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→Legends about Lake Ravelobe
=== Legends about Lake Ravelobe ===
Ravelobe was a Malagasy patriot who participated in World War II. Back home, he asked the French colonists to administrate the cantonment of Ambatoboeny, but his request was denied. He then formed a group of rebels in the ''garafantsy'' ("hill of thorns" - Ankarafantsika area). From thereon, Ravelobe and his followers robbed travellers and bypassers in the area.<br><br>
[[File:Ankarafantsika_National_Park_036.jpg|600px|thumb|none|Nile crocodile swimming in Lake Ravelobe]]
The crocodiles (Nile crocodiles) of Lake Ravelobe are considered sacred. Every year zebus are sacrificed to the crocodiles, which have a special name: ''mampisento'' - "that is sighing". The story of the mampisento crocodiles dates back to the days of [[King Andriamisondrotramasinarivo]] of the [[Marambitsy]] lineage (Sakalava ethnic group, originating from Mitsinjo), who out of pride, not wanting the annexation of the [[Merina]] to his territory during the reign of [[Radama I]] (1810-1828), threw his family and himself into the lake. A gatekeeper of the king declined to follow his master into suicide. Shortly after he died, a crocodile appeared at the shore of the lake and spoke strangely in the voice of the gatekeeper and its sigh was for all those who saw it.