Kalambatritra Special Reserve- Travel Tips

What to See, How to Plan & Tours

Kalambatritra Special Reserve in southeastern Madagascar spans around 28,000‑30,000 hectares, rising from roughly 1,000 to 1,750 m across the Antaivondro‑Kalambatritra massif. Its mosaic of humid evergreen forest, mountain grassland, shrubland and savanna forms a unique transitional environment where eastern rainforest species mingle with those from western and southern ecosystems. The forest canopy here reaches 15–25 m, with emergent trees rising to about 30 m, and includes characteristic species such as Ficus, Dalbergia, tree-ferns (Cyathea). Soil humus is unusually deep at 10–25 cm, and coarse grassy savannas (Aristida, Imperata) break the vegetation into forest patches bordered by bracken Pteridium. This protected area hosts at least six lemur species, notably the unique Wright's sportive lemur (Lepilemur wrightae) — endemic, endangered and the only sexually dimorphic sportive lemur described to date. Other primates include ring‑tailed lemur, collared brown lemur, southern bamboo lemur and aye‑aye, along with a diverse avifauna of some 72 bird species, about 45 endemic to Madagascar, among them Meller's duck, rufous‑headed ground‑roller, velvet asity and Pollen's vanga. The reserve also plays a vital hydrological role as the source of tributaries feeding the Mangoky and Ionaivo rivers, crucial for downstream communities.