Keeping the Faith
Historical places of worship may harbor biodiversity
Sacred forest sites preserved by indigenous people for their cultural or spiritual value could be important reservoirs of biodiversity, scientists report in Oryx.
The team performed surveys at the Three Sisters Caves in Kenya, a historical site of worship that is protected by locals. Although the area was “tiny”, the researchers write, they found 121 plant species and 46 animal species. Nine plant species were considered rare, and four were classified as vulnerable or near-threatened by the IUCN Red List. Among the fauna were creatures such as the Christmas butterfly, spiny leaf folding frog, crested porcupine, Savannah baboon, and Hildegarde’s tomb bat.
The caves sit in a region called the Eastern Arc Mountains and Coastal Forest Hotspot, which is rich in unique species. Sacred sites cover roughly 10 percent of the forest along Kenya’s coast, the authors say, and could play a key role in the area’s conservation. – Roberta Kwok
Source: Metcalfe, K., Ffrench-Constant, R., & Gordon, I. (2009). Sacred sites as hotspots for biodiversity: the Three Sisters Cave complex in coastal Kenya Oryx, 44 (01) DOI: 10.1017/S0030605309990731
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