The Tsingy de Bermaraha National Park is in the district of Antsalova, in central west part of Madagascar. The Great Tsingy and The Little Tsingy are geological formations in the park. It is found next to the Tsingy de Bermaraha Strict Nature Reserve.
A national park usually defines an area of countryside, sea or fresh water protected by the State for the enjoyment of the general public while a Strict Nature Reserve would mean an area reserved for the preservation of wildlife, and is a highly protected area. Both these parks come under the care of the UNESCO Heritage Sites. The karstic topography of these two plateaus are formed by the dissolution of soluble rocks, like limestone. The groundwater has cut into the uplands, gouging out caverns, horizontally and vertically, creating a ‘forest of limestone needles’, and thereby earning the name, in Malagsy — Tsingy de Bermaraha meaning ‘where one cannot walk barefoot’.
Home in the needles
A unique aspect of the Tsingys is that they house endemic (restricted to a certain place) species of animals and plants. The Tsingys take this unique quality a step further with each limestone needle nurturing a different ecosystem at the base, the slope and the peak point. Some of the limestone pinnacles rise up to 100m.
The total area of the Tsingys is around 666 sq m. It contains rare flora and fauna, that has adapted characteristics to survive in their its unusual ecosystem. Some of these species are threatened with extinction, unless utmost care is taken to conserve and preserve them.
In this area, there are 11 species of lemurs, endemic to Madagascar. These are tree-dwelling nocturnal primates, with a long tail, a pointed muzzle and woolly fur. Others are six bird species, two amphibian species, and 17 reptile species. A special mention must be made of the minuscule chameleon, Brookesia perarmata, also known as the Antsingy leaf chameleon and the Nesomys lambertoni, a rodent which exists only in the reserve. It is commonly known as the Lowland Red Forest rat.
Another important feature is that the hydrological system comes under the Ramsar Sites, which has international importance under the Ramsar Convention. The Convention on Wetlands, known as the Ramsar Convention, is an intergovernmental environmental treaty established in 1971 by UNESCO, and came into force in 1975.
One of the major management concerns are the wild fires which happen at the grazing areas at the borders.
