Google continues to demonstrate its utility. A scientist using Google Earth discovered a “7,000 hectares of forest, rich in biodiversity” in northern Mozambique. The forest was subsequently inventoried by a British-led expedition, which described several new species. The image at left, by Julian Bayliss, shows a pygmy chameleon (Rhampholeon sp.), and more images can be found at Wildlife Extra. From Telegraph.co.uk:

Julian Bayliss, a scientist for Kew based in the region, discovered Mount Mabu while searching on Google Earth for a possible conservation project. He was looking at areas of land 5,400ft (1,600m) above sea level where more rainfall means there is likely to be forest.

To his surprise he found the patches of green that denote wooded areas, in places that had not previously been explored. After taking a closer look on more detailed satellite maps, he went to have a look.

An expedition was organised for this autumn with 28 scientists from the UK, Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania and Switzerland. The group was able to stay at an abandoned tea estate but had to hack through difficult terrain and use 70 porters in order to carry out their investigations.

Within weeks they had discovered three new species of Lepidoptera butterfly and a new member of the Gaboon viper family of snakes that can kill a human in a single bite. There were also blue duiker antelope, samango monkeys, elephant shrews, almost 200 different types of butterflies and thousands of tropical plants

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