An Island Set Apart Access: Access into Marojejy National Park is via trail starting from the village of Manantenina, 60 km from One hundred sixty million years ago, the ancient land- Sambava along the road to Andapa. A permit and guide mass of Gondwanaland broke apart into what eventually are required for entry; these are available at the Visitor became the present continents of Africa, South Center in Manantenina or at the Park Headquarters America, Antarctica, and Australia, along with the sub- office in Andapa. continent of India and Madagascar. As the land was divided, so too were all the families of plants and The Reptiles and animals living there; only a few of the species that later Amphibians of Marojejy evolved managed to migrate across the Mozambique Channel from Africa. One way or the other, the species that did end up marooned on the island of Madagascar had plenty of time and opportunity to diversify. Marojejy National Park The reptiles and amphibians did this particularly well: to Summit Sambava over 300 species of reptiles have thus far been described 2132 m (6995 ft) from Madagascar, and perhaps more than 250 species of Manantenina amphibians. So great are the numbers, and so fre- i quently do researchers discover new species, that the classification of Madagascar’s herpetofauna is in a con- i Information stant state of flux. Of Madagascar’s reptiles, 93% are Camp / Cabins Paved Road endemic, while for the amphibians the number is very Trail close to 100%.
Andapa 0 kilometres 10 In Marojejy National Park, on the mountainous eastern i escarpment of northern Madagascar, 77 species of reptiles and 70 species of amphibians have been in- ventoried to date. This represents over a quarter of the Facilities: Three beautifully-sited and well-maintained total herpetofaunal species known in Madagascar, and is camps are available at different elevations along the trail the highest diversity of reptiles and amphibians cur- within the park. The camps all have cabins equipped rently known in any protected area in Madagascar. with beds and bedding, as well as covered cooking and Mantella laevigata photo: Paul Atkinson Seventeen of these species are endemic to Marojejy. dining areas. Tent camping is also possible at several locations in the park. Clearly, Marojejy National Park plays a critical role in protecting Madagascar’s remarkably high levels of Seasons: The park is open year-round, but the best biodiversity and endemism. But adequate protection times to visit are from April to May and September to requires more than just setting aside isolated fragments December, when it is less rainy. of rainforest. Current protected areas must be linked to Surrounding Area: Northeastern Madagascar contains allow species dispersal and genetic exchange, local residents must be educated about the unique and a number of other beautiful and biologically-interesting areas, including Masoala National Park, Nosy Mangabe Marojejy National Park remarkable life forms that these forests hold, and they Madagascar must be given acceptable alternatives to the current and Anjanaharibe-Sud Special Reserves, and the Antalaha–Cap Est coastline. destructive practice of slash-and-burn agriculture (tavy). Ecotourism 2007 It is encouraging news that these are all measures cur- Contact: Marojejy National Park, B.P. 19, Andapa 205 rently being undertaken by the Malagasy government phone (261.20) 88.070.27 and a variety of conservation and development organi- zations in the country. email: [email protected], web: www.marojejy.com Reptiles and Amphibians: Marojejy National Park, Madagascar
* Species endemic to Marojejy National Park
Reptilia (77 species) Amphibia (70 species)
Gekkonidae Microhylidae Blaesodactylus antongilensis Amphiglossus melanopleura Platypelis barbouri Boophis tephraeomystax Ebenavia inunguis Amphiglossus melanurus Platypelis grandis * Boophis sp. 1 Lygodactylus madagascariensis Amphiglossus minutus Platypelis occultans * Boophis sp. 2 Lygodactylus miops Amphiglossus mouroundavae Platypelis tsaratananensis Mantella laevigata Microscalabotes bivittis Amphiglossus ornaticeps Platypelis tuberifera Mantella madagascariensis Paroedura gracilis Amphiglossus punctatus Platypelis sp. Mantella manery Phelsuma bimaculata Androngo crenni Plethodontohyla bipunctata Mantella nigricans Phelsuma guttata Mabuya gravenhorstii Plethodontohyla coudreaui Mantidactylus aglavei Phelsuma lineata Paracontias holomelas Plethodontohyla laevipes Mantidactylus cf. asper Phelsuma madagascariensis Paracontias milloti * Plethodontohyla minuta Mantidactylus betsileanus Phelsuma pusilla * Pseudoacontias angelorum Plethodontohyla notosticta Mantidactylus cf. bicalcaratus Phelsuma quadriocellata Plethodontohyla ocellata Mantidactylus biporus Uroplatus alluaudi Gerrhosauridae Plethodontohyla serratopalpebrosa Mantidactylus charlotteae Uroplatus ebenaui Zonosaurus madagascariensis Plethodontohyla sp. 1 Mantidactylus femoralis Uroplatus fimbriatus Zonosaurus rufipes Plethodontohyla sp. 2 Mantidactylus fimbriatus Uroplatus henkeli Zonosaurus subunicolor Stumpffia grandis Mantidactylus grandidieri Mantidactylus grandisonae Uroplatus lineatus Boidae Stumpffia roseifemoralis Uroplatus sikorae Stumpffia tridactyla Mantidactylus granulatus Sanzinia madagascariensis * Uroplatus sp. * Stumpffia sp. Mantidactylus klemmeri Typhlopidae Stumpffia sp. 1 Mantidactylus leucomaculatus Chamaeleonidae Typhlops ocularis Stumpffia sp. 2 Mantidactylus liber Brookesia betschi * Typhlops sp. Mantidactylus lugubris Brookesia griveaudi Mantellidae Mantidactylus luteus * Brookesia karchei Colubridae Boophis albilabris Mantidactylus massi Brookesia minima Alluaudina bellyi Boophis anjanaharibeensis Mantidactylus opiparis Brookesia stumpffi Geckolepis maculata Boophis boehmei Mantidactylus peraccae Brookesia therezieni Geodipsas boulengeri Boophis brachychir Mantidactylus pseudoasper Brookesia vadoni Geodipsas infralineata Boophis englaenderi Mantidactylus pulcher Calumma boettgeri Geodipsas laphystia Boophis madagascariensis Mantidactylus redimitus * Calumma cf. brevicornis Geodipsas cf. laphystia Boophis cf. mandraka Mantidactylus rivicola Calumma cucullata * Geodipsas sp. 1 Boophis marojezensis * Mantidactylus schilfi * Calumma gastrotaenia * Geodipsas sp. 2 Boophis rappiodes Mantidactylus striatus * Calumma cf. gastrotaenia Liophidium dolicocercus Boophis cf. rappiodes Mantidactylus tandroka Calumma guillaumeti Liophidium rhodogaster Boophis cf. reticulatus Mantidactylus ulcerosus Calumma cf. malthe Liopholidophis epistibes Boophis septentrionalis Mantidactylus webbi Calumma nasuta Liopholidophis stumpffi Boophis sibilans * Mantidactylus sp. * Calumma peyrierasi * Liopholidophis sp. Furcifer pardalis Lycodryas arctifasciatus Sources : Lycodryas betsileanus Scincidae Glaw, F. and Vences, M., personal communication, March 2005. Lycodryas gaimardi Amphiglossus frontoparietalis Pararhadinaea albignaci Goodman, S.M. and Wilmé, L., eds., 2003. Nouveaux résultats d’inventaires Amphiglossus intermedius Pseudoxyrhopus heterurus biologiques faisant référence à l’altitude dans la région des massifs Amphiglossus macrocercus Pseudoxyrhopus microps montagneux de Marojejy et d’Anjanaharibe-Sud. Recherches pour le Amphiglossus mandokava Pseudoxyrhopus tritaeniatus Développement, Série Sciences Biologiques no. 19, CIDST, Antananarivo.
rev. March 2005 (PKA)