· A Treetop Chorus
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
· Looking Ahead

Global 200 Snapshot

This Global 200 ecoregion consists of ancient mountains with many forest species that are found here and nowhere else--not even in other nearby eastern African montane regions. Altitude, age, soils, rainfall, and distance from the coast all contribute to the unique environment. This supports exceptional levels of plant and animal diversity that surpass even those of the adjacent coastal forests.

A Treetop Chorus

Stepping into the Eastern Arc Montane Forests you hear a high-pitched "kaw, kaw, kaw, kaw, kaw" and know you're in the presence of a spectacular green bird called a Livingstone's turaco. As you push on through the leafy undergrowth, the continuing chorus of buzzes and hoots and howls tells you that you're in a place of great diversity.

Special Features

The Eastern Arc Montane Forests ecoregion consists of some of Africa's oldest ranges and peaks. These ranges and peaks are separated from other mountainous regions by great expanses of lowland habitats. Isolated from their relatives, many endemic species have evolved here over time. This ecoregion is located close to the Indian Ocean, so it has experienced continuous moist conditions, even as periodic drying trends have affected much of the rest of Africa. The Usambara Mountains in particular harbor the greatest number of species because they form a "rain-trap" along the coast.

	Some of the world’s most ancient amphibians, called caecilians, are found in the Eastern Arcs. These creatures, which look much like worms, often emerge from the soil after heavy rains. You may also run into bizarre amblypygids, which live in dark hollows and look more like the monster in "Alien" rather than relatives of the common house spider.

Wild Side

If you climb up into these high forests, you'll be rewarded with the sight of many endemic plant and animal species. In the Usambara Mountains of northeast Tanzania, you'll find 50 endemic tree species. You might also see Lizzies, one of the numerous endemic species of Impatiens, or the spectacular African violet, a purple flower with fuzzy green leaves. Harder to spot is the elusive Abbot's duiker, a stocky deerlike animal with short legs and a red tuft of fur between its horns. But you'll want to keep an ear out for the quiet lowing of a forest-dwelling African buffalo foraging in the undergrowth. An assortment of other species can also be found, including hawk moths, carabid beetles, and brightly colored tree frogs (Hyperolius), each with a distinctive call.

Cause for Concern

Growing human populations on the lower slopes of these mountains struggle to make a living with very few available resources. Firewood collection and the spread of farms threaten the Eastern Arc Montane Forests, few of which are protected in national parks.

Looking Ahead

Check back soon for more about the conservation of this ecoregion.