Wildlife of Zanzibar

The main island of Zanzibar, Unguja, has fauna which reflects its connection to the African mainland during the last ice age.

The coral rag in the park is the earliest settlement, which was exploited for agricultural development due to population pressure.

This fee is also shared with the Jozani Conservation Society used to construct and operate schools and health clinics for local villages.

[12] Ngezi Forest Reserve covers an area of 14.4 square kilometres (5.6 sq mi) and is in the northwestern tip of Pemba Island.

The forest types reported consist of coral bushes and thickets, thick grasses and bushes in the sandy-loam soils and Mtifutifu soils; dominant plant species are: Odyendea zimmermanni (mjoho), riverine forest of Barringtonia racemosa (mtomondo), Milicia excelsa (mvule), Alexandrian laurel (mtondoo), Erythrophleum spp.

Other animals in the island are the vervet monkeys, Mozambique cobras, tortoises, bush crabs, red eyed doves and mangrove king fishers.

The reserve is set amidst rich vegetation of trees such as orange, lime, grapefruit, nutmeg, banana, ginger, chillies, black pepper and cinnamon.

Set up after a controversial debate over a period of three years between the private developer of the park, the government and the local fishermen, the sanctuary has received funds from the European Union, Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (the German aid agency) and many other donors, including the initial developer.

[9][14] Mnemba Marine Park is located 10 kilometres (6 mi) from Stone Town and forms part of the northeastern Unguja Island.

The area, which was earlier accessible to local fishermen, is now under 33-year renewable lease hold with "CC Africa" who have made it an exclusive island for "high-end tourism".

However, part of the park has been declared recently as a "no touch" zone called the "House Reef" to ensure recovery of corals to good shape.

The island's fringing reef has 42 hard coral genera and over 400 fish species, including the endangered humphead.

The reef is also a source for larvae due to its closeness to the Pemba Channel that separates the islands from the mainland Tanzania.

There is a profusion of sea urchins indicative of finfish fisheries that provides economic avenue to 7,000 Pemba people.

[19] Its history has many events of interest namely, as a pirate hideaway in the 17th century and for the hidden treasures of Captain Kidd.

[24][25] Its underwater cliffs, wrecks, canyons, caves and spectacular reefs are popular diving and snorkelling sites.

[27][28] Jongowe village on the island has a population concentration as well as a large number of mosque remnants and a group of 40 stone houses, within an area of 25 hectares (62 acres) all traced to the 14th century.

It is also called as the Grave Island, named after the small naval cemetery and the tombs of colonial-era British seamen at its southern end, dated to 1879.

The cemetery was specially built in 1879 by Sultan Barghash for the burial of English people of the Royal and Merchant Navies.

A trail behind this camp, which is seen only in ruins, leads to a small forest area where a herd of suni antelopes is reported.

The tortoises were imported from Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles in the late 19th century; they weigh about 100 kilograms (220 lb) on an average, and some of them are as old as 100 years.

The remaining natural habitats can be found in Jozani Chwaka bay region (southwest) and the Kiwenga forest in the northeast and the coral rag thicket.

Other species are: the Bushy-tailed mongoose (local name chongwe), which is found in the coral rag forest of the southeastern coast of Unguja and in the deep soil region on the western part of Pemba Island; the small blue duiker; suni (mammalian) or dwarf antelope (just 15 in or 380 mm tall); African and small Indian civet.

[35] The Zanzibar red colobus has been known to consume charcoal, possibly a learned behaviour, after eating the leaves of the Indian almond tree and Mangifera indica mango.

[36] Along with small animals, Zanzibar is known for several oversized species, such as the giant rat (Cricetomys gambianus cosensi) which can be up to a metre (3 ft) long with the tail.

At this centre, local butter fly species are farmed for which training on the knowledge of their botanical and natural habitats are provided to a large number of farmers.

Out of the butterflies caught in the netted enclosure, the female species are segregated into another breeding cage where they lay eggs, which are then kept in a pest free box to hatch caterpillars or larva.

[35] The coconut crab, a crustacean which climbs up palm trees and break the shells with its huge claws (called locally as tuu) is found mostly in Pemba Island.

[35] A Community Based Forest Management and Socioeconomic Development Project was undertaken, from 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2007, around the only national park in Zanzibar for the conservation of its unique flora and fauna.

The objectives of this second project, based on lessons learned from the first project, aimed "at enhancing forest and wildlife conservation through resource governance practices, livelihood improvement, accurate data of wildlife and building capacity of community organizations and the Department of Commercial Crops, Fruits and Forestry.