Biodiversity Conservation

Declared a protected area in 1971, Bazaruto Archipelago has a range of critical habitats for many rare and endemic species. In addition to being in an ecologically rich tropical zone, its varied marine habitats contribute to a wealth of species, including over 500 marine and coastal mollusc species, 2,000 fish species and nine marine mammal species, including whales, dolphins and the dugong. Migratory species, such as whale sharks, great white sharks, manta rays and killer, southern right and humpback whales, move through the park’s productive marine environment.

The archipelago’s reefs are a valuable resource as they are an isolated node of reef development between the limited reefs in southern Mozambique and South Africa and the more extensive coral reefs north of Beira. 

A dugong swimming in the protected waters of Bazaruto. © Christian Schlamann

Bazaruto is home to the last-known viable dugong (Dugong dugong) population on the eastern coast of Africa. Following collaborative research work coordinated by park management, the research team successfully applied to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to reassess the status of East Africa’s dugong. As a result, the IUCN approved the relisting of the East Africa subspecies, from Vulnerable to Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red Data List in 2022. The reclassification is an important conservation milestone and affords the species the highest global protection status.

Regular aerial dugong surveys suggest a few hundred adults and calves exist in and around the protected area, indicating a healthy viable population. Hundreds of turtles, sharks, rays, dolphins and whales are also seen during these counts. In 2024, in a first for Africa, African Parks and the Mozambican government, in partnership with James Cook University, launched an important dugong satellite tagging project. Tagging 11 dugong with transmitters, this initiative provided critical insights into the mammals’ movements across the park and surrounding seascapes, identifying areas requiring enhanced conservation efforts for the species.

Bazaruto is the only known place in the western Indian Ocean where all five regionally resident turtle species (leatherback, loggerhead, green, olive ridley and hawksbill) nest. Turtle monitors and rangers receive regular training on turtle tagging, protocols for monitoring and techniques for relocating nests to stable areas. In 2024, a large turtle-tagging exercise was undertaken to understand how turtles navigate the ocean amidst fishing grounds, where being caught in fishing nets is one of the main types of human-wildlife conflict in the protected area, as the animals may drown and nets are destroyed. Over 23 turtles tagged with satellite transmitters and nearly 50 with flipper tags identified overlaps between turtle habitats and artisanal fisheries, revealing that turtles frequently remain in small seagrass patches or move between shallow and deep-water meadows with the tides. With this information, alternative fishing methods can be promoted to help reduce bycatch in these popular fishing areas. 

Marine rangers patrolling the islands of Bazaruto ©Andrew MacDonald

The diverse habitats around the Bazaruto Archipelago are threatened by illegal and unsustainable fishing practices, unregulated natural resource use, and uncontrolled tourism activities. These not only reduce biodiversity, but lead to considerable loss in park revenue, impoverishing local communities.

Bazaruto’s skilled ranger unit of Mozambican nationals is tasked with protecting their natural heritage while building strong relationships with the people who live in and around the protected area. Some 10,000 patrols are undertaken yearly, by over 80 rangers, including Mozambique’s first female seafaring rangers. The patrols take place on land and sea, jointly with local government, and have resulted in a steady decline in illegal activities in the park. 

To expand the dugong conservation area, a ranger outpost at Nhamabue in the north west of the park is manned by park rangers, local government police and the navy, who patrol the area where the highest numbers of dugong have been sighted. Assisted by effective conservation law enforcement, fishing is being monitored and, through improved boundary control and growing respect for marine park boundaries, illegal fishing in the park has been significantly reduced. Community engagement efforts, including awareness campaigns during routine patrols and community meetings, are helping to reduce illegal activities.