During the last few weeks we have known some beautiful forests that are worth visiting in Spain during the fall, such as the Hayedo de Montejo in Madrid, the Fageda d'en Jordà in Catalonia or the Irati Forest in Navarra. Well, today we have decided to move to a distant place to teach you another of the great wonders of nature that can be found on the planet. land. This time we also talk about a forest, although very different from the ones we have just mentioned.
We are talking about Tsingy National Park, a forest of stones found in Bemahara, Madagascar. Do you want to know more details about this fascinating place? Well, do not miss anything we tell you below!
How did this forest of pointed towers come about?
The Tsingy de Bemahara National Park is made up of some amazing pointed calcareous needles. They are what is known locally as «tsingis"Which means" where you cannot go barefoot ". But how is it possible that Mother Earth was able to create a landscape of such beauty? As it turns out, these karst towers are the product of millions of years of erosion produced on the plate raised when Madagascar moved away from Gondwana, the block that broke off from Pangea. As it is a very rainy country, the soft surface rock dissolved over time, exposing the interior limestone rock.
Titles of the Tsingy National Park
This spectacular forest, which occupies an area of about 700 square kilometers, earned the title of Integral Natural Reserve in 1927 due to its archaeological, biological and geological qualities. In addition, in 1991 it was declared Cultural Heritage of the Nation, one year after being declared World Heritage of the Unesco. It was in 1997 when this amazing place surrounded by lakes, wetlands and virgin forests, became a national park.
Flora
As you can imagine, it is practically impossible for humans to move around this place. However, here you can find a very interesting flora and fauna, with a lot of species endemic that have not even been cataloged by scientists. As for the vegetation, we can speak of small areas of dense and tropical forests, which are located inside the canyons. Of course, in the western part you can find deciduous trees, while in the eastern area you can find savannas covered with shrubs and herbs.
Wildlife
As for animals, we have to talk about the 11 species of lemurs that have been found, in addition to 13 types of amphibians and 50 reptiles. Some mammals can also be found, such as the ring-tailed mongoose or the endemic rodent, and some 90 species of birds. The most curious thing of all is that its rate of endemism is close to 85%.
Things to do in Tsingy National Park
If you have the opportunity to visit Madagascar at some time in your life, we recommend that you do not miss the opportunity to visit this impressive place. You will have the possibility to walk on the trails and bridges that rise above the rock formations. In addition, you can visit underground caves and get to know some of the endemic animals that we have just mentioned. As if all this were not enough, there is also the option of canoeing on the rivers in the area.
Then we leave you with our Gallery, where you can find more photographs of this beautiful spot located in the African country of Madagascar.
07 Madagascar - The Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park - Great Tsingy - Part Two (April 2024)
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