Andasibe Mantadia

Analamazaotra or Perinet is Madagascar's most accessible rainforest park. It is famous for the Indri, a lemur that sings like a whale but looks like a cross between a human and a panda. The species is readily seen—and heard—in Perinet and in the adjacent community forest run by Mitsinjo.

Perinet is also known for its biodiversity of other lemur species, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. Excellent guides are available in both the park and Mitsinjo.

Province:

Area: 15,500

Protected area status: National park

Year established:

General location: Eastern: Longitude 48°24 ' and latitude 18°46 '

Location and Access: 145 km east of Antananarivo on Madagascar's best road, RN2. The drive generally takes 3-4 hours, depending on the number of car accidents and traffic around Tana. Several hotels are right around the park entrance.

Climate: Cool and wet.

Average temperature: 18°C

Elevation: 900-1250 m

Precipitation: 170 cm

Description: The park consists of two protected areas, the special Reserve of Indri d' Analamazaotra and the National park of Mantadia. Analamazaotra, better known as Perinet, is world famous for its population of Indri lemurs which are the largest living lemur. There are a couple habituated groups of Indri found within easy walking distance of the park entrance and seeing this lemur is almost a sure thing for visitors willing to walk a couple of miles on the park's maintained trails. Anyone within a mile of the park is sure to hear the haunting call of the indri in the morning from day break to around noon and then again in the late afternoon. More advanced trails can be hiked in the nearby park of Mantadia where you may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of diademed sifaka and black and white ruffed lemurs. Both Perinet and Mantadia are exceptionally rich in frogs and reptiles.

FAUNA
Birds: 112 [bird list]
Reptiles: 51
Frogs: 84
Mammals: 31
   Lemurs: 14 [lemur list]
Lemur species:

FLORA:

Species:

Dominant ethnic group(s):

Official web page

Additional notes: Just opposite of the entrance to Andasibe-Mantadia National Park is a local initiative by Association Mitsinjo who manages the Analamazaotra Forest Station. Here's what Rainer Dolch had to say: "Their forest is in an excellent state, you see indri (one group of which has been habituated by an extraordinary guy called Joseph), and it seems you have a much better chance to see Uroplatus and Parson�s chameleon in the Mitsinjo forest than in the national park. Also, Mitsinjo are the only guides that offer night walks in the forest (and not the usual walk along the road that most Andasibe visitors are used to). Tours to the Mitsinjo forest are cheaper than tours in the national park, and your money will be used for community projects in agriculture and health for the people living around the forest managed by the association."

MAP/Satellite Picture