Andohahela National Park

Infobox_protected_area | name = Andohahela National Park
iucn_category = II


caption = Location of Andohahela National Park
locator_x = 138
locator_y = 525
location = Southern Madagascar
nearest_city = Tôlanaro (Fort Dauphin)
long_degrees = 46
long_minutes = 41
long_seconds = 58
long_direction = E
lat_degrees = 24
lat_minutes = 36
lat_seconds = 3
lat_direction = S
area = 760 km²
established = 1997
visitation_num = approx. 1300
visitation_year = 2005
governing_body = Madagascar National Parks Association (PNM-ANGAP)

Andohahela National Park, in southeast Madagascar, is remarkable for the extremes of habitats that are representened within it. The park covers 760 square kilometers of the Anosy mountain range, the southernmost spur of the Malagasy Highlands. These mountains form a natural barrier to the moist trade winds that blow from the east, causing a rainfall of 1500 to 2000mm per year on their eastern side that supports one of the few rainforests south of the tropic of Capricorn. At the western edge of the park, the rainfall is just 600 to 700mm per year and the resulting vegetation is a dry spiny forest characteristic of southern Madagascar. In the area between these two climatic extremes is a unique transitional forest known as the Ranopiso transition, which is characterised by the locally endemic triangular palm, "Dypsis decaryi".

The variety of habitats within Andohahela is mirrored in the richness of species that are found there. Fifteen species of lemur have been recorded, including one of Madagascar's most emblematic species, Verreaux's Sifaka.

Several circuits within each of the habitat types of the park can be accessed by road from the town of Tolagnaro. Detailed information on arranging trips is available from the tourism information office or from the Madagascar National Parks Association (PNM-ANGAP)office in Tolagnaro.

ee also

*National parks of Madagascar
*Tôlanaro

External links

* [http://www.Parcs-madagascar.com/andohahela/andohahela.htm Andohahela National Park] Official site (french only)