Current view: Text account
Site description (2001 baseline):
Site location and context
This site is located on the Masoala peninsula. It consists of a terrestrial area, covering 67% of the forested massif of the peninsula in the west, and a marine area that includes three reserves—Tampolo, Tanjona and Cape Masoala—and a marine sanctuary in Antongil Bay. The western slope of the peninsula, starting c.10 km in from the coast, is very steep while the eastern slope, c.50 km wide, inclines gently. About 98% of the site’s land surface is covered by more or less intact, low- to mid-altitude, humid evergreen forest.
See Box and Tables 2 and 3 for key species. One hundred and eleven species are known from the site, of which 60 are endemic to Madgascar. The park is the first site where research could be carried out on
Eutriorchis astur and it is the best known area for the protection of this threatened species.
Non-bird biodiversity: Plants: there are palms which are endemic to the Sahavavy, Hiaraka and Antalavia region, such as Marojejya darainii, Dypsis pachyramea and Lemurophoenix halleuxi, as well as a carnivorous pitcher-plant endemic to the peninsula, Nepenthes masoalensis. Lemurs: Varecia variegata rubra (CR), Daubentonia madagascariensis (EN), Phaner furcifer furcifer (nt). Carnivores: Fossa fossana (VU), Galidictis fasciata (VU), Eupleres goudotii (EN), Cryptoprocta ferox (VU), Salanoia concolor (VU).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Threats to the site include slash-and-burn cultivation, exploitation for wood, and hunting of lemurs, wild boar and some bird species, as well as collection of other wild foodstuffs and medicinal plants.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Masoala National Park (Madagascar). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/masoala-national-park-iba-madagascar on 23/12/2024.
