The photo taken on Nov. 22, 2013 shows rising smoke due to mountain burning in Sambama, northeast Madagascar. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling)

In 2007, the United National Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) listed the Rainforests of the Atsinanana as the World Heritage, It is consisted of six national parks along the eastern part of the island, including the Marojejy National Park.

Having completed its separation from all other land masses more than 60 million years ago, Madagascar's plant and animal life evolved in isolation. These rainforests are important for both ecological and biological processes as well as their biodiversity and the threatened species they support. The level of endemism within the property is approximately 80 to 90 percent for all plant and animal species in it. Of the 123 species of non-flying mammals in Madagascar (72 of which are on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species), 78 occur within the property.

In 2010, the UNESCO listed the Rainforests of the Atsinanana as World Heritage in Danger due to illegal tree cutting and hunting of lemurs.

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