Madagascar dry deciduous forests, WWF ecoregion in western and northern Madagascar, Madagascar.

The Madagascar dry deciduous forests form a WWF ecoregion of about 151,300 km² along western and northern Madagascar, from sea level to roughly 600–800 m. The canopy, 10–15 m high (up to 30 m in places), is deciduous, shedding leaves from May to September; baobabs and Pachypodium store water in bulbous trunks. The photo shows a dry canopy of dark green and brown, bare or sparse trees, pale sandy and reddish-brown soil, and a winding river bordered by greener trees.

Most of the ecoregion has been cleared by human action, especially near the Central Highlands, leaving the remaining forest severely fragmented. Burning, grazing and logging are the main threats, and hunting affects species such as lemurs. Only 5.79% of the ecoregion lies within protected areas, among them Ankarafantsika, Bemaraha and Ankarana.

The name tsingy comes from a Malagasy word meaning "walk on tiptoe", used by settlers from about 1,500 years ago for the sharp limestone pinnacles of the Ankarana Massif. In Ankarana, collapsed cave roofs form isolated pockets of forest, and subterranean rivers keep the gorges watered year-round.

The ecoregion spans roughly 151,300 km² from sea level to about 800 m, with a wet season from October to April and summer daytime temperatures often above 30 °C. In Ankarana Special Reserve, December to March is very hot, and reaching wildlife requires strenuous hiking over uneven karst; four-wheel-drive vehicles can reach most campsites. Only 5.79% of the ecoregion lies in protected areas.

The name tsingy comes from a Malagasy word meaning "walk on tiptoe", coined by settlers around 1,500 years ago for the sharp limestone pinnacles of the Ankarana Massif. There, collapsed cave roofs form isolated pockets of forest, and subterranean rivers keep the gorges watered year-round.