Tsarasaotra Park
A Bird Sanctuary in the capital’s bustle
Lake Tsarasaotra is a tranquil oasis set in 66 acres of unspoilt, private land in busy capital of Antananarivo. Watched over by the Malagasy Government and such influential groups as The World Wildlife Fund, Birdlife International and Peregrine’s Fund, Tsarasaotra has become a well known, safe haven where waterfowl can live and breed. The park is classified RAMSAR (International Convention on Wetlands) and is the smallest and only private site classified. It is owned by the Ranarivelo family (also owners of Boogie Pilgrim). Birdlovers, do not miss the visit when staying in Tana!
Tsarasaotra is an excellent bird watching spot for :
- Egrets : Cattle Egret (Bulbucus ibis), Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides), Blackcrowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax), Dimorphic Egret (Egretta dimorpha), Blackcrowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax).
- Ducks : Red-billed Teal (Anas erythrorhyncha), White-faced whistling Duck(Dendrocygne viduata), Knob-billed Teal (Sarkidiornis melanotos)
- Malagasy Kingfisher(Corythornis vintsioides)
- Swamp Warbler (Acrocephalus Newtoni)
Best time to visit is early in the morning.
Boogie Pilgrim’s office is set on the beautiful property of Tsarasoatra.
To preserve Tsarasoatra wildlife habitat, the Ranarivelo family created APT, an independant, non-profit organization in March 2001. APT activities include guarding against illegal intruders, monitoring of the lake’s water quality and management of the environmental organisations partners.
