Spiky limestone rock formations and mangrove forests are
part of the tropical and otherworldly landscape of the Tsingy de Bemaraha
nature reserve on the western side of Madagascar.
The reserve is home to chameleons, lemurs and endangered
birds.
Also part of the landscape is the Manambolo River, which
runs red with eroded sediment from the highlands of Madagascar.
The reserve is 400 kilometers west of Antananarivo
Brief Description
Tsingy de Bemaraha Strict Nature Reserve comprises karstic
landscapes and limestone uplands cut into impressive 'tsingy' peaks and a
'forest' of limestone needles, the spectacular canyon of the Manambolo river,
rolling hills and high peaks. The undisturbed forests, lakes and mangrove
swamps are the habitat for rare and endangered lemurs and birds.
Brief synthesis
The Tsingy de Bemaraha Integral Nature Reserve is located in
the District of Antsalova and in the region of the central west part of
Madagascar. It is part of the Melaky region, in the autonomous province of
Mahajanga, and localized between 44°34’ to 44°57’ longitude east and 18°12’ to
19°09’ latitude south. Its total area is 152,000 ha.
The Reserve offers a wide variety of geomorphological
structures. It is a veritable cathedral of limestone and offers one of the most
spectacular natural landscapes of the Grand Island and even of the world. The
western part of the plateau presents a very dissected or ‘lapiezée’ relief,
most of which is covered by a dense, dry and deciduous forest. In its eastern
part, the forest is interspersed by savannas.
The Tsingy of Bemaraha is considered a centre for endemism
by its wealth in faunal and floral species.
Criterion (vii): The Tsingy de Bemaraha Integral Nature
Reserve represents rare or eminently remarkable geological phenomena and of
exceptional beauty. It presents impressive geological elements including
karstic scenery with a highly dissected limestone massif, crossed by a deep
river gorge which is the spectacular
expression of a stage of evolution of the earth in the form of a « forest of
sharp stones » with high limestone pinnacles rising up to 100 metres, forming
veritable cathedrals, offering a grandiose, spectacular natural landscape.
Further, « the Tsingy » of the limestone plateau forms an unusual feature of
outstanding beauty, unique in the world, universally recognized by the effect
created by the shades of forest green on metallic reflections of the grey karst
“bristles”.
Criterion (x): The Tsingy de Bemaraha Integral Nature
Reserve contains communities of rare and/or threatened animal species. In
addition to a forestry cover of more than 85,000 ha and excellent examples of
principal types of ecosystem from rainforest habitats to very dry ones, the
property contains a very rich biological diversity on a world level, due to its
faunal and floral species, their rarity and containment presenting spectacular
adaption and insular characteristics, enabling the conservation in situ of
endemism and biological diversity. The same applies to the habitats of very
rare species all threatened with extinction, which are either endemic or
subordinate: 11 species of Lemur; 6 bird species; 2 local endemic amphibian
species; 17 endemic reptile species including the famous miniscule chameleon,
Brookesia perarmata; as well as a species of rodent, Nesomys lambertoni, that
only exists in the Reserve. Linked to the diversity of habitats, systematic
research will without doubt shortly enable the addition of new species to this
list. Furthermore, certain surrounding lakes, also dependent on the
hydrological system of the property, have been listed as Ramsar sites.
Integrity
Since its national listing in 1927, the protection of the
Reserve is partially assured due to the very difficult access formed by the
karst barriers and vegetation formations still intact. Currently, the dense,
dry forest covers an area of 80,000 ha, that is a little more than half of the
Reserve. It still constitutes a suitable habitat for the conservation of animal
and plant species. Another part of the property is composed of karst system
(limestone), forming an exceptional landscape. The savanicole formation
occupies nearly all the other half of the Reserve (47.6%). This entire zone,
that contains botanical characteristic elements of the landscape, provides
favourable natural conditions for livestock breeding. Consequently, each year,
anthropogenic fires cover some areas of the savanna and affect a part of the
borders and the forests. Human and cattle disruption to the integrity must be
part of the elements to monitor in the Reserve.
Protection and management requirements
The Reserve has the status of « Integral Natural Reserve »
representing the strongest protection at the national level, since 1927. Until
1990, apart from the presence of a Chief of the Reserve, staff from the
Ministry of Water and Forests assures the protection in situ, the property has
not had any organized management structure. However, the Government, UNESCO and
WWF were willing to allocate funds to improve management and conservation. To
this end, a document which is at the same time a strategic management plan for
the Reserve, was prepared to constitute an overall planning reference.
Presently, the Reserve has a management and conservation plan, including bush
fire control, and the implementation of this plan was already undertaken during
this decade.
Since 1991, an institution mandated by the Malagasy State
assures the management and conservation of this site, the « National
Association for the Management of Protected Areas », that has become the «
Madagascar National Parks ». Moreover, a change in the status from the Integral
Nature Reserve to National Park is envisaged to redefine physically and legally
the boundaries as well as the eventual promotion of ecotourism, in permanent
consultation with the neighbouring communities and the State.
In the border areas of the property, the management of wild
fires in grazing lands with the communities remains one of the major management
concerns especially in the northern part. At the same time, developing tourism
impacts shall be monitored to use as a socio-economic integration tool which
does not negatively affect the integrity of the property in the mid- or
long-term, whist being a stimulant for local development. The financial income
resulting from the development of ecotourism is beginning to have its positive
impacts on conservation activities.
Long Description
The integral nature reserve of Tsingy of Bemaraha lies 60-80
km inland from the west coast in the northern sector of the Antsingy region of
the Bemaraha Plateau, north of the Manambolo River Gorge. The additional
forests and lakes nominated include all the remaining native forest, mangrove
and lakes between the west coast and the Bemaraha Reserve, lying between the
Sohanina and Manambolo rivers.
Much of the reserve integral to Tsingy de Bemaraha comprises
limestone karst, delimited to the east by abrupt cliffs which rise some 300-400
m above the Hanambolo River valley and extend several tens of kilometres from
north to south. The western slopes rise more gently, and the whole western
region of the reserve forms a plateau with rounded hillocks which slope away to
the west. To the north undulating hills alternate with limestone extrusions,
whereas in the south extensive pinnacle formations make access extremely
restricted. The Hanambolo River Gorge is on the southern edge of the reserve.
Both seasonal and permanent rivers flow on the plateau (draining to the west),
and numerous permanent springs arise at the base of the Tsingy on both sides.
Vegetation is characteristic of the calcareous karst regions
of western Madagascar, with dense, dry, deciduous forest, and extensive
anthropogenic savannahs.
The fauna of the region has not been studied in any detail.
The Tsingy is the only known location for chameleon, and the only western dry
forest site known for Madagascar grey-throated rail (only previously known from
north-western and eastern Madagascar). The reserve is also the only protected
area where the endemic nesomyine rodent is known to occur and there is also an
unconfirmed report of aye-aye just outside the reserve. Other notable species
include goshawk, which may be threatened, and lemur, all of which are (or may
be) threatened.
Source: UNESCO/CLT/WHC
Historical Description
December 1927, and is now protected under Decree No. 66-242
of 1 June 1966. The ancient cemeteries within the Manambolo Gorge, the gorge
itself, and the "foreet rochers" (which includes the reserve), are
all designated "natural monuments and sites" under a decree of 25
August 1937, all three being listed by an 'arrete' 11 February 1939. However,
this latte r designation does not imply any degree of management or protection.
Source: Advisory Body Evaluation
Species
The species listed below represent a small sample of iconic
and/or IUCN Red Listed animals and plants found in the property. Clicking on
the number in brackets next to the species will reveal other World Heritage
Properties in which a species has been identified. These species are identified
in an effort to better communicate the biological diversity contained within
World Heritage properties inscribed under criteria ix and/or x.
Accipiter henstii / Henst's Goshawk
Accipiter madagascariensis / Madagascar Sparrowhawk
Anas bernieri / Madagascar Teal
Ardea humbloti / Madagascar Heron
Ardeola idae / Madagascar Pond-heron
Avahi occidentalis / Western Woolly Lemur
Brookesia perarmata / Antsingy Leaf Chameleon
Canirallus kioloides / Madagascar Grey-throated Rail
Cheirogaleus medius / Fat-tailed Dwarf Lemur
Circus macrosceles / Madagascar Harrier
