For Immediate Release
February 9, 2026
CONTACT: Jordan Gray, Turtle Survival Alliance, (912) 659-0978, jgray@turtlesurvival.org
- The Government of Madagascar has officially designated Turtle Survival Alliance Madagascar as the manager of the Angavo Protected Area.
- This marks a major national commitment to the long-term protection of one of southern Madagascar’s most important remaining spiny forest ecosystems.
- The designation ushers Turtle Survival Alliance Madagascar and Angavo Protected Area into a new phase of delegated and participatory management, strengthening biodiversity conservation while placing local communities at the center of governance and stewardship.
Antananarivo, Madagascar – Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA) proudly announces the official designation of Turtle Survival Alliance Madagascar as the manager of the Angavo Protected Area (Angavo), following a ministerial decision by Madagascar’s Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development (MEDD). The decision was formally announced on February 5, 2026, during a national ceremony at the Carlton Hotel in Antananarivo.
“The delegation of management of the Angavo Protected Area to Turtle Survival Alliance Madagascar reflects the government’s confidence in a conservation model grounded in science, community involvement, and long-term sustainability,” said Hery Razafimamonjiraibe, Country Director of TSA Madagascar. “Angavo represents both a biological stronghold and a major cultural heritage site for southern Madagascar.”
TSA Madagascar has established itself as a leader in tortoise and broader biodiversity conservation, recognized by the Malagasy government, technical and financial partners, local communities, and the general public. With 15 years of experience in species protection, habitat management, and community engagement, the organization is well-positioned to guide Angavo’s transition to delegated management, combining scientific expertise with deep understanding of local ecological and social systems.
“The move into protected areas management represents a critical step for TSA and this official delegation can be seen as a crowning achievement for our standing in Madagascar. Given that the Radiated Tortoise’s survival will ultimately depend on large well-managed forests, protecting Angavo is likely the most important undertaking in TSA Madagascar’s history,” said Rick Hudson, President Emeritus of TSA.
“We are deeply honored by the Government of Madagascar’s trust in Turtle Survival Alliance to manage Angavo,” said Andrew Walde, Senior Director of International Conservation and Science at TSA. “This designation enables us to apply our long-standing conservation experience in Madagascar to protect Angavo’s biodiversity at a landscape scale.”
The ceremony, held under the patronage of Colonel Michaël Randrianirina, President of the Refoundation of the Republic of Madagascar, and Prime Minister Herintsalama Rajaonarivelo, highlighted the national importance of this decision. Organized by Mr. Michaël Manesimana Rafanomezantsoa, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, the event brought together senior political figures, including Presidential Advisors; the Minister of Fisheries and the Blue Economy; the Chief of the Anosy Region; and the Ambassadors of France and Germany. The ceremony was also attended by representatives of technical and financial partners, including the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) Development Bank, the French Development Agency (AFD), and the European Union, as well as other institutional partners, United Nations agencies, and members of the diplomatic corps.
Through this ministerial decision, the Government of Madagascar officially entrusts TSA Madagascar with the 42,760-hectare (105,657-acre) Angavo Protected Area in the Androy Region. TSA will be responsible for conservation governance, habitat protection, and sustainable management in close collaboration with MEDD, decentralized technical services (Regional Directorate for Environment and Sustainable Development [DREDD] Androy), local authorities, and Vondron’Olona Ifotony (VOI), local grassroots community groups that manage the natural resources on which their communities depend.
The protected area preserves one of the last remaining large blocks of spiny forest in southern Madagascar, an ecosystem of global importance with exceptionally high rates of endemism. It provides critical habitat for endangered species, including Radiated (Astrochelys radiata) and Spider (Pyxis arachnoides) tortoises, as well as several lemur species, such as Verreaux’s Sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi) and Ring-tailed Lemur (Lemur catta).
Angavo forms part of the Mandrare Valley Landscape, a mosaic of tropical dry and spiny forests in southeast Madagascar comprising six protected areas, four of which now have designated managers following this decision. This highlights the importance of delegated management at Angavo for advancing broader landscape-scale conservation.
Beyond its role in protection, the area also holds significant potential for the restoration of Radiated Tortoises. Its currently low tortoise densities make it well suited for the future reintroduction of rehabilitated individuals once habitat protection and restoration are fully established. Restored populations are expected to serve as a source for natural dispersal into adjacent forest blocks, supporting recovery efforts across the Mandrare Valley Landscape.
Under TSA management, conservation efforts will focus on participatory governance, ecological monitoring, species recovery, anti-poaching measures, and habitat protection and reforestation. Local communities will play a central role, combining their knowledge of the land with modern conservation tools to safeguard wildlife and develop sustainable, alternative livelihoods.
“This decision opens a new chapter for Angavo, where biodiversity conservation and local livelihoods will be addressed jointly through inclusive, adaptive, and responsible management,” said Noelikanto Ramamonjisoa, Deputy Director of TSA Madagascar.
The designation of Angavo as a TSA-managed protected area represents a major step forward in Madagascar’s national conservation efforts and reinforces the country’s commitment to collaborative, community-centered, and scientifically grounded approaches to protecting its unique biodiversity.
This achievement was made possible through the generous support and collaboration of the Arthur L. and Elaine V. Johnson Foundation, the FITRAOFA Ala Hirike Mandrare Consortium, the Fondation pour les Aires Protégées et la Biodiversité de Madagascar (FAPBM), the Global Environment Facility, the Hempel Foundation, and The Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund.
All photos courtesy of TSA Madagascar
Mr. Mickaël Rafanomezantsoa Manesimana, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development (left), with Hery.
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About Turtle Survival Alliance
Formed in 2001 and gaining nonprofit status in 2004, Turtle Survival Alliance is a global conservation organization with a mission to protect and restore wild populations of tortoises and freshwater turtles through science-based conservation, global leadership, and local stewardship. Our science-based initiatives are directed by local leaders, inspiring sustainable, community-based stewardship to prevent extinctions. Where populations cannot yet thrive in the wild, our conservation breeding programs preserve opportunities for their future survival. Turtle Survival Alliance operates or supports projects in over 30 countries around the world, protecting critical habitats and providing on-the-ground resources to safeguard the most imperiled turtle and tortoise species. Through these efforts, we make a positive impact on well over 100 species of turtles and tortoises. For more information, visit us on our website and join the conversation and learning experience on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
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