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Ranomafana National Park Facts

Ranomafana National Park Facts
Ranomafana National Park is 416 square kilometer park located in Madagascar, an island east of the African continent. The region was designated a national park in 1991, in order to preserve the area's biodiversity. Establishing a national park became even more important in 1986 following the 1986 golden bamboo lemur discovery by Dr. Patricia Wright. There are also many important medicinal plants found growing in Ranomafana National Park that are used by indigenous peoples in the area. There are five main trails to explore in the park and visitors can camp out overnight it they choose.
Interesting Ranomafana National Park Facts:
Ranomafana means 'hot water' in Malagasy. The park got its name because of the local hot springs.
Ranomafana National Park has 12 lemur species, including the golden bamboo lemur, eastern wooly lemur, aye-aye lemur, red bellied lemur, brown mouse lemur, eastern grey bamboo lemur, greater dwarf lemur, greater bamboo lemur, small-toothed sportive lemur, black-and-white ruffed lemur, and the Milne-Edwards sifaka lemur.
The five main trails, or circuits, in Ranomafana National Park include the Varibolomena circuit, the Sahamalaotra circuit, the Vohiparara circuit, the Varijatsy circuit, and the Soarano circuit.
The Namorona River that bisects Ranomafana National Park is used to create hydroelectricity for inhabited areas in the region.
There are at least 115 known bird species that are native to Ranomafana National Park including the velvet asity, crested ibis, Henst's goshawk, and the Rufous-headed ground roller.
There are 62 known reptile species found in Ranomafana National Park including the satanic leaf-tailed gecko, chameleons, a variety of snakes, and many others.
There are 98 known frog species living in Ranomafana National Park, as well as 350 spider species.
If walking through the park with a flashlight at night the chameleons will reflect white.
Ranomafana National Park is a mountainous region with dense rainforest.
Some of the wildlife that can be seen in Ranomafana National Park includes bats, mongooses, tenrecs, lemurs, and stripped civets.
Frogs are common inRanomafana and there are more than 90 different species including the Boophis pauliani, virdis, picturatus, liken tree frog, white-lipped bright-eyed frog, Dumeril's bright-eyed frog, Madagascar jumping frog, Baron's Mantella, white-bellied reed frog, and the Madagascan Mantella, among many others.
The comet moth, which is one of the largest moths in the world, can be found in Ranomafana National Park, but it is nocturnal so it comes out mostly at night.
New plant and animal species are constantly being discovered in Ranomafana National Park.
The climate at Ranomafana National Park is a tropical humid climate. Rainy season runs from December until May each year.
A lot of the low level rainforest has been deforested. Research and efforts to reforest the region are underway. There is also mid-altitude rainforest and mountain rainforest.
There is a research station adjacent to Ranomafana National Park that was established in 2003. It is the Centre ValBio research station and it is run by Stony Brook University. The focus is on research in biodiversity, health and education in the community, reforestation, and environmental arts.


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