Volunteers at MRCI recently took the “Turtle Express” out on a day trip to Nosy Tanikely to check out the seabed and landscape of this beautiful, uninhabited island.

Nosy Tanikely is situated about 10 kilometres west of Nosy Komba. With its great biodiversity of submarine life, Tanikely officially became a national park in 2010. A radius of 700 metres around the lighthouse marks the natural reserve area.

One of coral reefs has earned the title of the “natural aquarium” because of its abundant seabed and exceptional biodiversity.  It provides a habitat for numerous marine species. The recreational swimming area is situated on the east of the island but diving is allowed all around the island.

Tanikely itself is uninhabited and visitors are only allowed for day trips with no opportunities to stay overnight. The landscape of the island is full of life and it is home to many endemic species that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. As these species have no natural predators, they can grow to a larger size than normal (such as this hermit crab).

Walking all the way up to the lighthouse, volunteers have 360 degree view of the island. Another highlight of any visit to this island is the ability to get very close to Lemurs when walking through the forest.

Volunteers and staff at MRCI get to know all the species that live under and above the ocean surface, so if you’d love the opportunity to explore Madagascar and its surroundings islands, sign up for one of our volunteer programs today!