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MG037
Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park (Bemaraha Tsingy National Park and Strict Nature Reserve IBA)
Location Madagascar, Mahajanga
Central coordinates 44o 45.00' East  18o 39.00' South
IBA criteria A1, A2, A3
Area 152,000 ha
Altitude 150 - 838m
Year of IBA assessment 2001

Asity Madagascar (Affiliate)



Ornithological information See Box and Tables 2 and 3 for key species. Ninety-six species are known from the site, of which 39 are endemic to Madagascar. Populations of Canirallus and Monticola at the site probably represent distinct species, restricted to the reserve.

Site description Bemaraha Tsingy National Park and Strict Nature Reserve are located 60–80 km inland of the west coast of Madagascar. They are delimited to the south by the Manambolo river, to the east by a cliff, to the west by savanna, and to the north by the Soahany river. The western part of the site comprises a raised, heavily eroded karst plateau (Bemaraha Tsingy), with elongate sink-holes and deep canyons. Several permanent rivers and some seasonal streams flow out of the karst into the Soahany and Manambolo rivers. The vegetation is dense, dry deciduous forest, although, where the soil is humid, the forest has been degraded and, in the sink-holes and canyons, the forest is more evergreen, with trees higher than 12 m on average and a thick layer of leaf-litter. The non-forested part of the site, away from the karst, is savanna, with gallery forest lining the more permanent watercourses.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Madagascar Grebe Tachybaptus pelzelnii resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A1  Vulnerable 
Madagascar Crested Ibis Lophotibis cristata resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A1  Near Threatened 
Madagascar Pond-heron Ardeola idae breeding  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A1  Endangered 
Madagascar Fish-eagle Haliaeetus vociferoides resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A1, A2, A3  Critically Endangered 
Madagascar Harrier Circus macrosceles resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A1  Vulnerable 
Madagascar Sparrowhawk Accipiter madagascariensis resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A1  Near Threatened 
Henst's Goshawk Accipiter henstii resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A1  Near Threatened 
Madagascar Wood Rail Canirallus kioloides resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -    Least Concern 
Giant Coua Coua gigas resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Coquerel's Coua Coua coquereli resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A2, A3  Least Concern 
Red-capped Coua Coua ruficeps resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Schlegel's Asity Philepitta schlegeli resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A1, A2, A3  Near Threatened 
Sickle-billed Vanga Falculea palliata resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park 73,174 protected area contained by site 73,174  
Tsingy de Bemaraha Strict Nature Reserve 83,411 protected area contained by site 83,411  
Tsingy de Bemaraha Strict Nature Reserve World Heritage Site 152,000 is identical to site 152,000  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Shrubland   53%
Grassland   2%
Forest   44%

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
agriculture -
forestry -
nature conservation and research -
tourism/recreation -
other -
Notes: Collection of forest plants.

Other biodiversity Lemurs: Mirza coquereli (VU), Phaner furcifer pallescens (VU), Hapalemur griseus occidentalis (VU), Avahi occidentalis (VU), Propithecus verreauxi deckeni (VU). Carnivore: Cryptoprocta ferox (VU).

Management considerations There are areas of slash-and-burn cultivation in the Tsiandro sector and, in the south, the contact zone between the forest and the savanna has been converted to pasture. Exploitation for wood has had a very evident impact on the forest, especially along the oil-industry road and within the reserve. Other threats include hunting of lemurs, collection of forest plants for food and medicine, widespread cattle-grazing, and collection of fauna for trade.

References Andriamampianina and Peyrieras (1972), Bousquet and Rabetaliana (1992), Jenkins (1987), Leandri (1938), Nicoll and Langrand (1989), Rakotoarison et al. (1993), Ramanitra (1995a, 1997), Ramanitra et al. (1993), Rand (1936), Thalmann and Rakotoarison (1994).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park (Bemaraha Tsingy National Park and Strict Nature Reserve IBA). Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 20/06/2013

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