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'''The Ankarana National Park is located in the Diana region in the northern part of Madagascar. The park lies 108 kilometres south of Antsiranana ([[Diego Suarez]]) and about 20 kilometres north of [[Ambilobe]]. The four rural disctricts of Marivorahona, Anivorano, Ambondrona and Antsaravibe surround the park. From Antsiranana it takes between two and three hours by [[taxi-brousse ]] to reach the main entrance on the east-side at Mahamasina on along the [[RN6]]. Most of the people living in the region are belong to the [[Antakarana]]ethnic group.'''
Ankarana National Park has a total area of 18,225ha and an altitude of 206m. The predominant climate is dry tropical with an annual rainfall below 2,000mm. Most of the rain falls in January. The dry season lasts from April to November. March is the hottest month with a maximum temperature of 36.2°C and June is the coldest with a minimum temperature of 13.5°C.
The topography of Ankarana is characterised by limestone emerging from a basaltic plain 50m above sea level, forming the ''[[Tsingytsingy]]'' (sharp limestone karst pinnacles). Numerous underground caves and canyons traverse the massif. Four major rivers flow through the reserve: Besaboba eastward, Ankarana from the north, Antenan'Ankarana and Mananjeba from the south. The first three are underground rivers whose specific courses currently watercourses still remain unknown.
== Fauna ==
For visitors of the reserve there is much to discover in the forest, rivers and caves. In 2010 a biological inventory identified:
* 50 shellfish species and a large number of Tsingy tsingy snails
* 14 bat species, half the species of bats in Madagascar
* 60 species of reptiles and amphibians
== Invertebrates ==
Ankarana is home to at least 50 shellfish species, including 10 water species. Among Amongst the most interesting species is the great land snail Tropidophora. Several species of Collembola ([[springtail]]) and amphipods are endemic to the caves and streams of Ankarana.<br><br>
== Vertebrates ==
=== Mammals ===
Ankarana is home to many species of mammals, including 14 species of bats, meaning that half of the bats of Madagascar live in the underground caves of Ankarana. Two amongst them are the smallest and biggest bats of the world: the The Megachiroptere ([[Megabat]]) and the Microchiroptere ([[Microbat]]).
Of the 11 lemur species present at in Ankarana, the most commonly observed are:
* Eulemur coronatus - [[Crowned lemur]]
* Eulemur fulvus sanfordi - [[Brown lemur]], sub-species [[Sanford's lemur]]
<tr bgcolor="#eadece" valign="top"><td>Eulemur fulvus sanfordi</td>
<td>Brown lemur / Sanford's lemur</td>
<td>More luxuriant hair on the head. Males have a bushy collar of beard.</td>
<td>On the Green Lake track and around the camp Andrafiabe.</td>
<td>Morning before noon and in the afternoon between 3pm and 5pm.</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor="#eadece" valign="top"><td>Uroplatus ebenaui</td>
<td>Spear-tailed gecko</td>
<td>Usually camouflaged in the colour of the tree trunk, sitting 1,.50m from above the ground.</td>
<td>On the slopes of the circuits but difficult to find because of its very effective camouflage.</td>
<td>During the morning.</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor="#eadece" valign="top"><td>Euphorbia ankaranensis</td>
<td></td>
<td>Tsingy vegetation, rough grass with spiny trunk and red flowers. Endemic to the reserve. </td>
<td>Grows between the rocks of the tsingy.</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor="#eadece" valign="top"><td>Adenia lapiazicola</td>
<td></td>
<td>Tsingy vegetation, liana similar to the shape of a demijohn, stores water in the dry season.</td>
<td>Grows between the rocks of the tsingy.</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor="#eadece" valign="top"><td>Commiphora spp.</td>
<td>Paper tree or Vazaha tree</td>
<td>Tree with a gnarled trunk, bark peels in the dry season.</td>
<td>In the tsingy and dense dry forest.</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor="#eadece" valign="top"><td>Tacca ankaranensis</td>
<td></td>
<td>Shrub with a long a thin stem and leafs similar to a papaya.</td>
<td>Grows everywhere in the tsingy during the rainy season.</td></tr></table><br><br>
