Zahamena national park in Madagascar

Monday, March 7, 2016

The Zahamena National Park is located on the Eastern coast of Madagascar within the tropical rainforest. The park is divided between the eastern side and the western side, and it is split by villages. The terrain is hilly and full of lush plant life and diverse wildlife. The ZNP is home to many endangered species that are specific to its environment.

It typically rains year round it has a moist and warm climate which is favorable to the plants and animals within the ecosystem. The tropical rainforsest is home to most of the worlds and animals. Not only is it diverse, but it holds many of the worlds medicines. Tropical Rainforests resemble each other when it comes to the climate and what typically lives in them. However, each rainforest has specific species of animals that are dominant. For instance, lemurs are very popular in Madagascar's rainforests. In the Zahamena National Park there are over 45 mammal species and about 112 bird species. Those are the two most abundant species. Madagascar is part of Africa's rainforests which is one of the three biggest tropical rainforests in the world. The other two places with the biggest rainforests are the Americas and Asia. In the rainforest, there are different layers. The top layer is the emergent layer. In this layer the trees are farther apart and there is a dry season. The next layer is the upper canopy layer. This layer has a lot of light and its a very rich in canopy trees. Most of the animals live in this layer. The next layer is the understory. In the understory, there are mostly smaller trees and ferns and such. Not as much light or animals are here. Finally, the fourth layer is the forest floor. Typically, this layer is completely shaded and there are rivers and streams. Since there is not much light, there are not as many trees or bushes. In Madagascar, many of the animals live in trees and as you go through this website you will see the different kinds of animals and plants.