The dense jungle of the park is the habitat of a great biodiversity. We can observe the Varecia Rubra or the Eulemur Albifrons, the tomato frog, the Helmet Vanga bird (Euryceros prevostii), chameleons Furcifer pardalis, brookesia or parsonii, giant millipedes, arborescent ferns and other endemic species of fauna and flora. The undisputed protagonist is the Aye-Aye (Daubentonia Madagascariensis).
A hidden treasure off the coast of the national park is the island of Nosy Mangabe. This small island of 520 hectares is located in Antongil Bay, just 2 km off the coast of Maroantsetra. Covered by a lush vegetation of low altitude rainforest, a network of trails invites us to discover the enormous biodiversity that resides on this small island: Eulemur Albifrons, Varecia Variegata subcinta as well as nocturnal species such as the aye-aye, the cheirogaleus major; uroplatus fimbriatus, the boa Sanzinia madagascariensis, the mantella laevigata frog, colorful crabs, pygmy chameleons such as Brookesia peyriasi, orchids, pandanus, palm trees…. Whales, turtles and dolphins surround the waters of this island full of pure nature, Noah’s ark in Madagascar.
An island where tombs remain that testify to ancient stories of Dutch pirates who during the 16th century left their mark with inscriptions on the rocks of the so-called “La plage des Hollandais”.
The British writer Douglas Adams visited the island in search of the Aye-Aye to document one of his books “Last chance to see”.
The Masoala National Park includes 3 sections or marine reserves: Tanjona, Cap Masoala and Tampolo where 114 coral species are present.
At Cap Masoala (Ambodilaitry) 41 coral genera were collected, the richest and most developed of the genus Acropora which reflects the good state of the reef as this group stands out for being very fragile and sensitive to degradation.
Fauna in the marine reserves of Masoala:
114 species of coral, 104 species of mollusks, 4 species of sea turtles (Chelonia Mydas, Eretmochelys imbricata, dermochelys coriácea and caretta caretta), 27 species of Holothuroidea (sea cucumbers), several species of coelacanths (the coelacanth has morphological similarities practically identical to its fossil ancestor, for this reason it is currently known as a living fossil. It is more than 1.5 meters long and lives up to 60 years at a depth of 700 meters. It is believed to have been on earth for more than 420 million years…), two species of whales (Franca and Humpback), 2 species of dolphins and one species of dugong.
Source ©Indigo Be Magazine
