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MG060
Menabe - Andranomena
Location Madagascar, Toliara
Central coordinates 44o 39.00' East  20o 2.00' South
IBA criteria A1, A2, A3
Area 112,000 ha
Altitude 1 - 100m
Year of IBA assessment 2001

Asity Madagascar (Affiliate)



Ornithological information See Box and Tables 2 and 3 for key species. Large numbers of waterbirds occur in the area. It is one of the six sites known for Mesitornis variegata.

Site description The site lies on the Menabe coastal plain, between the Andranomena and Tsiribihina rivers, 30 km north of Morondava. It includes Amborompotsy (Kirindy) Forest, Andranomena Special Reserve, Analabe Private Reserve and Ampataka Classified Forest. It is delimited in the west by mangroves, and, in the east, by the Bongolava plateau. Several seasonal watercourses cross the forest, flowing during the wet season. There are also small seasonal lakes, mostly in the southern part of the site. Amborompotsy is a dense, dry deciduous forest, 12–15 m high on average, and dominated by trees of Adansonia (up to 20 m), Commiphora, Securinega, Poupartia, Baudounia, Dalbergia and Cedrelopsis. The ground layer (1–5 m high) is very dense, with most woody species being evergreen. Andranomena Forest, 15 km south-west of Amborompotsy, is similar in structure and plant-species composition, with, however, a more pronounced abundance of certain taxa, e.g. Euphorbia and Givotia.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Madagascar Grebe Tachybaptus pelzelnii resident  1993  present [units unknown]  -  A1  Vulnerable 
Lesser Flamingo Phoeniconaias minor non-breeding  1993  present [units unknown]  -  A1  Near Threatened 
Madagascar Crested Ibis Lophotibis cristata resident  1993  present [units unknown]  -  A1  Near Threatened 
Madagascar Pond-heron Ardeola idae breeding  1993  present [units unknown]  -  A1  Endangered 
Madagascar Sparrowhawk Accipiter madagascariensis resident  1993  present [units unknown]  -  A1  Near Threatened 
Henst's Goshawk Accipiter henstii resident  1993  present [units unknown]  -  A1  Near Threatened 
White-breasted Mesite Mesitornis variegatus resident  1993  present [units unknown]  -  A1, A2, A3  Vulnerable 
Madagascar Jacana Actophilornis albinucha resident  1993  present [units unknown]  -  A2  Near Threatened 
Giant Coua Coua gigas resident  1993  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Coquerel's Coua Coua coquereli resident  1993  present [units unknown]  -  A2, A3  Least Concern 
Red-capped Coua Coua ruficeps resident  1993  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Schlegel's Asity Philepitta schlegeli resident  1993  present [units unknown]  -  A1, A2, A3  Near Threatened 
Sickle-billed Vanga Falculea palliata resident  1993  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Sakalava Weaver Ploceus sakalava resident  1993  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Analabe Private Reserve 2,000 protected area contained by site 2,000  
Andranomena Special Reserve 7,822 protected area contained by site 7,822  
Kirindy Forest Reserve 10,000 protected area contained by site 10,000  

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
agriculture -
forestry -
nature conservation and research -
tourism/recreation -
water management -

Other biodiversity Lemurs: Mirza coquereli (VU), Phaner furcifer pallescens (VU), Propithecus verreauxi verreauxi (VU). Carnivores: Mungotictis decemlineata decemlineata (VU), Cryptoprocta ferox (VU). Rodent: Hypogeomys antimena (EN). Reptiles: Pyxis planicauda (EN), Furcifer labordi (VU), Boa dumerili (VU).

Management considerations Amborompotsy Forest is managed as an ecotourist site by the Forestry Training Centre (Centre de Formation Professionnelle Forestière). A project is working in the area to promote sustainable management of forest resources. Human activities that disturb the forest include illegal exploitation of wood, slash-and-burn cultivation, and hunting (especially of nocturnal lemurs).

References Appert (1985, 1996), Bloxam et al. (1993), Cabalzar (1993), Durrell et al. (1989), Ganzhorn and Sorg (1996), Hawkins (1993b, 1994c, d, 1995c, 1996), Hawkins and Wilmé (1996), Hladik (1980), Nicoll and Langrand (1989), Ramanitra et al. (1993), Sauvegarde et Aménagement des Forêts–Côte Ouest [SAF-CO] (1992), Steinbacher (1972), Walter (1979), Werding (1972).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Menabe - Andranomena. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 21/05/2013

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