1. Perinet (Analamazaotra) & Mantadia Reserves
To see lemur and frogs on
Madagascar holidays, Perinet
reserve is second to none. Nine species are found here like the Indri (the
largest of them all) and some nocturnal species like the
woolly and Rufus mouse lemurs.
This rainforest reserve also
claims a world record for the number of frog inhabitants amongst areas of
comparable size with over 100 documented species.
And you might be lucky enough on
your Madagascar holiday to
find the huge Parson's chameleon,
Golden mantilla and the blue boa in the
dense undergrowth.
Visit the Mantadia reserve
situated about 40km from Perinet to see diadem sifaka, ruffed lemur and all
four rainforest-dependent ground-rollers.
2. Berenty Reserve
Wide forest trails, comfortable
accommodation, beautiful scenery and
large populations of ringtail lemurs,
brown lemurs and Verreaux’ Sifakas characterise this small reserve.
Other wildlife include flying
foxes (bats with a wingspan of over a metre), lizards, chameleons, the
endangered radiated tortoise and dozens of species of rare birds which makes
Madagascar travel so exciting and rewarding.
3. Montagne D'Ambre
This reserve is easy to get to,
has a good trail system, labelled trees and points of interest.
Two waterfalls form the focal
points and there are crater lakes and view points over the forest and
surrounding area.
You will be able to see a up to
seven species of lemur here including Sanford's brown and the crowned variety.
Birds include the
Madagascar crested ibis, Malagasy
kingfisher, Madagascar blue pigeon and forest rock-thrush which form part of the
73 recorded species residing here.
4. Ranomafana National Park
This park is very popular for
Madagascar holidays and
receives a lot of visitors... but don't let that put you off because you can see 12
species of lemur here like the ruffed, red-bellied and all three bamboo species
and a variety of rare birds and frogs.
The park is extremely mountainous
which helped in the conservation of the animals there before it was inaugurated
in May 1991.
5. Masoala National Park and Nosy Mangabe Island
Masoala is the youngest of the
parks to be visited on Madagascar holidays having only been proclaimed in 1997 and it is also the
largest protected area.
The red ruffed lemur is only found
in this park and nowhere else and a bird that was though to be extinct (the
Madagascar serpent eagle) was recently rediscovered here.
The reserve contains significant
portions of lowland and coastal rainforest. These habitats contain other lemur
species such as the hairy eared dwarf.
Nosy
Mangabe is a stronghold for the ruffed and white-fronted lemurs and the
bizarre aye aye. Nosy Mangabe's reptilian denizens include the fringed
(leaf-tailed) gecko.
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