Mount Mabu, 1,700 metres high, occupies an area of 7,880 hectares and is regarded as the largest humid medium-high altitude forest in Africa.

Located in Lugela district, in the interior of Zambézia province, Mount Mabu is a sacred forest, which is almost intact and is protected by the local communities. Whenever anyone wishes to visit the place, the Lugela district community leaders should be consulted to hold a traditional ceremony. In this way, since the remote past, the local population has looked to the preservation of one of the most robust forests on the entire planet.

In 2008, the first expedition to the place was held, with international specialists, which led to the discovery of a dozen new species of plants, insects, birds and mammals. In October 2021, the team from BIOFUND and the implementation partners of PROMOVE Biodiversity visited the place and found fascinating biological diversity.

“It takes your breath away. It’s one of the few intact forests in the country. Its unique waters are an additional attraction to be discovered in the interior of the mountain. The importance of its cultural value for the communities is the basis of its conservation”, declared Sean Nazerali of BIOFUND. It is this biological diversity and the commitment of the local communities in using sustainable alternatives for development that PROMOVE Biodiversity will support up to 2025.