Far from any thoroughfare, the marvellous and fragile Anjajavy is a peninsula at the edge of the world, at the end of a string of natural beaches facing the setting sun.
Anjajavy le Lodge opened in 2001 along this welcoming peninsula on a private stretch of 550 hectares surrounded by water.
The grasslands, vine-strewn woodlands and karst ridges of the estate are surrounded by mangroves and tsingy, which naturally lend it the character of a protected reserve.
Recognized by the most eminent scientists as an inestimable, unique treasure of biodiversity and by ecology organisations as a shining example of sustainable conservation, this private reserve protects plants and animals which are as yet unknown to man.
Conservation in Madagascar is a priority for the WWF, yet dozens of species on the island remain under threat. Sadly, the problem has a long history. For example, two once plentiful species of giant tortoise that once roamed the island are now long gone - a loss that still seriously affects the island’s ecosystems in areas such as seed dispersal and tree reproduction.
However, a further native species still survives on the nearby the Aldabra Atoll. In 2018, Madagascan tortoise expert Dr Miguel Pedrono and the island’s Government hatched an ambitious plan to reintroduce it. Working with Anjajavy le Lodge, they selected the hotel’s recently expanded Protected Area as the ideal site. 12 tortoises have been fitted with transponders and moved to Anjajavy. The project is Madagascar’s first such program and has attracted the attention of conservation experts globally. It also offers the first opportunity to study the ecology of living Madagascan megafauna, rather than fossil remains - raising the exciting prospect of discovering previously unknown ecological functions.
