National Park · South-West Region · Protected Areas of Madagascar · South
Mikea
National Park
A vast corridor of dry forest stretching 120 km along Madagascar's south-western coast — home to two endemic baobab species, eight lemur species, and a mosaic of habitats from dense canopy to spiny thicket.
About the protected area
A great forest corridor, between river and sea
Mikea National Park is one of Madagascar's Southern Protected Areas. It is situated in the South-West Region, spanning the districts of Toliara II and Morombe, and extends 120 km from north to south. The park is bounded by the Manombo River to the north and the Mangoky River to the south.
Created on 6 July 2011 and managed by Madagascar National Parks (MNP), Mikea covers 184,630 hectares and protects one of the last remaining expanses of western dry forest on the island.
The park entrance is located at Ankililaoka, 75 km north of Toliara, where MNP maintains an office. The site is accessible via secondary roads from Toliara.
There is currently no tourist infrastructure within the park. Visit arrangements should be discussed directly with Madagascar National Parks. More information on Madagascar's protected areas can be found at maison-de-madagascar.ch.
Fauna and Flora
Dense dry forest and spiny thicket, two endemic baobabs
The park experiences a subarid climate typical of the South-West: a cool season from June to August with temperatures as low as 13.8 °C, and a hot season from December to February with peaks above 35 °C. The rainy season runs from November to April.
The eastern portion of the park is dominated by dense dry forest reaching 12 to 15 metres in height, characterised by Commiphora and Dalbergia, with Adansonia and Gyrocarpus specimens exceeding 18 metres. The shrub layer, between 4 and 10 metres, is composed of Euphorbia species, while the understorey is dominated by Dracaena, Ruellia, and succulent climbers such as Adenia and Vanilla madagascariensis. Towards the coast, a transitional formation links the dense dry forest to the dry spiny thicket that covers the park's western section.
The park shelters two endemic baobab species: Adansonia grandidieri (Endangered) and Adansonia rubrostipa. Its fauna encompasses both terrestrial and aquatic species, including nocturnal and diurnal lemurs.
Socio-economic context
Slash-and-burn agriculture and forest loss
The area is characterised by slash-and-burn cultivation practices (known locally as hatsake), which alter the park's vegetation and contribute to the loss of natural forest. Since 1996, approximately 13% of the park's natural forest cover has been lost to this practice.
Identified threats
Location
South-western Madagascar, between Toliara and Morombe
Mikea National Park stretches 120 km along the south-western coast between the Manombo and Mangoky rivers. The park entrance is located at Ankililaoka, 75 km north of Toliara on secondary roads, where the MNP office is based.