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Kirindy Forest

Coordinates: 20°49′S 44°09′E / 20.817°S 44.150°E / -20.817; 44.150
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Kirindy Forest
Verreaux's sifakas at the Kirindy Forest Reserve
Ecology
AnimalsLemurs, Reptiles
Geography
Area125 km2 (48 sq mi)
CountryMadagascar
Coordinates20°49′S 44°09′E / 20.817°S 44.150°E / -20.817; 44.150
Climate typeTropical
Conservation
Conservation statuscritical/endangered
Global 200yes

Kirindy Forest or Kirindy Private Reserve is a private park situated in western Madagascar, More precisely, the reserve is situated 50 km northeast of the town of Morondava.[1] The Forest goes through two apparent seasons throughout the year, the dry season from March to December and the rainy season from December to March.6. The forest is home to a wide variety of both Fauna and Flora. Ranging from Lemurs to geckos. Many species of trees are also growing in the forest with a wide variety of endemic trees. The forest was earlier operated based on an experimental sustainable timber harvesting scheme, which has not left indelible scars on the region.

Geography and climate

Location

The Kirindy forest is located within the Kirindy Mitea National Park. The forest is in the Toliary (Tuléar) Province, situated 60km 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.[2] The Kirindy Forest is said to be one of the largest areas of protected dry forest in Madagascar.[3] It is known for having a unique level of biodiversity.[4]

Climate

The Krindy Forest’s climate is highly seasonal and tropical.[5] 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. [6] The wet and hot season, also referred to as the rainy season[7] 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 [8] 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.[5]

Fauna

The Fauna includes over sixty-five species of reptiles and amphibians. Fifty-five species of birds were also identified in the forest as well as thirty-one species of mammals.

Mammals

There are a number of species of nocturnal lemurs present: Madame Berthe's mouse lemur (the world's smallest primate), red-tailed sportive lemur, pygmy mouse lemur, gray mouse lemur, pale fork-marked lemur, Coquerel's giant mouse lemur, Verreaux's sifaka, red-fronted brown lemur, and the fat-tailed dwarf lemur. Most of the species in the Kirindy forest are endemic and endangered due to different threats.[4] Dozens of endemic lemurs are present in the Kirindy forest weighting from 0.02kg to 7kg.[9] Two species are endemic to this specific region. The Malagasy giant jumping rat (Hypogeomys antimena) endangered due to multiple factors such as habitat loss, slow reproduction, and limited range.[3] Kirindy Forest may be best known as the only location where the endangered giant jumping rat (Hypogeomys antimena) occurs. This animal can hop like a miniature kangaroo, but is also seen walking on all four limbs. The Madame Berthe’s mouse lemur (Microcebus berthae), a nocturnal primate. This primate is the smallest primate in the world (Gron 2009. The Lepilemur ruficaudatus is also present in the forest, a nocturnal lemur that weights on average 800 g.[6] Red-fronted Brown Lemurs (Eulemur fulvus rufus) can also be observed in Kirindy Forest.[6] These mammals include various species of lemurs.[3] but further mammalian species of fossa, narrow-striped mongoose, common tenrec, greater hedgehog tenrec and are also found here.[10] The Fossa is also one of the 31 species of mammals inhabiting the forest. According to,[7] by 2050, this species will go extinct if the deforestation rates stay this high.

Reptiles

Some of the local reptiles present are: Labord's chameleon, various plated lizards, Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko, big-headed gecko, Madagascar ground boa, giant hog-nosed snake, spear-nosed snake and kapidolo.[11]

Flora

Trees and Plants

Madagascar is known to have a very rich flora with thousands of different species of trees and plants. The Kirindy forest is home to much endemic flora.[8] Three main species of baobab trees can be found there. Most of the canopy top is about 14 meters in height, but in wetter parts (e.g. in riparian zones) it may almost triple in vertical extent. There are three species of baobab trees present: Adansonia grandidieri, Adansonia rubrostipa and Adansonia za.[12] The Adansonia rubrostipa also known as fony baobab. (Baum, 1995).[13] It usually has a bottle shaped trunk with major horizontal branches. It can range between 5 and 20 meters. (Baum, 1995).[13] The Adansonia za, a tall tree that ranges from 20 to 30 meters also grows in the forest. Another baobab species endemic to the forest is the Adansonia grandidieri, also known as Grandidier's baobab. This endemic tree is the biggest of the six species of baobab. Measuring up to 30 meters.[13]

Fruits

These trees and plants develop an important number of fruits yearly which are contributing to the biodiversity of the forest.[14] By the beginning of the rainy season, these fruits contain both seeds and pulp of high nutritive value which attract many insects and animals.[14]. The fruits produced in the Kirindy Forest are mainly baobab tree fruits. These fruits usually ripe from the end of the dry season.[15]. They are rich in vitamin C. They are used for human food and livestock. They are also eaten by lemurs. [16]The fruits contain seeds and roots that are little used. They can however be sold in Toliara. Another common fruit in the forest is the Baudouinia fluggeiformis Baill.[17].

Threats and conservation

Deforestation

The highest rate of deforestation in Madagascar between 2000 and 2005 was observed in spiny and dry forests. With rates respectively, at 1.11% and 0.42% per year.[18] In the last 20 years, the local population of Central Menabe has been subject to marginalisation since more than 40000 ha of land were converted into rice fields. These fields were granted to the expatriates and Malagasy “elites”.[8] These conversions have been a threat to the local population and fauna and flora of the region. The forest in particular has been impacted.[8] The loss of faunal diversity is worsened by forest fragmentation. As the forest patches are too small to support viable populations.[3] Mass deforestation remains present within the Kirindy region and has significantly increased in the last few years. Around 1000 hectares of forest were deforested each year from between 2000 and 2009. By 2014, this number had risen to 4000 hectares per year.[4]

Fires

Due to a record number of fires, the loss of forests could reach 44.9% in 2020 and 83.1% by 2025.[19] Many human - induced fires are also a source of endangerment to the Forest. Many factors such as forest layers, structure, species, richness, diversity, and composition are damaged and disturbed due to the fires.[20] It is said that thousands of kilometres of forest are burnt down each year for the development of agriculture.

Natural disasters

The Kirindy forest has also been threatened in the past by various natural disasters such as cyclones and hurricanes. The latest one being the Fanele Cyclone, assessed as a category 3 storm. with sustained winds of 185 km/h and gusts up to 260 km/h according to Reunion Meteo France. This cyclone had an immediate impact on the forest and threatened much of it’s biodiversity.[21] According to Whitehurst et al., 2009,[3] Reforestation is the only apparent solution to preventing and reversing species loss. For now, all reforestation processes are natural. No initiatives of reforestation are on the way.[21]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Kirindy Private Reserve". Travel Madagascar.
  2. ^ Ehrensperger, Tabea; Urech, Zora Lea; Rehnus, Maik; Sorg, Jean-Pierre (2013). "Fire impact on the woody plant components of dry deciduous forest in Central Menabe, Madagascar". Applied Vegetation Science. 16 (4): 619–628. doi:10.1111/avsc.12034.
  3. ^ a b c d e Whitehurst, Amanda S.; Sexton, Joseph O.; Dollar, Luke (April 2009). "Land cover change in western Madagascar's dry deciduous forests: a comparison of forest changes in and around Kirindy Mite National Park". Oryx. 43 (02): 275. doi:10.1017/S0030605309001756.
  4. ^ a b c "Illegal corn farming menaces a Madagascar protected area". Mongabay Environmental News. 21 February 2019.
  5. ^ a b Briggs, Philip. "Weather & Climate – Kirindy Forest".
  6. ^ a b c "New Directions in Lemur Studies". 1999. doi:10.1007/978-1-4615-4705-1. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  7. ^ a b Norscia, Ivan; Carrai, Valentina; Borgognini-Tarli, Silvana M. (1 August 2006). "Influence of Dry Season and Food Quality and Quantity on Behavior and Feeding Strategy of Propithecus verreauxi in Kirindy, Madagascar". International Journal of Primatology. 27 (4): 1001–1022. doi:10.1007/s10764-006-9056-x.
  8. ^ a b c d Waeber, P.O.; Wilmé, L.; Ramamonjisoa, B.; Garcia, C.; Rakotomalala, D.; Rabemananjara, Z.H.; Kull, C.A.; Ganzhorn, J.U.; Sorg, J.-P. (1 August 2015). "Dry forests in Madagascar: neglected and under pressure". International Forestry Review. 17 (2): 127–148. doi:10.1505/146554815815834822.
  9. ^ Geracimos, Ann (1 June 2013). "Looking for lemurs in Madagascar". Washington Post.
  10. ^ "Kirindy Forest *** | Lemurs of Madagascar". www.lemursofmadagascar.com. Retrieved 2021-05-17.
  11. ^ Trevelyan, Rosie. "REPTILES & AMPHIBIANS OF KIRINDY" (PDF).
  12. ^ George E. Schatz, Generic Tree flora of Madagascar, Royal botanic Gardens, Kew, Crowmwell Press, United Kingdom (2001) ISBN 1-900347-82-2
  13. ^ a b c Baum, David A. (1995). "The Comparative Pollination and Floral Biology of Baobabs (Adansonia- Bombacaceae)". Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden. 82 (2): 322. doi:10.2307/2399883.
  14. ^ a b Łukasik, P.; Johnson, T. (2007). "Arthropod communities and succession in baobab, Adansonia rubrostipa, fruits in a dry deciduous forest in Kirindy Forest Reserve, Madagascar". African Entomology. 15 (1): 214–220. doi:10.4001/1021-3589-15.1.214.
  15. ^ Binggeli, Pierre. "Trees of Kirindy" (PDF).
  16. ^ madagascar.com/madagascar_trip_review/02_kirindy_forest_tour_white_lemur_picture.htm#:~:text=The%20fruit%20of%20the%20baobab,leathery%20skin%20of%20this%20reptile. "Tour to Kirindy forest in western Madagascar exploring a dried forest and playing with lemurs". www.tour-to-madagascar.com. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  17. ^ Binggeli, Pierre. "Trees of Kirindy" (PDF).
  18. ^ Zinner, Dietmar; Wygoda, Christian; Razafimanantsoa, Leon; Rasoloarison, Rodin; T. Andrianandrasana, Herizo; Ganzhorn, Jörg U.; Torkler, Frank (February 2014). "Analysis of deforestation patterns in the central Menabe, Madagascar, between 1973 and 2010". Regional Environmental Change. 14 (1): 157–166. doi:10.1007/s10113-013-0475-x.
  19. ^ Ehrensperger, Tabea; Urech, Zora Lea; Rehnus, Maik; Sorg, Jean-Pierre (2013). "Fire impact on the woody plant components of dry deciduous forest in Central Menabe, Madagascar". Applied Vegetation Science. 16 (4): 619–628. doi:10.1111/avsc.12034.
  20. ^ Ehrensperger, Tabea; Urech, Zora Lea; Rehnus, Maik; Sorg, Jean-Pierre (2013). "Fire impact on the woody plant components of dry deciduous forest in Central Menabe, Madagascar". Applied Vegetation Science. 16 (4): 619–628. doi:10.1111/avsc.12034.
  21. ^ a b Lewis, Rebecca J.; Bannar‐Martin, Katherine H. (2012). "The Impact of Cyclone Fanele on a Tropical Dry Forest in Madagascar". Biotropica. 44 (2): 135–140. doi:10.1111/j.1744-7429.2011.00799.x.


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