City
Antananarivo
🇲🇬 Madagascar
Africa, Madagascar 138 spp. recorded
Antananarivo, also known by its colonial shorthand form Tana, is the capital and largest city of Madagascar. Wikipedia
18.883° S 47.536° E
🦜 Nature
138 Species sighted
18,478 Verified sightings From 2019 to 2026
Feb Best month
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
📊 Most Spotted
LC
Asian House Shrew
Suncus murinus
LC
Madagascar free-tailed bat
Otomops madagascariensis
LC
Brown Rat
Rattus norvegicus
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
LC
Cuvier's Madagascar Swift
Oplurus cuvieri
LC Endemic
Ornate Girdled Lizard
Zonosaurus ornatus
LC Endemic
Western Girdled Lizard
Zonosaurus laticaudatus
LC Endemic
Lateral Water Snake
Thamnosophis lateralis
Endemic
O'Shaughnessy's Madagascar Skink
Brachyseps gastrostictus
LC
Common House Gecko
Hemidactylus frenatus
LC
Madagascar Giant Day Gecko
Phelsuma grandis
📊 Most Spotted
LC Endemic
Betsileo Reed Frog
Heterixalus betsileo
LC Endemic
Madagascar Bullfrog
Laliostoma labrosum
LC Endemic
Mahanoro Digging Frog
Plethodontohyla notosticta
📊 Most Spotted
🌙 Most active after dark
Recent sightings in Antananarivo
LIVEiNaturalistWhere to look
Warmer areas are where all species together are recorded most often.
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Parc de Tsarasaotra (Lac Alarobia)
-
Ivato International Airport
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Antananarivo (general area)
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Lac Tana Water Front
-
Tsimbazaza Zoo and Botanical Gardens
-
Tananarive, Analamanga, MG (-18,89, 47,525)
Daily sight. prob.vs avg
Sighting Calendar
How many species you'd see in a day
31Jan
35Feb
34Mar
32Apr
34May
33Jun
30Jul
30Aug
31Sep
32Oct
31Nov
27Dec
🏙️ City
Essentials
Green cover
Medium
Protected land
0.0%
Protected sea
—
Protected areas
1
areasWildlife spots
12
spotsZoos & centres
2
placesClimate
Subtropical highland
Climate
Temp °C Rain mm
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
0.0 Excellent
Wallace's Line Score
How good is this city for seeing wildlife? 🦜
Biodiversity
GoodHow rich is the wildlife?
3.0
Species by taxon
🦅 Birds 195
🐒 Mammals 55
🦎 Reptiles 63
🐸 Amphibians 32
345 Total Species
679 Global average across 380 cities
34 Threatened 140 Endemic
🔭
Sighting
ExcellentHow likely to see animals?
4.8
🎯
Top-12 Avg Probability
75% 📊
Coverage (73 species at ≥5% of 345 in the inventory)
21% 🔀
Taxon variety in top 12 (10 bird, 2 reptile)
37% 🌟
Iconic-group species (≥15%) (every species from the 19 iconic groups — monkeys, cats, toucans, macaws, sloths, crocodilians… — not just the 4 highlighted above)
2 ⭐
High-prob species (>40%)
26 🏕️
Experience
GoodHow easy and pleasant is the visit?
3.3
Climate Harsh Low
Green cover Medium Medium
Protected land & sea 0.0% land Low
Protected areas 1 Medium
Wildlife spots 12 High
Zoos & centres 2 High
What visitors say
Before you go
What animals can you see in Antananarivo?
138 species
Antananarivo's urban area has 138 recorded vertebrate species. The ones wildlife watchers report most often on a given day are Madagascar Fody (about 90%), Striped Day Gecko (about 80%), Great Egret (about 80%), Squacco Heron (about 80%) and Little Egret (about 80%). Among amphibians, the most-seen is Mascarene Ridged Frog (about 30%).
When is the best time to see wildlife in Antananarivo?
March–April and October–January
In those months the city's 12 most-seen species average about 80% on a given day, against about 60% in February and May–June.
Can you see a Madagascar Fody in Antananarivo?
Yes
About 90% of wildlife watchers report a Madagascar Fody sighting in Antananarivo on a given day, based on 1,289 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. The best time is December (over 90%).
Can you see a Striped Day Gecko in Antananarivo?
Yes
About 80% of wildlife watchers report a Striped Day Gecko sighting in Antananarivo on a given day, based on 168 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. The best time is January, March and May (about 90%).
Can you see an Oustalet's Giant Chameleon in Antananarivo?
Yes
About 80% of wildlife watchers report an Oustalet's Giant Chameleon sighting in Antananarivo on a given day, based on 92 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. The best time is February and May (about 90%).
Where in Antananarivo is wildlife easiest to see?
Parc de Tsarasaotra (Lac Alarobia)
The spot where most wildlife watchers record their sightings is Parc de Tsarasaotra (Lac Alarobia) (72 bird species recorded), followed by Relais de Plateux Hotel and Hotel Au Bois Vert. See them on the map.
Is Antananarivo good for wildlife watching?
4.3 out of 5
On the Wallace's Line Score, which rates each city against other cities, Antananarivo gets 4.3/5: 151st of 380 cities worldwide and 16th in Africa. 28 of its species are reported by about 40% or more of wildlife watchers on a given day.
Nearest Cities
Nearest Parks
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Nearest Zoos & Centres
Sources: urban area GHSL Urban Centre Database R2024A, European Commission JRC (CC BY 4.0) · protected land WDPA, UNEP-WCMC & IUCN (via GHSL) · climate NASA POWER · wildlife GBIF.org citizen-science data