位于马达加斯加首都塔那那利佛中心的锡姆巴扎扎动物园始建于1925年,占地面积大约27公顷。这里既是一座动物园,也是全岛重要的植物科研基地,更是观察马达加斯加特有生物的窗口。园内海拔约为1280米,常年气候温润,对于刚下飞机还没有机会前往国家公园的游客来说,这里是近距离接触环尾狐猴和特有植被的便捷去处。外国游客的入园门票价格通常在20,000阿里亚里左右,价格随汇率波动建议备好现金。
这座园林最初由法国殖民政府建立,目的是为了引种和研究热带植物。走在园内你会发现,这里的古树参天,生态布局保留了上个世纪的痕迹。比起现代化的开放式动物园,锡姆巴扎扎更像是一座略显陈旧但底蕴深厚的自然博物馆。园内不仅容纳了马达加斯加本岛的物种,还通过大面积的人工湖和植物群落,在喧嚣的塔那那利佛市区开辟了一块难得的静谧之地。
很多人刚到马达加斯加时会被破碎的陆路交通搞得精疲力竭,这时候位于市中心的锡姆巴扎扎就显出了地理优势。从独立大街打车前往动物园大约需要二十分钟,具体时间得看当地臭名昭著的堵车情况。这里是很多当地家庭周末野餐的首选,如果你想观察马达加斯加普通人的真实生活状态,周六和周日的下午过来最为合适。不过追求安静环境的摄影爱好者请尽量避开周末,工作日的清晨六点半开园时入场,光线和氛围都更加纯粹。
虽然园内的笼舍条件略显简陋,但狐猴的种类相当齐全。你会看到标志性的环尾狐猴在树枝间跳跃,还有不少褐狐猴在栏杆边张望。园方在人工湖中央设置了狐猴岛,这种半开放的环境让动物看起来更有活力。除了灵长类,园内的爬行动物馆也不容错过,这里生活着体积庞大的变色龙和马达加斯加特有的辐射陆龟。运气好的话,你能在茂密的树丛中分辨出那些伪装成枯叶的叶尾守宫,它们的神奇外观往往让第一次见的游客看入迷。
就在园区深处,坐落着马达加斯加科学院及其附属博物馆。这间博物馆的含金量其实超过了动物园本身。馆内珍藏着已经灭绝的巨型象鸟骨架,这种鸟类曾经生活在马达加斯加南端,高度超过3米,重达半吨。看着那枚比成人头颅还大的象鸟蛋标本,你会真切感受到这片大陆在地理隔离下演化出的惊人尺度。此外,馆内还陈列着不少关于马达加斯加人类起源和民族服饰的文物,是了解当地历史的捷径。
如果你的目光只盯着笼子里的动物,那就太亏了。锡姆巴扎扎的植物园区域收集了全岛各地的珍稀品种。你会看到从一千公里外的南方引种过来的大猴面包树,它们那粗壮的树干在夕阳下泛着红光。园内还有大片马达加斯加特有的旅人蕉,这种扇形的植物是这个国家的国树。对于植物爱好者来说,这些在其他大陆极难成活的肉质植物和蕨类,才是这块土地真正的宝藏。
买票时请直接前往售票处窗口,不要理会门口那些试图带你入园并索要小费的非官方向导。门票价格对外国游客和本地人实行双重标准,这在非洲国家很常见。如果你打算进入博物馆摄影,可能需要额外支付一笔相机费,价格通常在5,000到10,000阿里亚里之间。钱的问题算清楚后,记得在门口买两瓶瓶装水,园内的零售摊位物价虽然不算离谱,但种类有限,未必能买到你习惯的牌子。
建议预留大约2到3个小时的游览时间。最佳路线是入园后先绕湖一周观察水鸟和狐猴,趁着光线好先把室外的照片拍了。中午时分塔那那利佛的紫外线非常强,这时正好躲进科学院博物馆里吹吹凉风,顺便看那些珍贵的化石和标本。园内有些路段比较泥泞,尤其是在11月到次年3月的雨季,穿一双防滑耐脏的运动鞋是明智的选择。离开时如果叫不到出租车,可以请门口的保安帮忙联系,给一两千阿里亚里的小费即可。
动物园通常每天早上9点到下午5点对外开放。不过很多时候清晨7点左右工作人员就会允许游客入内,这对于想在晨光下拍摄狐猴的摄影师非常友好。建议尽量在下午4点前结束游览,因为傍晚时分塔那那利佛的交通拥堵会变得异常严重,可能会让你在回酒店的路上堵两个小时。
园内确实有指猴,但它们是昼伏夜出的动物。虽然有专门的夜行动物馆,但因为维护状况不一,有时候并不对外开放或者内部视线极差。想在光天化日之下看到这种长相奇特的生物难度很大,大多数时候只能在昏暗的笼舍角落里看到一个毛茸茸的影子。
博物馆内的象鸟骨架大部分是真实的化石拼接而成,非常有震撼力。这些骨架展示了象鸟这种曾经的世界最大鸟类的真实比例。同时馆内还有一些已经灭绝的巨型狐猴化石,它们的体型曾经和现在的大猩猩差不多。这些展品每隔几年会进行一定的加固和维护,是该馆的镇馆之宝。
Mehmed Ali Coskun Nice place to visit during your stay in Antananarivo. If possible, I would recommend Lemur Park or, even better, a wildlife tour. :)
Franck “Erkhyan” RABESON Unfortunately, this zoo is seemingly managed by people who intend to see it as nothing but a cheapo theme park. The plants look neglected, and often bear the signs of deliberate vandalism from careless visitors. The only animals that don’t look miserable and neglected are the herons, and only because they roam free and do not depend on the park for care and food. Some of the cages outright look empty, despite signs claiming otherwise. Park personnel visibly lack any training except for making sure that the customer pays all the expected fees. While most of them try their best with the little they’ve been given, some are downright rude. While most of my criticism goes to the park, I will mention the visitors. Many are uneducated and unwilling to show any respect for the plants and animals. Many parents encourage their (many) children to openly harass the animals. If the sight of Madagascar’s most emblematic bird of prey stuck in a cage that won’t even allow them to extend their wings is likely to break your heart, avoid this park at all costs.
Martin Novák Unfortunately, quite poor garden, suffering animals in unsufficient conditions, mess and rubbish all over the garden, damaged plants and trees (marked and scratched by visitors), many empty spaces, dead animals (I saw 1 bird and 1 chameleon). Well, don't expect standards like in developed countries. Artificially created biotopes have a nice idea, but the reality will bring disappointment..
Kamal Khoury The best about it the guide, check out Bruno he's fun, informative and passionate. The zoo is small but had over 14 types of lemurs. This is a caged zoo, but a good place to start learning about what to expect.
Kat Z It's a fun place if you don't want to get out to one of the national parks or reserves and just see some animals and the variety of plants Madagascar has right here in Tana! Locals basically go in for free, we opted not to have a guide and just roamed around on our own. We had a fun time on their manual ferris-wheel... it was a person jumping on it and pulling it down by force, so fun!