Current view: Text account
Site description (2001 baseline):
Site location and context
The site consists of the second parcel of the Binara Forest, which is part of the Daraina Forest. It is located on a mountainous massif with steep, rocky slopes. The headwaters of several rivers lie in the site. The forest is divided into two adjacent blocks. The western block, Andrangovato Forest, is composed of dense, dry, semi-deciduous forest (10–20 m high), while the other block, Andranofotitra Forest, is composed of dense, humid evergreen forest (up to c.25 m). The most characteristic tree species are those of the Sapotaceae, Rubiaceae, Loganiaceae, Acanthaceae, Asclepiadaceae and Guttiferae. Most of them are food sources for lemurs. Areas of primary forest are separated by relatively old secondary forests and by savanna.
See Box and Tables 2 and 3 for key species. There is an unusual mixture of eastern and western species in the different types of forest; however, the areas of humid forest seem to be somewhat depauperate in comparison to other lowland forests.
Non-bird biodiversity: Lemurs: Eulemur coronatus (VU), E. fulvus sanfordi (VU), Propithecus tattersalli (CR), Daubentonia madagascariensis (EN).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Clearance of gallery forest, hunting (of wild boar, lemurs and birds) and gold-mining are causing rapid degradation of the site. The proposal to list Daraina Forest as a national park results from a survey on the distribution and conservation of
Propithecus tattersalli, which is one of the most threatened Malagasy primates. The proposed National Park should include the Binara Forest, the dry forests and the gallery forests located north of Daraina village. The proposed park would comprise three parcels covering c.10,000 ha, including the neighbouring grassland. The NGO Fanamby is currently providing support to community-based conservation initiatives.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Daraina Forest (Madagascar). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/daraina-forest-iba-madagascar on 23/12/2024.
