Spiny forest or spiny thicket is an amazing forest that covers a huge area in the dry south of Madagascar. It is a forest composed of trees with prickly branches and other plants with swollen and succulent trunks.

 

This type of forest is unique to Madagascar and dominated by the Alluaudia procera, spiky trees that belong to an endemic family, the Didieraceae. Those thorny, cactus-like plants are surprisingly able to survive in the dry area where the annual rainfall is very small.

 

Apart from the Didieraceae, other interesting plant species are also part of the spiny forest such as the Euphorbia, Moringa, Pachypodium, and more succulents.

 

The spiny forest is one of the forest types that we recommend you to see if you plan to visit Madagascar. It is not only because of the importance of each plant species, but there are also some creatures that rely on those prickly trees such as lemurs and chameleons. It is one of the best spot for birdwatching as well. It is another experience in the land where the nature is struggling a lot for survival.

 

Don’t forget while walking in the forest, we are IN SEARCH OF THREATENED SPECIES…