The 248 square kilometres (96 sq mi) reserve is on a plateau on the western side of the Bongolava mountain range and near the road from Tsiroanomandidy to Maintirano.

There are two types of sclerophyte forest (dense and clear), savanna, open water and bare zones with sand and rocks.

[5] Out of the seventy-eight species of mammals recorded, there is only one diurnal lemur, Von der Decken's sifaka (Propithecus deckenii).

[2] Other species which can be seen include eastern woolly lemur (Avahi laniger), the northern ring-tailed mongoose (Galidia elegans) and the lesser long-tailed shrew tenrec (Microgale longicaudata).

[2] The bushpig, (Potamochoerus larvatus), is an introduction to Madagascar, and is one of the exceptions to the 97% of the recorded fauna in the reserve being endemic.