results of selective logging at the beginning of the twentieth century before the establishment of the forest as protected area.
The Analamazaotra special reserve has different circuits of varied difficulties and interest visitors can choose from. The first two circuits are named after the iconic Indri indri insofar as they showcase the closest and easiest of access territories for the largest extant lemurs. The fame of the special reserve of Analamazaotra is raised by amongst naturalists and amateurs alike and that since the 19th century. Regular plant inventories were and are conducted permitting drafts of the geographic distribution of plant species data of importance in defining interest to protected areas.
The fauna of the special reserve of Analamazaotra is notable and comprises amphibians, 64 species (A.P. Raselimanana, M. Vences & F. Glaw) all endemic of Madagascar, small mammals, lemurs, 12 species (A.B. Ryland’s, S.M. Goodman, E.E. Louis, Jr.) all endemic amongst which two species recently reintroduced to that protected area and birds, 135 species (S.M. Goodman, M.J. Raherilalao). Iconic lemur species comprise the endangered diurnal species Indri indri, Diademed Sifaka, and the critically endangered Black and White Ruffed Lemurs, the last two having been re-introduced at Analamazaotra. The richness of the avifauna will enchant bird watchers with species relatively unique to the reserve of Analamazaotra of which could be named Mesitornis unicolor, Rallus madagascariensis, Brachypteracias leptosomus, Geobiates squamiger…
As a consequence of regular visit of the special reserve of Analamazaotra by groups of tourists, lemurs, representatives of the Indri family in particular, became habituated and go about their daily foraging short of shy giving visitors glimpse of behaviour considered exceptional several years ago while in fact is performed at a daily basis such as descending to the ground to eat soil, an act which helps the mammal detoxify seeds ingested.
Located in the central highlands of Madagascar in elevation varying from 751 and 1250 m, hikes within the special reserve of Analamazaotra will unfold intermittently on level and hilly terrain mostly off the tracks in an attempt for visitors to approach wildlife for the sake of photography and observation, a permanent challenge in tropical forest with closed canopy. Several hours of hike preferably carried out in mornings await the visitor whose best allies are perseverance and patience in an environment echoing songs, shrieks and calls.