Mitsinjo Forest

Wildlife & Animals

Expert

Philip is the author of the Insight Guide to Madagascar.

Mitsinjo Forest is adjacent, without fences, to Madagascar’s most popular national park, Andasibe-Mantadia. Most people visit Mitsinjo Forest for a one-day or night hike while visiting the park. Madagascar’s largest teddy-bear-like lemur, the indri, is common and their wailing calls make them easy to track. Common brown lemur and eastern woolly lemur are other species to look out for.

Indri Common

Red-bellied
lemur Occasional

Eastern
woolly lemur Occasional

Common
brown lemur Common

Grey
bamboo lemur Occasional

Goodman's
mouse lemur Occasional

Parson's
chameleon Occasional

Other
chameleons Common

Leaf-tailed
geckos Common

Painted
mantella Occasional

Diademed sifaka Rare

Madagascar
tree boa Rare

Fossa Very Rare

Ring-tailed
mongoose Very Rare

Wildlife Highlights

Mitsinjo Forest is especially recommended for night walks – in Andasibe-Mantadia this activity is restricted to the public road running through the national park. Goodman's mouse lemur is regularly spotted, and guides are usually able to find lots of different chameleon and frog species.

Best Time for Wildlife Viewing

Mitsinjo Forest can be visited throughout the year. Indri sightings are more or less guaranteed at any time. Many reptiles and some mammals, such as tenrecs and dwarf lemurs, are harder to see in the drier months from June to September. Although it can rain at any time, the wettest months are from January to March and at this time hiking in the forest can become more difficult.