Despite the majesty of its forests, Ambatovaky faces persistent challenges that threaten its natural balance.

• Land clearing

Slash-and-burn agriculture, deeply rooted in local practices, continues to encroach on the primary forest. With each plot of land cleared, unique habitats disappear, taking with them a part of Madagascar's living heritage. Savoka, secondary vegetation, is gradually replacing the original forest and bears witness to this constant pressure.

• Lemur hunting 

In the shadows of the undergrowth, hunting targeting lemurs and birds endangers some of the Reserve's most emblematic species.

• Mining exploration

The search for crystals or gold is not without consequences. Mining exploration activities profoundly disrupt local ecosystems: they fragment habitats, degrade soils, and leave lasting scars on an already battered landscape.

Beyond the most visible threats, Ambatovaky must contend with other pressures, often more subtle but equally decisive for the future of the reserve.

• Collection of non-timber forest products

The forest provides many products that are essential to the communities' livelihoods: fruits, medicinal plants, materials. But overexploitation, even on a small scale, depletes resources and weakens natural regeneration, ultimately compromising the balance of the ecosystem.

• Illegal occupation and undergrowth cultivation

The gradual expansion of inhabited areas and undergrowth cultivation are slowly eroding the protected area. These developments, often motivated by the need for fertile land, are eating away at the forest and complicating its sustainable management.

• Destruction of conservation measures

Signs torn down, markers moved, paint erased: infrastructure intended for management and awareness-raising is sometimes damaged.