Zahamena National Park

Coordinates: 17°46′44″S 48°45′36″E / 17.77889°S 48.76000°E / -17.77889; 48.76000
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Zahamena National Park
Madagascar National Parks Association
Websitewww.parcs-madagascar.com
TypeNatural
Criteriaix, x
Designated2007
Reference no.1257
RegionList of World Heritage Sites in Africa

Zahamena National Park is a

Bird Life International assessed avifauna of 112 species of which 67 species are exclusively endemic to Madagascar.[4]

The park is habitat for 112 bird species, 46 reptile species, 62 species of amphibians and 48 species of mammals, including 13 species of lemurs. The ethnic groups inhabiting the area are mostly

Indri indri (babakoto), a black lemur with white patches; the Madagascar red owl (Tyto soumagnei), locally known as vorondolomena; the katsatsaka (Paroedura masobe), a small gecko; the Madagascar serpent eagle (Eutriorchis astur), a threatened species; and the red-tailed newtonia (Newtonia fanovanae), a very common bird species in the park. The two most prominent endemic floral species are Marattia boivinii (kobila) and Blotella coursii (fanjana malemy).[6]

Geography

The park, in the eastern part of the Madagascar island, is 40 kilometres (25 mi) north-east of Ambatondrazaka, 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) from Manakambahiny-East, 70 kilometres (43 mi) to the northwest of Tamatave and about 25 kilometres (16 mi) east from Lake Alaotra.[1] It is considered to be difficult to reach, so doesn't attract many tourists.[7] It is part of the rainforest topography and ecology of the Rainforests of the Atsinanana. It is located in rugged, undulating topography of the eastern rock faces as part of the mountainous hinterland of Madagascar with an elevation range of 254–1,560 metres (833–5,118 ft).[4] This terrain forms the dividing line of the lowlands. The land area of the park has well defined boundaries on the north east and south.[3] The park is divided into two zones (on the east and west) by a corridor with settled villages in between.[1] The park area is made up of many valleys and is drained by rivers such as the Sahatavy River and the Sarondrina River. On the north-west side of the park there are many more rivers which drain into Lake Alaotra.[4] The office of the park administration is situated at Antanandava.[1] Climatically, the park receives an annual rainfall in the range of 180–200 cm; the average temperature recorded is in the range of 15-28C.[5]

Flora

Left: Begonia in full bloom. Right:Fern Polystichum setiferum

The park is home to some of the finest rainforests in Madagascar.

woody plants.[1]

Fauna

The fauna reported in the rainforests are found in all the national parks in the country. The reported fauna consists of 45 species of mammals including 13 species of lemurs

Chiroptera.[3]

Avifauna

Philepitta castanea

The

Crossley's babbler (Mystacornis crossleyi), brown emutail (Bradypterus brunneus), white-throated oxylabes (Oxylabes madagascariensis), spectacled tetraka (Bernieria zosterops), dusky tetraka (Bernieria tenebrosa), grey-crowned tetraka (Bernieria cinereiceps), cryptic warbler (Cryptosylvicola randrianasoloi), Rand's warbler (Randia pseudozosterops), green jery (Neomixis viridis), wedge-tailed jery (Neomixis flavoviridis), forest rock thrush (Monticola sharpei), nelicourvi weaver (Ploceus nelicourvi), and forest fody (Foudia omissa).[1][4]

Aquafauna

The aqua faunal species recorded in the park are 29 species of

amphibians.[1]

Conservation

The threat faced by the park is generally from the poor farmers who reside on the boundary of the park. As the agricultural yield from their farm lands is very low, they resort to encroachment of the park land and carry out hunting of wildlife in the park for their sustenance. Destruction of forests by "slash-and-burn cultivation and hunting (in the centre, east and north)", fires, poaching, cutting of precious trees such as rosewood and ebony, and also gem mining to small extent are some of the common threats to the biodiversity of the park.[3]

The park is managed by Madagascar National Parks. As one of WWF's Global 200 priority eco-regions for conservation priority attention has been given by international agencies (such as the

IUCN and NGOs) to carry out conservation activities in the park which involves prevention of encroachments and threat to wildlife. The progress in this respect is reported to be good.[3]

The "Landscape Development Interventions Program" is in operation in the park. Under this programme, ensuring protection to the highland rainforest corridor that links the Zahamena Park and Andasibe-Mantadia National Park is one of the primary objectives. The other related activities initiated are the elimination of “rural poverty through agricultural intensification and sustainable management of natural resources”. This programme is spread over five areas of increasing agriculture yields, enhanced conservation measures, and community participation in natural resource management.[9]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Zahamena National Park". Sobeha.net. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
  2. ^ "Rainforests of the Atsinanana". UNESCO Organization. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Africa, Rainforests of the Atsinanana, Madagascar" (pdf). UNESCO Organization. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "Zahamena National Park, Madagascar, Toamasina". Birdlife Organization. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
  5. ^ a b "Zahamena". Official website of Wild Madagascar Organization. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
  6. ^ "Terrsetrial National park: The Zahamena". Parcs-Madagascar.com. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
  7. ^
    ISBN 978-1-84162-341-2
    . Retrieved 7 March 2013.
  8. ISBN 978-1-939339-08-9
    . Retrieved 7 March 2013.
  9. ^ "Water Page:The African Water Page-Water for Ecosystems". Madagascar. Africa Water organization. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
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