Kirindy Forest

Kirindy Forest
Verreaux's sifaka pair at the Kirindy Forest Reserve.
Ecology
Animals	Lemurs, reptiles, birds, fossa
Geography
Area	125 km2 (48 sq mi)
Country	Madagascar
Coordinates	20°49′S 44°09′E / 20.817°S 44.150°E / -20.817; 44.150
Climate type	Tropical, semi-tropical, arid, semi-desert
Conservation
Conservation status	critically endangered

The Kirindy Forest (or Kirindy Private Reserve) is a private nature reserve situated in western Madagascar, about 50 km northeast of the town of Morondava, near Ambivy. The forest reserve falls within the boundaries of the Kirindy Mitea National Park, which spreads further to the south.^[1]

The forest goes through two general seasons each year: the dry season, from March to December, and the rainy season, from December to March. The forest is home to a wide variety of animals, from lemurs and fossas to geckos and chameleons, and numerous birds, the majority of which are found nowhere else. Many species of iconic plants are also found in the region, from baobabs and spiny palms to Alluaudia and euphorbs.

In its infancy, the forest reserve was operated based on a sustainable timber harvesting experiment, as deforestation is an issue which has not left the region unaffected. It is said, in Malagasy culture, that the forest was named ‘Kirindy’ long ago, meaning "dense forest with wild animals". As it is located in the northern area of the Kirindy Mitea National Park, the forest is also known as "Kirindy Nord", or ‘northern Kirindy’. Before being renamed Kirindy, the area was called the Swiss people’s forest ("la foret des Suisses"), as a Swiss company owns the piece of land.^[2]