Floristic and faunal inventory

The floristic inventory started in 2018. It continued this year near the village of Vohitrarivo and it was carried out by a botanist of our local partner IMPACT Madagascar.

Six forest fragments constituting 6 of the 8 conservation areas of the VOI Miaradia were thus visited. Despite their state of degradation (more or less important depending on the fragments) due to very strong human pressure, there is still a significant floristic richness, including 38 species placing in the IUCN Red List (LC and VU).

About forty plant species have been listed in each forest fragment. Many of them are endemic species.

Even though few large trees are present, the potential for forest restoration of these fragments is high. Vegetation has started to regenerate in some of them thanks to the protective measures currently in place.

These forest fragments are also home to a rich and varied fauna that a biologist of IMPACT Madagascar began to inventory.

36 bird species have been identified of which more than 40% are endemic. Logically, we find the greatest number of species in the least degraded forest fragments, in particular in those where the greatest number of large trees (measuring about fifteen meters high) remain.

Thus, a young Madagascan owl (Asio madagascariensis) was observed in one of them confirming a wide distribution of the species on the site of the Bamboo Lemur program.

The 2 most abundant species are the red fody (Foudia madagascariensis) and the Malagasy bulbul (Hypsipetes madagascariensis).

The presence of blue coua (Coua caerulea) has also been confirmed. So far, the species had only been observed in Sahofika and Volotara.

5 of the 6 species of lemurs identified in our conservation area live in these forest fragments. The Red-bellied Lemur has not been found but has never been spotted in the VOI Miaradia.

Several species of mammals have also been recorded, including the ring-tailed mongoose and tenrecs.