Special Reserve · 2 Parcels · Atsimo-Andrefana Region · Protected Areas of Madagascar
Bezà-Mahafaly
Special Reserve
Gallery forest along the Sakamena River and spiny thicket beyond — 4,199 hectares where Verreaux's sifaka and ring-tailed lemurs can be observed in the wild from as close as four metres.
About the protected area
Two parcels of gallery forest and spiny thicket
The Bezà Mahafaly Protected Area is formed of two parcels. It can be reached from Toliara via Andranovory (70 km), then heading south; at 90 km along the RN10 (Taolagnaro–Betioky), a turn toward Analafaly leads through the village of Miary before reaching the reserve.
A liaison office is maintained at Betioky Atsimo. A scientific museum and an equipped welcome building are located at Bezà Mahafaly itself, alongside an equipped lodge (gîte d'étape) and a campsite with 9 tent shelters. Two tourist circuits, each 1.5 km long, run through the reserve.
Bezà-Mahafaly is the only protected area containing gallery forest in Madagascar's southern ecoregion — and one of the few places where wild Verreaux's sifaka and ring-tailed lemurs can be observed from as close as four metres, making it a favoured destination for scientific tourism.
Climate, Fauna and Flora
Gallery forest on the Sakamena, spiny thicket beyond
The reserve sits under the subarid climate typical of the south-west. The cool season runs from June to August, with temperatures down to 12°C, while the hot season runs from September to November, with peaks above 35°C. The rainy season falls between November and April.
In Parcel I, a gallery forest follows the course of the Sakamena River, while Parcel II is dominated by spiny thicket. The site shelters several woody species, among them Acacia rovumae, Albizia polyphylla, Tamarindus indica, Ficus grevei, Breonadia salicina, and Grewia fransiscana, a local endemic.
Bezà-Mahafaly is the only protected area containing gallery forest within the island's southern ecoregion, and it shelters diurnal lemurs — Propithecus verreauxi verreauxi and Lemur catta — that can be observed up close, at distances as near as 4 metres, making the site especially well-suited to scientific tourism.
Culture and Heritage
Mahafaly tombs and a forest under pressure
The reserve is inhabited by the Mahafaly people. Several tombs are found within the protected area, including that of a former king. The forest provides the local population with opportunities for hunting and for gathering forest products destined for the local market. It also serves as a refuge for livestock seeking protection from malaso, or cattle raiders, though it remains subject to illegal logging.
Between 1996 and 2016, the reserve lost 5.9% of its forest cover.
Identified threats
Location
South-west Madagascar, near Betioky Atsimo
Bezà-Mahafaly lies south of Toliara, reached via Andranovory and the RN10 toward Betioky, turning at Analafaly through the village of Miary. The reserve's gallery forest follows the Sakamena River, with its spiny-thicket parcel beyond.