"Gorongosa, I will say it now, is ecologically the most diverse park in the world" - E.O. Wilson

This is an incredibly exciting time for science in Gorongosa! Some of the top scientists in the world are working here, studying everything from lions and elephants to katydids and termite mounds! One of these world-famous scientists is Professor E.O. Wilson, one of the world's foremost voices on conservation and biology today. He is dedicating much of his current work on the Gorongosa Restoration Project including an upcoming book, biological surveys in Gorongosa, and chapters in his Life on Earth iBooks textbook. We are naming our new research laboratory after Professor Wilson in honor of his participation in our scientific research.

E. O. Wilson's Life on Earth is a new digital biology textbook for high school students that features Gorongosa National Park in several chapters as a model ecosystem and the ideal background for lessons in ecology and evolution. 

The results of the work of our scientists will not only inform future conservation decisions in Gorongosa but will also make a huge contribute to our knowledge and understanding of species biodiversity and how all the parts of an ecosystem fit together. The research being done here will offer new clues about how to restore and save the wild places and wild animals of the world.

Gorongosa is truly at the cutting edge of scientific research and we invite you to visit, join our scientists in the field, and learn about their thrilling, ground-breaking work.

Approach

Our approach at the Department of Scientific Services has three parts:

Research – Scientists, both from our team and visiting researchers, are working in the field to collect information that is vital to understanding how Gorongosa’s ecological web fits together. This information is used to form an important baseline to track changes over time and to answer pressing questions informing our conservation and park management decisions. We are committed to supporting Mozambican scientists and staff.

Learn about our research on lions, elephants, biodiversity, and ecosystem monitoring

Find out how you can become a researcher

Analysis & Management – The wealth of information that is collected by our researchers is stored in databases so that future researchers can build upon data collected in the past. We are building the new 'EO Wilson Laboratory' in the park to give researchers the space and tools they need to analyze and safely store their field data.

Learn more about the Wilson Lab

Planning – Scientific research forms an integral part of the long-term plan for the restoration of the Gorongosa ecosystem. As new information is collected, we use an adaptive approach to evaluate and change our strategy over time. Also, targeted research projects help us make important decisions about immediate conservation needs and tourism development.