Kirindy Forest
The Kirindy Forest (or Kirindy Private Reserve) is a private nature reserve situated in western Madagascar, about 50 km northeast of the town of Morondava, near Ambivy. The forest reserve falls within the boundaries of the Kirindy Mitea National Park, which spreads further to the south. The forest goes through two general seasons each year: the dry season, from March to December, and the rainy season, from December to March. The forest is home to a wide variety of animals, from lemurs and fossas to geckos and chameleons, and numerous birds, the majority of which are found nowhere else. Many species of iconic plants are also found in the region, from baobabs and spiny palms to Alluaudia and euphorbs. In its infancy, the forest reserve was operated based on a sustainable timber harvesting experiment, as deforestation is an issue which has not left the region unaffected. It is said, in Malagasy culture, that the forest was named ‘Kirindy’ long ago, meaning "dense forest with wild animals". As it is located in the northern area of the Kirindy Mitea National Park, the forest is also known as "Kirindy Nord", or ‘northern Kirindy’. Before being renamed Kirindy, the area was called the Swiss people’s forest ("la foret des Suisses"), as a Swiss company owns the piece of land. Geography and climate Location The Kirindy forest is located in western Madagascar, within the Kirindy Mitea National Park. It is situated 700 km away from the capital of the country, Antananarivo. Located in Central Menabe, it is part of a conservation priority area. The forest is in the Toliara (Tuléar) Province, situated 60 km south-west of the town of Morondava and approximately 21 km east of Belo‐sur‐Mer. Located at 44°39'E and 200 03'S. The Kirindy Forest is said to be one of the largest areas of protected dry forest in Madagascar. It is known for having a unique level of biodiversity. Climate The Krindy Forest's climate is highly seasonal and tropical. The cold and dry season generally takes place from March - April to November - December of each year. A season during which most trees shed their leaves. The wet and hot season, also referred to as the rainy season typically takes place from November - December to March - April. Some precipitations can be observed during this season which make the forest that makes access more difficult' hard to access The annual rainfall is concentrated throughout the brief rainy season with an average of approximately 800mm of rainfall every year in the region. Temperatures range yearly between 19 °C and 40 °C((104 °F)) with an annual mean of 25 °C. Fauna The animal life of Kirindy includes over 65 species of reptiles and amphibians, 55 species of birds and 31 species of mammals, the majority of them found nowhere else on earth. Mammals There are a number of species of unique lemurs present, many of them nocturnal or crepuscular: Coquerel's giant mouse lemur Fat-tailed dwarf lemur Grey mouse lemur Madame Berthe's mouse