Current view: Text account
Site description (2001 baseline):
Site location and context
This site is located 9 km north of Tolagnaro, and includes Manantantely Forest (to the south of the Classified Forest) and the forest located between Bemangidy and Enanafia (to the north). The site is part of the Tsitongambarika massif, which is composed of a series of ridges that are aligned from north-east to south-west. The Manampanihy river flows northwards along the western boundary of the site. The vegetation is composed of low- and mid-altitude, dense, humid evergreen forest and sclerophyllous montane forest. At low altitudes, it is dominated by trees of
Sorindeia,
Ilex,
Tambourissa,
Oncostemum,
Syzygium and
Dracaena, with a canopy 15–25 m high. At mid-altitudes, trees of
Macaranga and
Oncostemon, as well as species of Moraceae, Myrtaceae, Guttiferae and Monimiaceae, are dominant, with a canopy 12–20 m high.
See Box and Tables 2 and 3 for key species. Thirty-seven species are known from this site, of which 22 are endemic to Madagascar. The population of
Mesitornis unicolor seems to be quite dense in some lowland areas. The taxon
Hypositta perdita was described on the basis of a specimen from this area, and it is possible that it can still be found there, if the taxon is valid.
Coua gigas, a species characteristic of the West Malagasy biome, is also found at this site.
Non-bird biodiversity: Lemur: Eulemur fulvus collaris (VU).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
A portion of the north-eastern area, called Farafara Forest (31.4 ha), is dedicated to sustainable selective exploitation. The main threat is slash-and-burn cultivation, which affects at least 25% of the site, especially along the forest margins. Other threats include hunting, and soil erosion caused by cultivation on steep slopes.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Tsitongambarika NPA (Madagascar). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/tsitongambarika-npa-iba-madagascar on 22/11/2024.
