Personally I use google earth to see the different towns in the world but also to check my destination when I have to go from this point to the other point. The tool is very fascinating and very helpful because I can visualize in 3D my travel, look for my flat and my friend ones, find out museums in the visited city… but I never thought about playing Indiana Jones !!! A biologist team of Royal Botanic Gardens from Kew in London discovered by chance in 2005 an unknown forest located close to Mont Mabu in Africa. In fact, they were working with google earth in order to mark the boundary of a reserve of protection of the environment at Mozambique and |
they found out an area, around 80 square kilometers, more green than the others.
To be sure about this surprising discovery, they started to work with better tools and with high quality pictures, they were certain of a virgin forest – no one has explored it yet so no map until now. In november 2008, an international team with 28 scientists has been dispatched to go there.
During 4 weeks, they explored this landscape preserved from any human activity and they discovered a luxuriant wildlife and flora. Moreover, they found out unknown species about insects and plants - in total, they came back with more than 500 plant specimens.
Jonathan Timberlake, from Royal Botanic Gardens of Kew, said “it is potentially the biggest forest area of medium altitude that I know in the south of Africa. It doesn’t appear yet on a map and most dwellers of Mozambique don’t either know the name of Mont Mabu. The ignorance of its existence, the rare accesses and the valor of the forest, where residents came in to take refuge in order to flee the battles, have contributed to its protection”.
Because of the many civil wars between 1975 and 1992, the few roads leading to this region have been destroyed and the zone deserted so with the time, many people started to forget about this forest.
I am just wondering if they have asked dwellers how they call this mountain in their own language – it is not because they don’t know the name Mont Mabu that they don’t know it by an another name ???
I think that I will start to play more with google earth, just to see if I can find something interesting too !!! If you are curious, you check its location with google earth with those following details : 16°17'56.00" S 36°23'44.00" E
January 27, 2009
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