Natural Monument · Analavelona Massif · Sakaraha District · Protected Areas of Madagascar
Alandraza Analavelo
Sacred Forest
A cloud-wrapped sanctuary on the Analavelona massif — 4,487 hectares of subhumid forest sacred to the Bara people, sheltering seven lemur species above the dry plains of south-west Madagascar.
About the protected area
An oasis of mist on an isolated massif
The Analavelona Protected Area sits on the south-eastern face of an isolated massif rising to 1,325 m at Mitsinjoriake. The massif forms "an oasis of mist," capturing rainfall and orographic humidity from the surrounding dry plains. It is accessible only on foot.
The Missouri Botanical Garden maintains an office at Ambinanitelo. This village is linked to Sakaraha by a secondary road, passable between April and mid-December. The protected area can also be reached from the locality of Mahaboboka (on the RN7, 24 km from Sakaraha), continuing on foot to the village of Andranoheza and reaching the massif the following day. Visit arrangements are to be discussed with the manager at its main office and in Antananarivo. Four local guides are available.
Analavelona is reachable only on foot — the climb to its forested slopes is itself part of the experience of this "oasis of mist" rising above the dry plains of the south-west.
Climate, Fauna and Flora
Humid evergreen forest above the dry south-west
The protected area has a subhumid climate, with a rainy season running from November to April. The cool season falls between June and August, with temperatures down to 7.3°C, while the hot season runs from September to November, with peaks above 32.4°C occurring between December and February.
Forest covers a large part of the protected area, with its periphery composed of secondary grassland and pasture. The forest itself displays the characteristics of a dense humid evergreen forest: of 75 tree species recorded, only 4 are deciduous, and trees reach 20 to 30 m near watercourses.
Ludia madagascariensis is characteristic of the humid and subhumid zones here, while three species are recognised as typical of Analavelona: Aloe analavelonensis, Euphorbia analavelonensis, and Pseudodicliptera humilis. Fauna includes 82 bird species, 7 lemur species, and 3 reptile species, among them Zonosaurus madagascariensis.
Culture and Heritage
The Bara people and the forest of spirits
The Bara people live in the area surrounding the massif. The forest is exploited for its resources, including honey and the hunting of tenrec. It is considered sacred and is believed to be inhabited by spirits, and it also serves as a refuge for zebu.
The threat weighing on the protected area consists essentially of bush fires.
Identified threats
Location
South-western Madagascar, Sakaraha District
Analavelona rises west-northwest of the town of Sakaraha, in the Atsimo-Andrefana Region. It can be reached via the secondary road from Sakaraha to Ambinanitelo (passable from April to mid-December), or from Mahaboboka on the RN7, followed by a two-day trek on foot to the massif.