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Pemba Island

 

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Map of Pemba IslandThis island is located in the western Indian Ocean, 40 km off of the coast of mainland Tanzania and 80 km distance from the island of Zanzibar (Unguja). The island was originally forested, but only remnants of the primary forest remain. The vegetation is dominated by plantations of cloves and other spices, although many of the clove plantations have been abandoned and are now dominated by secondary growth forest.

Ngesi is the last significant area of moist forest surviving on Pemba and although the reserve covers 1440 hectares, only 550 hectares are actually forest, the remainder being evergreen thicket. Nevertheless it constitutes an invaluable resource, for it contains a number of unique and endangered species. Mammals of interest include the Pemba vervet monkey, the Pemba blue duiker and the Pemba flying fox. The latter is actually a large fruit-eating bat and a roost of over 200 is known to exist deep within the forest. Also present is a large troupe of Kirk's colobus monkey, which were settled here from Josani in the sixties in an attempt to increase their range. The most interesting trees are the three globally rare species of mjoho (Odyendea zimmermanni), Chrystalido pembanus and Ensete proboscoideum. It is also thought that there are likely to exist a number of unique small plant and insect species, which have not yet been recorded. Ngesi will hopefully be soon upgraded to the status of National Park in order that this pool of unique genes will be saved for future generations. In the meantime, the forest seems quite well protected, although there are reports of limited raiding by local people in search of firewood and other forest products. The staff at the ranger post run a nature trail, but it's the sandy road that passes through the best sections of the forest.
 

Phelsuma species

Phelsuma parkeri

  

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