Since June 2025, the management and security of the Cirque Rouge site in Grand Pavois have been entrusted to the rural commune of Belobaka, in the Mahajanga II district. The urban commune of Mahajanga and the Lovako Fund, under the Ministry of Culture and Communication, are responsible for its co-management, with revenues to be shared.
Since 2000, the site has attracted numerous visitors and is now one of the must-see tourist spots in the Boeny region. However, the construction of houses within and around the site poses a serious threat to its conservation.
On Friday, representatives from the Boeny Regional Directorate of Culture and Communication (DIRCC), the Regional Directorate of Land Use Planning (DRTA), the Lovako Boeny branch, the Boeny Regional Tourism Office (ORTB), the Boeny region, and the Belobaka rural commune conducted a site visit. This protected national heritage is currently threatened by land occupation and risks of land grabbing.
Road construction projects are underway, and Malagasy craft shops have been set up inside the site. A private individual, citing lack of access to his land behind the circus, has requested the opening of a road through the site, though he claims to have received no response to his application. Furthermore, another road has been opened, cutting through the visitor parking area. Tantely Lasy Gasy, claiming ownership of the land, has installed a ‘no parking’ sign, highlighting the urgent need for a clear delimitation of the site’s perimeter to prevent further degradation.
Tantely Fanja Rabenasolo, the Regional Director of Culture and Communication for Boeny, stated: ‘This situation requires review and coordination with competent authorities. The Ministry is not informed of this road construction project. It is urgent and essential to proceed with the legal and geographical delimitation of the Cirque Rouge museum zone.’
Captured & Published at: 2026-11-03 06:23:58 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/11/patrimoine-touristique-le-site-du.html