Mananara-Nord National Park

Mananara-Nord National Park is in eastern Madagascar south of Makira. It has a rich lemur fauna, including an undescribed form of mouse lemur (Microcebus), the hairy-eared dwarf lemur (Allocebus trichotis), the greater dwarf lemur (Cheirogaleus major), the Masoala fork-marked lemur (Phaner furcifer), the northern bamboo lemur (Hapalemur occidentalis), the white-fronted brown lemur (Eulemur albifrons), the northern black-and-white ruffed lemur (Varecia variegata subcincta), the eastern woolly lemur (Avahi laniger), the diademed sifaka (Propithecus diadema), indri (Indri indri), and the aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis). The Lepilemur found there is now considered to be a new species; Lepilemur hollandorum. Unfortunately, there are no good trails, and there is little infrastructure, considerable deforestation, and hunting in this park. A permit is required to enter and can be obtained from the UNESCO office in Mananara, from Madagascar National Parks in Antananarivo, or the nearby town of Antanambe. Access requires a three-hour walk from Sandrakatsy, a small town served by taxi-brousse from Mananara. As with Makira, we do not recommend this park for first-time visitors to Madagascar.