Ankarana National Park
The Ankarana National Park is located in the Diana region in the northern part of Madagascar. The park 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.
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 with a minimum temperature of 13.5°C the coldest.
The topography of Ankarana is characterised by limestone emerging from basaltic plains 50m above sea level, forming the Tsingy (sharp limestone karst pinnacles). Numerous 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.
Most of the people living in the region are Antakarana.
Visitors of the reserve have much to discover in the forest, rivers and caves. In 2010 an inventory identified:
- 50 shellfish species and a large number of 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 land snail Tropidophora. Several species of Collembola (springtail) and amphipods are endemic to the caves and streams of Ankarana.
