The sights of the Boeny – The Mahavavy-Kinkony complex
THE SIGHTS OF THE BOENY - THE MAHAVAVY-KINKONY COMPLEX
Located in the District of Mitsinjo in Mahajanga province, the Mahavavy wetlands complex – Kinkony is part of the area of importance for the conservation of Malagasy Western birds (Stattersfield et al. 1998, ZICOMA 1999).
The Mahavavy-Kinkony complex (CMK) covers an area of approximately 258 900 HA (Direction of waters and forests 1994, ZICOMA 1999).
The complex is divided into five parts and composed by several types of habitats that are :
-the Mahavavy Delta grouping estuaries to forest of mangroves with a vast mudflat
– the Marambitsy Bay with salt marshes and mangrove forests
-the Boeny Bay including forests of mangroves with its three islands, a few lakes in the surrounding area and the Arab ruins of Antsoheribory
– Lake Kinkony and its satellite Lakes
– and finally protective dry dense forest fragments of the catchment areas of wetlands, of which the largest is the classified forest of Merina.
For a long time, wetlands, in particular that of the CMK have always been exploited by local communities with a balance maintained between the preservation of biodiversity and the exploitation of man for the daily needs.
Currently, due to the steep population growth following migration thrust to this site, in hopes of finding riches, impacting the biodiversity of this medium threatening the existence of many endemic species.
To maintain the importance of sitemap CMK, It has been included, en 2006, in the system of protected areas of Madagascar. The status of temporary protection as a new protected area creation in the Boeny region was thus obtained in January 2007 an inter-ministerial decree.
The CMK NAP has a huge potentiality eco tourism and socio cultural. It houses 100% birds of Western Madagascar, such as the Madagascar Plover, the General of Olivier and the Eagle of Madagascar (133 species identified). It is also a sanctuary of fish (30 species) including the Paretroplus dambabe, Paratilapia polleni, Paretroplus petiti), reptiles and amphibians (18 species) including the great freshwater turtle Erymnochelys madagascariensis, lemurs (9 species) including Propithecus verreauxi coronatus and Hapalemur griseus occidentalis, a large colony of bats (8 species) and 125 kinds of plants including Eugenia sakalavarum, Borassus madagascariensis.
Accessibility : Secondary road from May to November
Cross the Bay of Bombetoka to 45 min (fairy or hull or traditional pirogue) to reach Katsepy. From Katsepy, take the national road T19 (taxi-brousse or rental) until the Mitsinjo District. Of Mitsinjo, two tracks are accessible, one East passing through Makary and other South West through Analalava. There must be 3 hours on average for each route departing from Mitsinjo.
