Arboretum d'Antsokay
Arboretum d'Antsokay or Antsokay Arboretum is a
The Arboretum is located just off the RN7, about 12 km (7.5 mi) southeast of the city, and only 6 km (3.7 mi) from Toliara airport. It is open 7.30-17.30 and closed during the month of February.[4][5]
There is an interpretation centre, a small museum (with rocks,
Arboretum d'Antsokay collaborates on conservation projects with
Geography
Arboretum d'Antsokay is in the middle of an area of natural spiny forest, a desert habitat unique to Madagascar, and measures 400,000 square metres (4,300,000 sq ft). The geology is limestone and red low-calcium sand. Antsokaha is the name of the region, and means 'chalk' in Malagasy.[7] It is 3 km (1.9 mi) from the western shore of Madagascar and the Mozambique Channel and close to a small mountain called La Table. It is 2 km (1.2 mi) north of the Tropic of Capricorn.[8]
Wildlife
Plants include
History
A Swiss botanist and conservationist, fr:Herman Petignat established the Arboretum in 1980.[13][14] His son Andry has managed the arboretum since 2003.[15]
According to Botanic Gardens Conservation International "On a surface of 40 hectares, surrounded by vegetal hedges, the project initiator exerted himself to have the most threatened plants species, reproduced and multiplied either by seeding,cutting or transplantation process in order to preserve most of them from constant deforestation, bush fire and looters."[16]
Herman Petignat was assisted in discovering several plant species by Werner Rauh. These species were Euphorbia spinicapsula, Euphorbia kamponii, Euphorbia suzannae-marnierae and Aloe ruffingiana. Ceropegia petignatii and Cynanchum petignatii were named after Petignat by Rauh.
References
- ^ Botanical Gardens Conservation International
- ^ Lonely Planet - Arboretum d'Antsokay
- ^ Rough Guides - Arboretum d'Antsokay
- ^ Lonely Planet - Arboretum d'Antsokay
- ^ Mada Magazine - Arboretum d'Antsokay
- ^ Botanical Gardens Conservation International
- ^ Malagasy Dictionary and Encyclopedia of Madagascar
- ^ Botanical Gardens Conservation International
- ^ Rough Guides - Arboretum d'Antsokay
- ^ Tulear Tourisme
- ^ Mada Magazine - Arboretum d'Antsokay
- ^ Mada Magazine - Clad in Armour, but Hardly Protected - The Radiated Tortoise
- ^ Lonely Planet - Arboretum d'Antsokay
- ^ Rough Guides - Arboretum d'Antsokay
- ^ Andry Petignat, conservationorg, Instagram account.
- ^ Botanical Gardens Conservation International