Amber Mountain National Park

Wildlife & Animals

Expert

Philip is the author of the Insight Guide to Madagascar.

Many people who visit Amber Mountain National Park are there to enjoy its scenic beauty, but there is plenty of wildlife to be seen. The rainforest is probably the most rewarding in Madagascar for lizards, thanks to the high diversity of chameleons and leaf-tailed geckos. Birdlife is excellent too. Sanford’s brown lemur and crowned lemur are the most common mammals, but finding them isn’t usually the main focus.

Sanford's
brown lemur Common

Crowned lemur Common

Mount d'Ambre
leaf chameleon Common

Panther
chameleon Common

Amber Mountain
chameleon Occasional

Ring-tailed
mongoose Occasional

Madagascar
tree boa Occasional

Mouse lemurs Occasional

Leaf-tailed geckos Common

Frogs Occasional

Madagascar
giant day gecko Occasional

Fossa Very Rare

Falanouc Rare

Amber Mountain
fork-marked lemur Rare

Wildlife Highlights

Reptiles and frogs are abundant. And the guides are skilled at locating these fascinating creatures, provided you allow them time to search suitable habitats. Expect to see at least half-a-dozen lizard species. These include the endemic Boettger’s chameleon (with a distinctive blue-tipped nose) and Amber Mountain leaf chameleon (one of the world’s tiniest reptiles at less than 20mm/0.78in long) as well as the extraordinary mossy leaf-tailed gecko (the ultimate master of camouflage). Lucky visitors might see a beautiful Madagascar tree boa.

Best Time for Wildlife Viewing

Amber Mountain can be visited throughout the year. However, the shoulder months of April, May, October and November are recommended for seeing reptiles without too much rain. Many reptiles and amphibians are harder to see in the drier months from June to September as they are less active then. Around October and November many lemurs have babies. The wettest months are from January to March and hiking in the forest can become more difficult at that time.