eastern rainforests, although the biodiversity, while extremely high, is slightly less than the eastern counterparts. Geologically the tsingy formations have numerous caverns (used by early tribesmen) and karst formations, which provide underground water storage. Flora & Natural Habitats A critically endangered habitat, Anjajavy's Protected Area is a rare and precious dry deciduous forest. Madagascar is a botanical paradise, with more than 13,000 indigenous species including 900 orchid varieties, 200 palm tree species and 130 species of aloes. The island is so large and has such a diversity of habitats and climates that each corner of Madagascar has its own special community of plants. The forest canopy contains numerous species of deciduous trees, including at least two species of baobab, Adansonia rubrostipa and Adansonia madagascariensis. In addition, trees such as Grewia ciclea (Malagasy name, andilambarika) and Terminalia catappa (Malagasy name: antafana) occur. The latter tree provides a favourite food supply to the Coquerel's lemur, with both fruits and leaves being appealing. Anjajavy finds itself amongst the community of the dry deciduous forests of the North-West; an eco-region recognised by the major international organisations of nature conservation as a global critical priority for conservation. For naturalists and amateurs of plants, there is a lot to see: aloes, euphorbias, bottle-creepers, giant vanilla beans growing on the sharp limestone formations of the Tsingy. The endemic ebony and rosewood trees are also plentiful. Much of the flora in the Protected Area has not been identified. New species are regularly being discovered in particular from December to April throughout the rainy season. Some of the common shrubs found in the Anjajavy forest are Vepris ampody (Malagasy name: ampoly) and Rhizorphora mucronata (Malagasy name: honkovavy). There are also abundant lianas (vines) as well as numerous herbs, including the Madagascar vanilla (Vanilla madagascariensis, whose Malagasy name is vahimatso). The dry forest verges on mangrove swamps in the vicinity of several coastal estuaries at the western verge of the Anjajavy Forest, where small streams discharge into the Indian Ocean. The Anjajavy's Protected Area and its surroundings include a geological phenomena of rare beauty: the Tsingy. This karstic and highly rugged landscape is the dramatic expression of an evolutionary stage of the earth, taking the shape of a “stone forest”, with limestone towers and spurs as high as 30 meters, all within the forest and in the middle of the sea. Nature has adapted itself to these labyrinths for millions