RANOMAFANA NATIONAL PARK

MADAGASCAR

TOLIARA (Ranomafana, Fianarantsoa), (NE)

21o15´S/47o27´E 41,601ha 625m, eastern montane rainforest 

August to December ()

Birding Site Guide

This is a huge national park is located in the SE, and is of eastern montane rainforest with many sought after species. It is a long drive from Isalo on National Route 7. Two private places are available to stay, a lodge and an Ecolodge at the entrance of the national park. There is also a brand new wildlife and medical research centre; Centre Valbio. Of the 115 birds recorded, these include Brown Mesite, Madagascar Long-eared Owl, Pitta-like Groundroller, Rufous-headed Groundroller and Short-legged Groundroller, Henst’s Goshawk, Pollen’s Vanga, Yellow-bellied Sunbird-Asity, Common Sunbird Asity, Velvet Asity, Crossley's Babbler, White-throated Oxylabes Yellow-browed Oxylabe, Gray-crowned Greenbul, Forest Rock-Thrush, Cryptic Warbler. There is a feeding station at Bellevue where Rainforest Scops Owl has been seen. Here there is a chance of Rufous-headed Ground Roller and Brown Emutail.

Nearby is Vohiparara Marsh, where water birds can be found including Madagascar Rail, Madagascar Flufftail, Grey Emutail and possibly Slender-billed Flufftail.

An excellent report and tour operator to try is Rockjumper Tours

ROCKJUMPER MADAGASCAR BIRD REPORT 2008

ROCKJUMPER MADAGASCAR BIRD REPORT 2007

Malagasy Striped Civet/Fossa Fossa fossana, Ring-tailed Mongoose Galidia elegans, Eastern Woolly Lemur Avahi laniger, Aye-Aye Daubentonia madagascariensis, Greater/Geoffroy's Dwarf Lemur Cheirogaleus major, Greater Bamboo Lemur Hapalemur simus, Golden Bamboo LemurHapalemur aureus, Eastern Lesser Bamboo Lemur Hapalemur g. griseus, Common Brown LemurEulemur fulvus rufus, Sportive lemur Lepilemur sp., Black & White ruffed Lemur Varecia variegata variegata, Brown Mouse Lemur Microcebus rufus, Milne-Edwards' Sifaka Propithecus diadema edwardsi, Greater Bamboo Lemur Prolemur simus.

LEMURS CONSERVATION FOUNDATION

Herptiles: 62 species of reptiles, 98 species of amphibian.

Invertebrates: 90 species of butterflies.

Plants include Apocynaceaes, Euphorbiaceaes, Rubiaceaes. The most common epiphytes isAsplenium nidus and orchids of the Bulbophyllum kinds, also Angraecum, Aeranthes, Aerangis and Jumellea.

For lists of all the endemics look here. MADAGASCAR LIVING NATIONAL TREASURES

Author: BSG

 

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