Mount Mabu

Although the world today has largely been mapped thanks to satellite maps, that doesn't mean discoveries are not still being made. Mount Mabu in Mozambique was known only to locals until researchers identified it as a potential biodiversity hotspot in 2005, using data from Google Earth! "Google Forest" is a sky island, an isolated area of high-elevation forest in which species have evolved separately from those of the outside world. This isolation also ensures that it has never been logged and has survived the devastating Mozambican Civil War unscathed.

Altogether, researchers have discovered at least 25 new species of animals at Mount Mabu, now known to be the largest rainforest in southern Africa. They have also counted 126 different bird species, including some endangered in other parts of Africa. Conservationists are currently working to preserve the mountain for future generations by protecting it and implementing natural resource management strategies in surrounding communities.