Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
LAKE ALAOTRA
This is the largest lake in Madagascar and looks wonderful on the map; one imagines it
surrounded by overhanging forest. Sadly, forest has made way for rice, and this is one of
the country's most abused and degraded areas. Half a million people now live around the
lake, and deforestation has silted it up so that its maximum dry-season depth is only 60cm.
Introductionofexoticfishhasdonefurtherdamage.However,allisnotlost.Since1997an
environmental campaign led by Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust has led to strong local
support to ban marsh-burning and lemur-hunting and introduce larger net mesh sizes and a
closed season for fishing. Local people recognise the role the marshes play in maintaining
local hydrology, providing a spawning ground for fish and weaving materials for basketry,
an important source of income for women here.
In 2006 the entire area, including watershed, rice fields, marshes and lake, was given
protected status as part of The Durban Vision, and an ecotourism project developed to give
tourists a chance to see one of Madagascar's most endangered species: the Lac Alaotra
gentlelemur.Annualmonitoringhasshownthatlemurpopulationshavestabilised andthat
fish catches are on the increase. Alaotra provides a great example of conservation provid-
ing benefits for biodiversity and for local livelihoods and deserves some foreign visitors to
support these local efforts.
GETTING THERE AND AWAY A taxi-brousse from Tana to Ambatondrazaka takes
around six hours, or four hours to travel the 157km from Moramanga (9,000Ar).
AMBATONDRAZAKA AND NEARBY VILLAGES This is the main town of the area,
and a good centre for excursions. A tour of the lake by road needs a full day and takes you
throughvillageaftervillagewhererice,cattle,fishingandgeese-alongwithtomatoesand
onions-arethemainstaysofrurallife.Thevillage Imerimandroso givesgoodviewsover
the lake and nearby Vohitsoa is famed for its delicate baskets and mats woven with papyr-
us from the marshes. You should certainly visit Bandro Park near Andreba and enjoy an
early-morning pirogue ride on the lake.
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