The Andohahela National Park is in Anosy, southeast of Madagascar. It stands out for its diverse habitats. The park covers 760 km2 of the Anosy mountain range.
It is the southernmost spur of the Malagasy Highlands. It holds the last humid rainforests in the southern part of Madagascar.
More Information About Andohahela National Park
In 2007, the Rainforests of the Atsinanana included the park in the World Heritage Site. You can access this park from Soanierana Andohahela using the unpaved Provincial road.
It has been a protected area since 1939. But it did not become a national park until 1998. Andohahela Park is 40 kilometres north-west of Tôlanaro.
It is at the southern end of the Malagasy Highlands in Madagascar. Three zones divide this fantastic area. Malio is the first zone.
It ranges from 100 meters (330 ft) to the summit of Pic d’ Andohahela at 1,956 meters. It has dense lowland and montane rainforest.
It has more than 200 species of tree ferns, orchids, wild vanilla, lemurs, and many birds. The second, Ihazofotsy-Mangatsiaka, contains a dry forest with rare birds and reptiles.
It is visible at altitudes ranging from 100 meters to 1,005 meters at the summit of Pic de Vohidagoro. The third zone, Tsimelahy, is mainly at an altitude of 125 meters.
It contains the unique Ranopiso transitional forest. These mountains create a barrier to the moist trade winds that blow from the east.
It causes a rainfall of 1,500–2,000 millimeters (59–79 in) on the eastern side. The rain supports one of the few rainforests south of the Tropic of Capricorn.
At the park’s western edge, rainfall is just 600 to 700 millimeters. The resulting vegetation is a dry, spiny forest typical of southern Madagascar.
Roads from the town of Tolagnaro provide access to circuits within each habitat type of the park. You can get detailed trip information from the tourism information office.
Or, you can get it from the Madagascar National Parks Association office in Tolagnaro. The richness of species found in Andohahela mirrors the variety of habitats.
The park is a famous place in Madagascar for lemurs. Researchers have recorded fifteen species. It includes two of Madagascar’s most emblematic species.
They are the ring-tailed lemur and Verreaux’s sifaka. Some rare geckos, turtles, and snakes are among the 67 reptile species visible in the park.
There are also 130 bird species and 50 amphibian species. The Triangle Palm is available only here. Finally, there is a unique transitional forest called the Ranopiso Transition.
It is between these two areas of climatic and vegetation extremes. This forest is famous for its unique endemic triangle palm.
The rainforest section of this site offers the best lemur-viewing possibilities. Daytime species include the collared brown lemur and the southern lesser bamboo lemur.
Possibly, even the Milne-Edwards’ sifaka is among them. Among the occasionally seen nocturnal lemurs, there is the Fleurete’s sportive lemur.
Rumors persist that the park has a population of aye-ayes. See one, and you’ve hit the jackpot. The park currently maintains three hiking circuits for visitors.
It is easy to visit on a day trip with an early start. However, it is advisable to camp overnight. If you want a longer trek across the rainforest mountains, visit the MNP office.
This fantastic site has beautiful scenery and wildlife. It includes spine, transitional, and rain forests. It can be hard to reach at certain times of the year and is tricky to get into.
The offerings of this beautiful site are well worth it, though. Andohahela is part of the Atsinanana Rainforests World Heritage site.
It is one of the richest in plant diversity among the protected areas managed by MNP. Furthermore, it is unique due to its geographical location.