Kabobo Massif

The Kabobo Massif (Mitsoshi-Kabogo or Kabogo Massif) is a mountain region in Tanganyika and South Kivu Provinces, Democratic Republic of the Congo known for its unique flora and fauna. One of its most prominent peaks is Mount Kabobo (also known as Mount Kabogo), while another is known as Misotshi. While Misotshi-Kabogo appears to be a more appropriate name for the massif, it is most commonly referred to in the literature by the misinterpreted name Kabobo.

Kabobo Massif
Highest point
Elevation2,701 m (8,862 ft)
Coordinates05°08′12″S 29°03′13″E
Geography
LocationTanganyika and South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Geography

Kabobo Massif has four peaks, Kabili, Kabobo (Kabogo or Ngamikka), Ngandja, and Misotshi.[1]

Etymology

There is apparently no widely accepted local name for the mountain range, with most reports referring to the region by the Belgian misnomer Kabobo, the more appropriate Babembe Kabogo, or as Misotshi-Kabogo.[2] The name Misotshi-Kabogo comes from the most important sacred peak for the Babembe people (Misotshi) and after a peak near the headwaters of the Kabogo river.:[2] It is reported that the name Kabobo was a misinterpretation of the name Kabogo by the Belgians, with Kabogo being the Babembe word for "power" and a reference to a spirit that resides in the Kabogo river.[2]

Flora and fauna

The massif is dominated by montane forest and is among Africa's most biodiverse sites.[3][4] The massif is recognized as the Mount Kabobo Important Bird Area (CD015).[5] As of 2017, some 1,410 species of plants and 558 species of terrestrial vertebrates had been documented in Kabobo Massif.[1] The region is considered unique in the present day for its large extent of intact montane forest, and for the fact that intact forest exists from at or near lake level to the highest elevations.[2]

Endemic taxa

Several taxa are endemic to the massif, and the area is considered a biodiversity hotspot by conservation authorities.[5] More research is needed to clarify how many unique populations and subspecies occur within the region.

Birds

Genetic analyses on the birds of the massif indicate that there is unrecognized diversity in the region, and that several presently recognized subspecies may be worthy of species recognition.[6] The following species are endemic to the massif:[7]

Additionally, the following subspecies are also wholly endemic to the massif[8]

Mammals

The following subspecies are endemic to the massif (note that this list is incomplete as of February 2023):

Plants

The following species are endemic to the massif (note that this list is incomplete as of February 2023):

  • Aframomum ngamikkense, a species of wild ginger described in 2017.[1]

Conservation

The region is relatively intact, but artisanal gold mining in the region has been considered a threat to local biodiversity.[2] Local taboos associated with the sacred peak Misotshi discourage the hunting of chimpanzees and discourage local deforestation.[2]

References
  1. Wildlife Conservation Society (23 March 2017). "Discovery of new ginger species spices up African wildlife surveys". Phys.org.
  2. Plumptre, Andrew J.; Kujirakwinja, D.; Matunguru, J.; Kahindo, Charles; Kaleme, P.; Marks, Ben D.; Huhndorfe, M. (2008). "Biodiversity surveys in the Misotshi-Kabogo and Marungu regions of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo". Albertine Rift Technical Reports. 4. ISSN 1543-4109.
  3. "Expedition sets out to explore isolated, mysterious forest in DRC". Mongabay Environmental News. 2017-02-06. Retrieved 2023-06-22.
  4. "Bastion of biodiversity protected in eastern DRC". Mongabay Environmental News. 2016-12-22. Retrieved 2023-06-22.
  5. "BirdLife Data Zone". datazone.birdlife.org. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  6. Cooper, Jacob C. (2021). Biogeographic and ecologic divers of avian diversity (doctoral dissertation). Chicago, IL, USA.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  7. Sinclair, Ian; Ryan, Peter (2010). Birds of Africa south of the Sahara (2 ed.). Cape Town, South Africa: Struik Nature. ISBN 978-1-77007-623-5.
  8. Clements, J. F.; Schulenberg, T. S.; Iliff, M. J.; Fredericks, T. A.; Gerbracht, J. A.; Lepage, D.; Billerman, S. M.; Sullivan, B. L.; Wood, C. L. "The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2022". Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
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