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MADAGASCAR DESCRIPTION
Let’s describe a bit the characteristics of Madagascar
With its 594,180 km² of area (1,600 km from north to south and about 540 km from east to west), Madagascar is the fourth largest island in the world; it lies off the south-western coast of the African continent, more precisely off Mozambique; it stretches longitudinally between the 12th and 25th parallels south of the equator, in the Tropic of Capricorn belt. The climatic and geographic features of the various areas are very different from one another: the centre of the island is marked by a vast plateau; the eastern side, influenced by humid currents from the Indian Ocean, is covered by rainforests; the regions along the western coast facing the Mozambique Channel have a drier climate, with deciduous forests; moving south, the climate becomes increasingly arid, with vegetation mainly made up of spiny forest and baobab trees.
Each climatic region corresponds to a different type of vegetation: the flora boasts more than 10,000 species of plants and flowers, a high percentage of which are endemic (120 varieties of palms, 7 varieties of baobab, over 600 varieties of medicinal plants, etc etc..). Madagascar’s evolutionary history, having split from Africa over 160 million years ago, has allowed some animal species not to become extinct nor to evolve. The lemur (a prosimian) is the best-known example and is present across the country with 51 different species. Madagascar’s fauna also includes 8 species of small carnivores, including the fossa, about 340 species of reptiles and amphibians of which 90% are endemic, and as many as 265 species of birds, 36 of which are endemic to the Indian Ocean region.
The WWF lists Madagascar as one of the countries with the richest ecological heritage in the world. Today there are about 50 protected areas, including reserves and natural parks. ANGAP (Association National pour la Gestion des Aires Protégées) is the non-governmental organization that manages these areas. Visitors, by paying an entry permit in each park, contribute to raising the funds needed for maintenance.
The climate in Madagascar varies greatly depending on differences in altitude and terrain; generally there are two seasons: summer, humid and hot, from November to March, and a cooler, drier winter from April to October. During summer some areas of the country can be hit by violent cyclones.
The ideal period to plan a trip to Madagascar runs from April to November; in this season temperatures range between 16-24°C during the day on the highlands (at night here they can drop to 10°C) and 25-30°C on the coasts. During the rainy season some roads become impassable and it is impossible to visit certain parks. The south-western coast enjoys a mainly dry climate all year round (10-15 rainy days per year). In Nosy Be the rainy season runs from January to March. On the island of St Marie rains are mainly between May and August.
Fauna
In the Perinet Park you can encounter the Indri lemur, whose face resembles a teddy bear; this species is well known for its morning call, heard from kilometres away.
In the Fort Dauphin region you can easily see the light-coloured Verreaux’s sifaka, with a black mask-like face; it is recognised because it moves on the ground by leaping sideways. There are also some species of nocturnal lemurs.
Other mammals include the tenrec, the mongoose, the fossa (a type of civet) and whales, which can be spotted between July and September off the coasts. In Madagascar there are two thirds of the existing chameleon species, numerous geckos and tortoises. Crocodiles live in the rivers, revered and feared by the local population. There are also 60 species of snakes on the island, almost all harmless to humans. The seas surrounding Madagascar offer seabeds unique in the world for the quantity and variety of fish, corals and marine plants.
Madagascar’s fauna is characterised by endemic species, the best known of which is the lemur. Lemurs are prosimians, a suborder of primates; there are 35 different species and they are easily observed in natural parks. The ring-tailed lemur, for example, recognisable by its long tail with black and white stripes, is the most social among lemurs and lives in groups of 12-25 individuals, in which the dominant element is always a female who normally stands at the front of the group.
© Fishingchartermadagascar
info & contatti
gianlucazambo@yahoo.com
zambo@zambofishing.eu
+39 392 9311332 Tel & WhastApp
+39 3288280405 Tel & WhastApp