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'''Lake Ravelobe, also known as Lac Ravelobe, is a sacred lake located in the [[Ankarafantsika National Park]], 115 kilometres south of [[Mahajanga|Majunga]] in the west of Madagascar.'''

{| class="imageTable"|-|colspan="3" | [[File:Ankarafantsika_National_Park_037.jpg|600px]]|- |[[File:Ankarafantsika_National_Park_027.jpg|196px]]|align="center"|[[File:Ankarafantsika_National_Park_031.jpg|196px]]|align="right"|[[File:Ankarafantsika_National_Park_029.jpg|196px]]|-|[[File:Ankarafantsika_National_Park_032.jpg|196px]]|align="center"|[[File:Ankarafantsika_National_Park_033.jpg|196px]]|align="right"|[[File:African_darter_001.jpg|196px]]|} The lake is a true paradise for birdersbirdwatchers, as there are fantastic bird watching opportunities. Amongst the birds which can be observed seen are:* ''Haliaeetus vociferoides'' - the [[Madagascar fish eagle]]* ''Plegadis falcinellus'' - , [[Glossy ibis]]* ''Ardea humbloti'' - , [[Humblot's heron]]* , [[African darter]]* ''Ardea purpurea'' - , [[Purple Heron]]* ''Actophilornis albinucha'' - , [[Madagascan jacana]]* ''Terpsiphone mutata'' - , [[Madagascar paradise-flycatcher]]* ''Dendrocygna viduata'' - and [[White-faced whistling duck]]<br>. The lake is sacred to the [[Sakalava]] people. Visitors have the chance to visit a ''doany'', a place where the Sakalava perform their sacred ''joro'' ritual. The joro takes place once a year, usually in July. During the ritual the Sakalava bless the ancestors and thereafter admire the sacred lake.<br>

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. [[File:Ankarafantsika_National_Park_036.jpg|600px]] The crocodiles ([[Nile crocodile|Nile crocodiles]]) of Lake Ravelobe are considered sacred. Every year zebus are sacrificed to these the crocodiles, which have a specific 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.

<googlemap version="0.9" latdiv style="max-16.306754" lon="46.818023" zoom="15" controls="largewidth:600px;">{{#display_map:-16.305477, 46.81489~'''Lake Ravelobe (Lac Ravelobe)'''~~;|type=satellite|service=google|width=auto|height=400|zoom=14|controls=pan, zoom, type, scale|copycoords=yes|icon=https://www.madacamp.com/images/madagascar/Green_marker.png}}</googlemapdiv> == Additional information == View all [[Lake Ravelobe photos]]