Tsitongambarika NPA (6593)
Madagascar, Africa

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Year of last assessment: 2014

National site name: NAP Tsitongambarika

Central coordinates: Latitude: -24.6750, Longitude: 47.0400

System: freshwater, terrestrial

Elevation (m): 100 to 1358

Area of KBA (km²): 541.01579

Protected area coverage (%): 92.72

KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: This site is located 9 km north of Tolagnaro, and includes Manantantely Forest (to the south of the Classified Forest) and the forest located between Bemangidy and Enanafia (to the north). The site is part of the Tsitongambarika massif, which is composed of a series of ridges that are aligned from north-east to south-west. The Manampanihy river flows northwards along the western boundary of the site. The vegetation is composed of low- and mid-altitude, dense, humid evergreen forest and sclerophyllous montane forest. At low altitudes, it is dominated by trees of Sorindeia, Ilex, Tambourissa, Oncostemum, Syzygium and Dracaena, with a canopy 15–25 m high. At mid-altitudes, trees of Macaranga and Oncostemon, as well as species of Moraceae, Myrtaceae, Guttiferae and Monimiaceae, are dominant, with a canopy 12–20 m high.

Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas) KBA identified in the CEPF Ecosystem Profile of the Madagascar and Indian Ocean Islands Hotspot (2014). Taxonomy, nomenclature and threat status follow the 2013 IUCN Red List. The following KBA trigger species occur at this site but are not yet available in WBDB, either because they have only been globally Red-List-assessed recently (in 2012-2013; global Red List category is given in brackets, where triggering the Vulnerability KBA criterion) or because they have not yet been globally Red-List-assessed (most of these taxa are nevertheless listed as valid in Catalogue of Life or Tropicos); many of the latter species may prove to be globally threatened, or are already listed as regionally or nationally threatened, and nearly all of the following species are also likely to be endemic to the Hotspot, often with very restricted known ranges, thus also triggering the Irreplaceability 1 KBA criterion: PLANTAE: Dypsis lilacina; Dypsis pustulata. [Pachypanchax sp. nov. "Betsiboka" (VU - 2004) (now named Pachypanchax arnoultii) was listed as a trigger for this site in the 2014 profile, presumably by accident, as the species is confined to the NW of Madagascar. Hence this population has been removed from this assessment / site.]

Additional biodiversity: See Box and Tables 2 and 3 for key species. Thirty-seven species are known from this site, of which 22 are endemic to Madagascar. The population of Mesitornis unicolor seems to be quite dense in some lowland areas. The taxon Hypositta perdita was described on the basis of a specimen from this area, and it is possible that it can still be found there, if the taxon is valid. Coua gigas, a species characteristic of the West Malagasy biome, is also found at this site. Non-bird biodiversity: Lemur: Eulemur fulvus collaris (VU).

Habitats

Land use: agriculture | forestry | nature conservation and research | water management

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Forest	79

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: A portion of the north-eastern area, called Farafara Forest (31.4 ha), is dedicated to sustainable selective exploitation. The main threat is slash-and-burn cultivation, which affects at least 25% of the site, especially along the forest margins. Other threats include hunting, and soil erosion caused by cultivation on steep slopes.

Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Threat level 3	Timing
Biological resource use	Logging & wood harvesting	Intentional use: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is the target) [harvest]	Ongoing

Additional information