VulnerableOcean Sunfish
Mola mola
Africa
São Tomé and Príncipe is a volcanic archipelago in the Gulf of Guinea that was never joined to the continent, which has made its two main islands one of the places in the world with the highest proportion of species found nowhere else per unit of area. Its mountains, covered in cloud forest and pierced by volcanic spires such as Pico Cão Grande, keep the native forest known as obô, dense, humid and with a flora full of endemics. The islands hold close to thirty bird species that exist nowhere else, as well as frogs, bats, snails and reptiles of their own. The southern beaches receive the nesting of five species of sea turtle, and the surrounding waters are a humpback whale breeding area between July and October.
National animal: No official national animal; the grey parrot is the archipelago's emblematic bird
The São Tomé grosbeak, the largest finch in the world, was known only from three specimens collected in 1888 and was given up for extinct for more than a century. In 1991 it was rediscovered in a remote valley in the southwest of the island, and it has been known since then to survive in a tiny area of primary forest with a population of barely a few dozen birds, which makes it one of the rarest birds on the planet.
The island of Príncipe has been a biosphere reserve since 2012 and has markedly reduced the hunting of endemic birds. Invasive species, especially rats, cats and introduced mona monkeys, are the main threat to the islands' wildlife.
The obô forest between June and September for endemic birds. The southern beaches between November and February for turtle nesting. The waters of the archipelago between July and October for humpback whales.
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Same region: Central Africa
Same region: Central Africa
Same region: Central Africa
Same region: Central Africa
73 species found
Based on what we already know about São Tomé and Príncipe.
