Current view: Text account
Site description (2001 baseline):
Site location and context
This reserve is located 80 km south of Antsiranana. The site is limited by the steep-edged Analamera plateau in the north, by the Iloky river in the south and by small tributaries of the Anivorano river in the west. The south-eastern limit is located 1 km from the littoral. Analamera is a karstic plateau stretching from the Indian Ocean to the Ankarana plateau. Its steep cliffs rise to 400 m in the east and 359 m in the west, and overlook the Andrevo and Iloky rivers. The plateau is divided by many small streams flowing towards the Irodo river in the north. The main river is the Bobakindro, which flows across the northern area of the plateau. Analamera is an important hydrological reservoir, which feeds the flooded Irodo plain where rice-fields are located. In the valleys and well-watered areas, the vegetation is composed of western dense deciduous dry forest, with a canopy 15–20 m high.
See Box and Tables 2 and 3 for key species. Fifty-seven species are known from the site, of which 27 are endemic to Madagascar. The reserve is one of the two sites known for
Xenopirostris damii and one of the six sites known for
Mesitornis variegata. These two species both seem to be present in reasonable numbers, but
Haliaeetus vociferoides is probably only a vagrant from nearby coasts.
Non-bird biodiversity: Lemurs: Eulemur coronatus (VU), E. fulvus sanfordi (VU), Lepilemur septentrionalis (VU), Propithecus diadema perrieri (CR), Daubentonia madagascariensis (EN). Reptiles: Boa manditra (VU), B. madagascariensis (VU).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
The main threats include logging of hardwood trees for construction and use in traditional ceremonies, as well as annual burning of savanna areas within the forest.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Analamerana Special Reserve (Madagascar). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/analamerana-special-reserve-iba-madagascar on 23/11/2024.
