Special Reserves

Andranomena is situated in the province of Tuléar, 60Km northward Morondava. With an altitude between 0 and 100m and an area of 6 420 ha, the reserve spreads on the coastal plain of Morondava limited to the North by the minor road 8A connecting Belo / Tsiribihina to Morondava, to the South and to the east by minor tracks.

The climate

The sandy ground badly holds back the rainwater that falls essentially from November to March. Precipitations are variable and the west part of the reserve is the most watered. The dry season that spreads over 7-8 month provokes the drying up of most waterways that appear then in stretch of water more or less permanent. The monthly temperature variation is 17°C-27°C and 32,4°C.

The Flora

Andranomena is composed of dry deciduous forest of the west domain: there is a great similarity with the vegetation of Kirindy park which is not far to the north the reserve ; remarkable presence of baobab species (Adansonia grandidieri, Adansonia.za, Adansonia.fony). The baobabs A.grandidieri can be found sporadically in the north of the reserve as well as other xerophytic species as Euphorbia spp., Pachipodium sp.,and Adenia

The fauna

Andranomena shelters , among locally endemic species , the tortoise Pyxis planicauda that seems to frequent only the forests of Morndava region . A terrapin Erymnochelys madagascariensis has been met in the region , as well as others reptiles : Paroedura pictus, Chalarodon madagascariensis, and two boa Acrantophis in the surronding of the reserve (A.madagascariensis and A. dumerilii.) The mammalian fauna is composed of seven species of lemurs among them the Propitecus verreauxi verreauxi, Phaner furcifer and Cheirogaleus medius. The carnivores Mungotictis decemlineata decemlineata can also be observed in Andranomena special reserve as well as the greatest endemic rodent Hypogeomyx antimena in the forests situated between river Andranomena and Tsiribihina. The greatest endemic carnivore Cryptoprocta ferox is abundant in the region. The presence of the fruit-eating bats Pteropus rufus and Eidolon helvum is also to be mentionned . The invertebrate fauna is still unknown.