Maputo, Aug. 23, 2024 (Lusa) - Gorongosa National Park will begin an aerial survey in October to "track" the number and distribution of the different species present in this protected area of 220,000 hectares in central Mozambique.
"We've been doing this survey every two years since 2014. This will be the sixth survey using the same methodology (...) The aim is to track the numbers and distribution of the different species," the science director of Gorongosa National Park, Marc Stalmans, explained to Lusa on Friday.
"It takes us approximately two weeks to cover around 220,000 hectares of the park," he added, preferring not to put specific expectations for this survey “so as not to bias” the observations.
The last aerial count of wildlife in the area occurred in 2022. It documented the presence of more than 100,000 animals in 60% of Gorongosa National Park, including around 1,500 blue wildebeest, more than 1,400 buffalo and 900 hippos.
This survey specifically detected the presence of 2,875 crocodiles, 620 elephants, 9,907 impalas, 5,685 warthogs and 41 zebras, among other species.
"The lower elephant count in 2022 should not be alarming," according to the same report, recognising that no carcasses were observed in the aerial count or by ground patrols “as a result of poaching”.
"It appears that the Gorongosa elephant population is healthy and growing," it adds.
Gorongosa was Portugal's first national park in 1960, during the colonial era. The civil war that followed Mozambique's independence tore it apart between 1977 and 1992.
In 2008, the foundation of American millionaire and philanthropist Greg Carr signed a 20-year management agreement with Mozambique's government—extending it for another 25 years in 2018—which has led to its renewal on several fronts. Social projects allied to conservation and the number of animals have grown from 10,000 to over 102,000.
More than 20 years ago, Greg Carr rediscovered Gorongosa and Mozambique's most important park has never been the same again, rehabilitated with more fauna and flora geared towards the community, leaving the American millionaire and philanthropist thrilled.
"I think it is the best park in the world because we have biodiversity and beauty. Our project has two objectives: nature conservation and human development for the communities around the park. We have agriculture, health and education projects. I'm proud," Carr explained in an interview with Lusa this month in Chitengo, in the heart of Gorongosa National Park.
For Greg Carr, Gorongosa has also become his home for 20 years: "Yes. 50/50, Gorongosa and the United States," he adds, mixing Portuguese and English, while saying that this is a public-private partnership: "It's a team effort with the government".
"I met former President Joaquim Chissano more than 20 years ago; he's a good visionary who wanted to see Gorongosa restored but wanted to include human rights for the park to help people. And I liked that vision of doing both," Carr recalled.
Today, the park is almost a world apart in Mozambique, with 1,700 workers, including seasonal labourers and a force of nature rangers who work throughout the territory. Gorongosa coffee and honey are already produced in the park's area, with a view to export, representing income for thousands of families.
"We are the largest employer in the centre of Mozambique," he said.
"What's unusual is that the largest number of workers are from outside the park. Inside the park, we have nature rangers, scientists, and tourism support workers, but outside, we have agricultural technicians, education and health promoters. And because we're building many things outside the park, like schools, we have contractors. I think we spend two-thirds of our time and investment outside, in the Sustainable Development Zone," he explained.
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