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This coastal lowland forest ecoregion stretches along the coast in East Africa and supports many endemic species. Ask most people to describe the terrain of Kenya, Tanzania, and Somalia, and they're likely to mention the great grasslands that cover much of the region. Much less well known are the coastal forests that stretch from southern Somalia south to the Mbemkuru River in southern Tanzania, and include the islands of Zanzibar and Pemba.
The East African Coastal Forests have a long history of climatic stability. Abundant rainfall carried by warm Indian Ocean winds has created an ideal environment for a wide diversity of species, many of which are found nowhere else. Many of the plants growing here have also developed remarkable adaptations to the sandy, nutrient-poor soils that cover much of the ecoregion.
The East African Coastal Forests are a bird-lover's paradise. Walking through parts of this region in the night, you might hear the "tonk, tonk, tonk, tonk, tonk" of a rare Sokoke scops owl. During daylight hours, you might spy the yellow and black plumage of a Clarke's weaver or hear the melodious warble of a Tana River cisticola. And if you're looking for mammals, keep your eyes out for small primates called Zanzibar galagos snapping up moths and beetles as they scramble up and down trees. If you're lucky, you might also see a cream-colored Sokoke dog mongoose or catch sight of a Pemba Island flying fox in the moonlight.
The forests of this ecoregion have been heavily populated by people for many years. Looking for wood to fuel their fires and space to grow their crops, local people have cleared much of the region's forests. Only a few blocks of forest remain, and they are widely scattered throughout the ecoregion.
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