- Location: Madagascar
- Area: 12,5 hectares
Among the attractions of Murundava , a resort town on the west coast of Madagascar , there is one wonderful place that is always popular with tourists. Here you can perfectly relax and spend time, simultaneously enjoying the nature of the island and learning about the local fauna. It is about the forest of Kirindi, one of the national parks of Madagascar .
What is interesting for the tourist?
The park was founded in 1970. Its main advantage is that there are all conditions to observe the life of the island's wildlife at night. By its area, Kirindi has 12.5 hectares. In its space live more than a dozen different species of mammals, among which the most are endemics.
Another feature of Kirindi is the biocenosis of the dry forest. Taking into account the fact that dry deciduous forests as a whole were left alone, this feature of the park only adds to it exotics. After all, about eight months of the year there is a drought, but plants and animals have adapted to this, and it seems that this way of life is not a burden for them at all.
Nevertheless, it is better to plan your walk along the trails of the forest of Kirindi during the rainy season, which lasts from November to February. At this time, nature revives, trees are saturated with greenery, animals are activated.
For tourists on the territory of the park special eco-loggias are built. These are small wooden houses, in which there is a bed and a bathroom. Comfort in such a dwelling is very doubtful phenomenon, but full of nature of the night forest can be satiated. This pleasure will cost you $ 4. Those who decide on a night rendezvous, you need to take into account several details: at night it is very cold, the water pressure in the bathroom is a relative concept, mobile communication works poorly.
The whole territory of the park is divided by paths to conditional "squares", which help to navigate in space, and also there is a main asphalt path.
Flora and fauna
As mentioned above, the forest of Kirindi is the habitat of several unique species of animals. Among them are the very fosses that are familiar to most tourists on the plot of the cartoon "Madagascar." These animals on our planet remained no more than 2 thousand individuals, and almost all of them - the inhabitants of Kirindi.
Another rare species is the dwarf mouse lemur. These miniature animals grow no more than 20 cm, and half of this figure - only the tail. Dwarf lemurs are the smallest representatives of primates, they lead a predominantly nocturnal lifestyle.
In the reserve there are more than 180 plant species. There are among them and their legendary samples. For example, here you can see a giant baobab that is 40 meters long!
How to get to the forest of Kirindi in Madagascar?
You can reach this corner of nature in a rented car , or on a shuttle bus from Murundava to Belo-sur-Tsiribikhina. In the latter case, you must certainly notify the driver of your destination, so that he makes a stop at the road leading to the forest. Then walk on foot it is necessary to pass about 5 km.