and larder for terrestrial and aquatic fauna. Hundreds of species of fish, shellfish, insects and birds depend on this habitat for food and shelter. In Anjajavy, the mangrove swamps protect the natural Reserve of dry deciduous forest as well as the Marine Reserve. This biotope simultaneously serves as a curtain of protection against strong and salty winds, a fire-wall, a damp buffer useful to the forest during the dry season and as filter against the turbidity of the coastal waters. The two rivers of mangroves on both sides of the Anjajavy forest constitute excellent natural borders for the Protected Area as well as practical transportation routes which allow for better exploration. In general, the mangroves also provide human beings with vital services; the pneumatophore roots help to stabilise the soft soils and to protect the coast line against erosion and natural catastrophes. On a global scale, these habitats capture carbon in their sediments, where it can remain for centuries. The mangroves are therefore one of the most efficient natural carbon sinks in the world, with rates or carbon sequestration up to 50 times greater than those of tropical forests. The phytoplankton and plankton of the mud constitute the point of origin of food supply chains which provide to the precious fish needed for the second economic source of Anjajavy: the traditional fishing industry. Fauna & Exceptional Biodiversity The inventories and observations of the animal and plant species of Anjajavy are testimony to its great biological wealth, with no fewer than five critically endangered species, 15 in danger of extinction and 13 vulnerable to extinction. The large majority of these species are endemic to Madagascar or to the nearby region. Lemurs The lemurs are easy to observe in their natural environment. Lemurs are a noted species in the Anjajavy Forest, since they are abundant in the trees and even sometimes on the forest floor . The most frequently seen diurnal species are Coquerel's sifaka and the common brown lemur both of which are completely wild but show no fear of humans gardens. Other, nocturnal lemurs of the Anjajavy Forest include three species of mouse lemur (Microcebus spp.), one species of sportive lemur (Lepilemur sp.) and the fat-tailed dwarf lemur (Cheirogaleus medius). Since none of these nocturnal lemur populations have been researched by specialists, it is possible that some may represent new, undescribed species. Lemurs of the Anjajavy Forest are: Milne Edward