| Makira Protected Area | |
|---|---|
  Location of Makira Forest Protected Area | |
| Location | North-east Madagascar |
| Nearest city | Maroantsetra, Antalaha, Mandritsara |
| Coordinates | 15°24′47″S 49°32′17″E / 15.413°S 49.538°E[citation needed] |
| Area | 3,850 km² |
| Established | 2012 |
| Visitors | 0 (in 2006) |
| Governing body | Madagascar Forestry Department (DGEF) in partnership with the Wildlife Conservation Society |
Makira Natural Park (also administratively called Makira Forest Protected Area, Makira Protected Area, and Makira Natural Park) is a nature reserve in Madagascar's Northeastern region. In 2001, the Madagascar Ministry of Environment and Forests, in collaboration with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), launched a program to create the 372,470 the Makira Forest Protected Area, with first temporary legal protections provided in 2005 as Makira Protected Area. Formally established as Makira Natural Park (IUCN Category II) in 2012, the site is one of the largest of Madagascar’s protected areas and encompasses 372,470 hectares of strictly protected forest buffered by more than 350,000 hectares of community-managed forests. The Makira Natural Park is managed by WCS on behalf of the Government of Madagascar under a delegated management contract.