Current view: Text account
Site description (2001 baseline):
Site location and context
Namoroka Tsingy Strict Nature Reserve lies 55 km south of Soalala. Most of the site comprises a raised karst plateau, divided by gorges and limited on all sides by 30-m-high cliffs, similar to the Bemaraha Tsingy, 250 km to the south. There are four small permanent rivers, the Ambatofolaka, Mandevy, Andriabe and Ambararata, as well as various temporary streams. Permanent and temporary pools are located in the caves and caverns within the karst. During the dry season, the plateau is an important hydrological reservoir for the surrounding area. Dense, dry semi-deciduous forest covers c.50% of the reserve, especially in the gorges and on the periphery of the plateau. The karst plateau itself is covered by xerophilous bushland, dominated by
Euphorbia,
Pachypodium and baobabs
Adansonia. The plateau is surrounded by slightly undulating ground, mainly covered by savanna (with palms
Bismarckia) which is highly degraded due to annual burning for pasture. Gallery forests line the rivers flowing through the savanna, with screw-pines
Pandanus prominent.
See Box and Tables 2 and 3 for key species. Sixty-three species are known from the site, of which 28 are endemic to Madagascar.
Philepitta schlegeli is quite common, while
Alectroenas madagascariensis, a species normally confined to the East Malagasy biome, can be found on rare occasions.
Non-bird biodiversity: Lemurs: Phaner furcifer pallescens (VU), Propithecus 1>verreauxi deckeni (VU). Carnivore: Cryptoprocta ferox (VU). Reptiles: Boa madagascariensis (VU), Brookesia bonsi (endemic to the site).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
The burning of pastures, bush-fires, illegal exploitation for construction wood, collection of medicinal plants, fishing and poaching together pose severe threats to the site.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Tsingy de Namoroka National Park (Madagascar). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/tsingy-de-namoroka-national-park-iba-madagascar on 23/12/2024.
