Mozambique’s Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries (MAAP) has established the Mount Mabu Community Conservation Area in Zambézia Province, covering 9,341 hectares in the district of Lugela and conferring formal legal protection on one of Southern Africa’s most biodiverse zones.
Mount Mabu is internationally recognised as the Forest of Butterflies, owing to its exceptionally high concentration of rare and endemic species, including more than 200 butterfly species. The region’s remarkable fauna and flora were brought to international attention more than a decade ago by British naturalist David Attenborough.
Rising to approximately 1,700 metres above sea level, the mountain acquired its distinctive designation following Attenborough’s 2013 documentation of a seasonal aggregation phenomenon, in which hundreds of butterflies converge at the summit for reproduction.
Among the scientific discoveries associated with Mount Mabu are the butterfly Iolaus mabuensis, first described from specimens collected in the area, and the viper Atheris mabuensis, an endemic species identified in 2009.
Regarded as one of the region’s most significant biodiversity refuges, Mount Mabu contains the largest remaining continuous block of mid-altitude rainforest in Southern Africa. The mountain’s rugged terrain and relative isolation have fostered the evolution of unique species over millions of years.
Despite the area’s ecological importance, the proposal preceding the conservation area’s establishment identifies small-scale agricultural expansion and timber extraction as the principal threats. Nevertheless, the forest has remained comparatively intact, partly due to the traditional protection afforded by local communities, who regard the territory as sacred.
The ministerial decree also mandates the development of a participatory management plan to define zones and rules governing the use of natural resources, the exploitation of which will be subject to licensing. All activities must comply with the area’s conservation objectives, with MAAP assigned responsibility for monitoring and building the capacity of the communities involved in managing the territory.
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/2026/09/15/economia/conservacao/zambezia-maap-cria-area-de-conservacao-comunitaria-no-monte-mabu/
