Parque Nacional da Gorongosa Moçambique

Mount Gorongosa supports a rich diversity of plant and animal species and is the only place in southern Africa where the famed Green-headed Oriole occurs. According to Dr. Tom Muller, renowned forest ecologist and creator of the National Botanical Gardens in Harare, Zimbabwe, this mountain boasts the largest continuous area of Afromontane forest in southern Africa. Scientists working on the mountain have recently discovered a number of species previously unknown in Mozambique, including several species of orchids, and other species that are endemic to the mountain. One sunbird species (currently recognized as a Miombo Double-collared Sunbird) will likely be determined to be a new species, and the population of the rare Swynnerton's Robin may represent the largest extant population of this bird.

Mount Gorongosa feeds at least five rivers, three of which (Mucodza, Muera, and Vunduzi rivers) drain to Lake Urema in the heart of Gorongosa National Park, and two of which (Chitunga and Nhandare rivers) drain to the Pungue River that forms the southern boundary of the Park. Lush montane meadows and forests absorb rainfall during the wet season for slow release during the dry season, sustaining perennial waters that hold the key to life on the mountain. These waters in turn sustain the floodplains and wildlife of Gorongosa National Park and provide perennial water supply for domestic use and irrigation potential for thousands of people living around the Park.

Highly sought-after, localized birds readily seen on the mountain include Green-headed Oriole, Swynnerton's Robin, Black-and-white Flycatcher, Pallid Honeyguide, Stripe-cheeked Greenbul, Silvery-cheeked Hornbill, Moustached Grass-Warbler and an isolated subspecies of the Greater Double-collared Sunbird. Overall, hundreds of bird species have been recorded on Gorongosa.

Notable Bird Species of Mount Gorongosa

"The future for Gorongosa National Park and its neighboring communities depends on the protection of Mount Gorongosa," according to Richard Beilfuss, Director of Scientific Services for the Park. "But it will take no more than five years at the present rates of deforestation and fragmentation before the ecosystem is degraded to a point from which it is unlikely to recover in terms of biodiversity, erosion, water resources, and ecotourism potential."