Ankarana National Park

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 the RN6. Most of the people living in the region are Antakarana.

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 Tsingy (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 remain unknown.

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 snails
• 14 bat species, half the species of bats in Madagascar
• 60 species of reptiles and amphibians
• 11 species of lemurs
• 96 bird species
  
  

Invertebrates

Ankarana is home to at least 50 shellfish species, including 10 water species. Among 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.

Vertebrates

Fishes

The species Glossogobius ankaranensis is endemic to Ankarana. Glossogobius callidus (River goby) and Pachypanchax sp are also present in the streams of Ankarana.

Reptiles / Amphibians

Ankarana has a very high diversity of reptiles and amphibians, at least 60 species have been inventoried. Following species are endemic to Ankarana:

• Frogs
  • Anodonthyla sp nov
  • Mantidactylus sp nov

• Skink
  • Amphiglossus sp nov

• Snakes
  • Alluaudina moquardi
  • Liophidium therezieni
  • Liophidium sp nov
  • Heteroliodon sp nov
  • Stenophis sp nov 1
  • Stenophis sp nov 2

• Lizard
  • Lygodactylus expectatus

• Gecko
  • Uroplatus ebenaui - Spear-tailed gecko (endemic to the far north)

• Crocodile
  • Crocodylus niloticus - Nile crocodile

Birds

There are at least 96 bird species in Ankarana, many of which are of great importance for conservation. They are:

• Mesitornis variegatus - White-breasted mesite
• Tyto soumagnei - Madagascan red owl
• Ardea humbloti - Humblot's heron
• Ardeola idea - Malagasy pond heron
• Lophotibis cristata - Madagascan crested ibis
• Haliaetus vociferoïdes
• Aviceda madagascariensis - Madagascan cuckoo-hawk
• Accipiter madagascariensis
• Caprimulgus enarratus - Collared nightjar
  
  

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 Megachiroptere (Megabat) and the Microchiroptere (Microbat).

Of the 11 lemur species present at Ankarana, the most commonly observed are:

• Eulemur coronatus (Crowned lemur)
• Eulemur fulvus sanfordi (Brown lemur, sub-species Sanford's lemur)
• Hapalemur griseus occidentalis (Bamboo lemur)
• Lepilemur septentrionalis (Northern sportive lemur)
• Phaner furcifer electromontis (Fork-marked lemur)
• Daubentonia madagascariensis (Aye-aye)
• Avahi occidentalis (Woolly lemur)
• Microcebus tavaratra (Northern rufous mouse lemur) - endemic
• Eliurus sp. nov. (Tufted-tailed rat) - endemic

The famous Propithecus diadema perrieri, known as Black sifaka / Diademed sifaka, was last seen by park rangers in 1995 and 1996. Meanwhile, the presence of Microcebus myoxinus (Peters's mouse lemur) still needs to be to reconfirmed.

Endemic carnivores living in Ankarana are:

• Cryptoprocta ferox (Fossa)
• Galidia elegans (Ring-tailed mongoose)
• Fossa Fossana (Malagasy civet)