Rainforest Reserves: Montagne d'Ambre NP
Montagne d’Ambre National Park is a forested volcanic massif in northern Madagascar. It is not part of the eastern rainforest band and, consequently, its floral and faunal communities are somewhat different. The park is also known for its scenic attractions: there are four crater lakes and three waterfalls within its boundaries. It is easy to reach from Antsiranana, and easy to explore.
Montagne d’Ambre National Park protects 18,200ha of mid-altitude montane rainforest lying at altitudes ranging from 850 – 1475 metres. It is remarkable for its bird’s nest ferns, tree ferns and orchids; and the extremely rare and localised 'Rainforest' baobab, Adansonia perrieri, is particularly noteworthy.
Montagne d’Ambre is one of the few Malagasy reserves that can be enjoyed by people with limited mobility. In the dry season, you can drive to the Station de Rousettes, the forestry station and main picnic area, and see the rainforest and some of the creatures that dwell in it. The park has 30km of trails, several of them easy and well-maintained, others overgrown and/or challenging.
People usually see groups of Crowned and Sanfords lemur, and a good sample of the park’s floral and wildlife attractions - in the course of a walk near Les Rousettes or to the viewpoint over Grande Cascade waterfall.
Visitors often see the Ambre Mountain forked lemur and Ankarana sportive lemur during a night walks. Montagne d’Ambre is the best place to seek the diurnal Ringtail mongoose and the very rarely seen nocturnal Fanalouc.
The park has a particularly rich and impressive herpetofauna which includes many species of chameleon, snake, skink and frog. Three of the leaf-tailed geckos, Uroplatus, occur here, as well as two day geckos.
Montagne d’Ambre is the sole locality for the locally endemic Amber Mountain rock-thrush. Madagascar crested ibis, the beautiful Pitta-like ground-roller, Spectacled greenbul, White-throated oxylabes, Dark newtonia and Hookbilled vanga are among the other birds commonly seen.
In contrast to the very dry region around Diego Suarez, just to north, where rainfall seldom exceeds 900mm per annum, Montagne d’Ambre receives an average of 3,580mm.
This park can be visited year-round. The driest months are generally May to October. June can be chilly. Heavy rains can make it impossible to use the the park’s vehicle tracks.
The park is about a 40-kilometre drive south from Antsiranana, on tarred road as far as the decaying colonial town of Joffreville (Ambohitra). The final 7 kilometres is dirt track and its quality varies with the season.
Photographs courtesy of Edward Tucker Brown