Manongarivo Special Reserve

The Manongarivo Special Reserve is in the Sambirano region of northwestern Madagascar. It can be reached by four-wheel-drive vehicle from Ambanja, about 60 km to the south, and it is best to contact an Antsiranana (= Diégo-Suarez) or Nosy Be-based tour operator to arrange such a trip. A permit is required from Madagascar National Parks in order to enter the reserve. There are several hotels in Ambanja and two very good ones in Ankify, but these are a good distance away from the reserve. Manongarivo is the best place to see the Sambirano mouse lemur (Microebus sambiranensis) and the Sambirano woolly lemur (Avahi unicolor), but both are quite difficult to find. Other species present include the Sambirano fork-marked lemur (Phaner parienti), Gray’s sportive lemur (Lepilemur dorsalis), the northern giant mouse lemur (Mirza zaza), northern bamboo lemur (Hapalemur occidentalis), the black lemur (Eulemur macaco), the brown lemur (Eulemur fulvus), and perhaps the aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis). This reserve is hard to reach and is not recommended for first-time visitors to Madagascar.