#Cheringoma Plateau

[bumblebeeappletree]

Economic growth and wildlife conservation often run in conflict, but Mozambican scientist Cesária Huo hopes to support a new fully sustainable and economically viable model for harvesting a potent natural resource: bat guano.

In the stunning landscapes of the Cheringoma Plateau in Mozambique, Cesária embarks on an expedition with her mentor, Professor Piotr Naskrecki, Ph.D., to survey the local population of bats. With the support of a team of passionate young researchers, they plan to meticulously catalog the region’s biodiversity – bats and beyond. They hope to ensure that no species inhabiting Cheringoma’s caves could be negatively impacted by the planned extraction of bat guano by the national company, Guano Moz. Guano is a valuable and potent biological fertilizer, and sustainably harvesting the resource from Cheringoma could be a boost to the local farming economy.

As Guano Moz seeks to create job opportunities through the guano’s extraction and processing, Cesária and her team plan a detailed survey of the cave’s bat colonies: their mating seasons, habits, and population numbers. If they find the right type of bats in the cave system, it signals a higher quality of guano that justifies the cost to harvest. Both Guano Moz and scientists from Gorongosa National Park aim to achieve a delicate balance between economic development and environmental stewardship, demonstrating that sustainable progress is possible when industry and conservation unite for a common cause.

[raptinawe]

A portrait of a slender praying mantis (Idolomorpha dentifrons) from the Cheringoma Plateau. (Piotr Naskrecki) (via Uncharted Territory: Scientists Discover New and Incredible Species – News Watch)