Apr 14, 2026 |
Research carried out in Gorongosa has concluded that ‘guano’, as the accumulation of bat droppings is known, sustains cave ecosystems and can support rural livelihoods.
The study is shedding light on the ecological and economic value of bat guano in an underground system where these droppings serve as a basis for life for multiple organisms and can also benefit local communities, provided that collection is carried out sustainably.
The research is led by Raúl da Silva Armando Chomela, a Mozambican molecular biologist affiliated with the park’s genetics laboratory, the E.O. Wilson Lab, and a PhD student at the University of Porto in Portugal, who has been studying bats and guano in the caves of Gorongosa National Park for two years.
Guano is the accumulation of bat or bird droppings, often mixed with organic debris (such as feathers, bones or insects), which over time decomposes and forms a nutrient-rich material.
According to The Guardian, the park and surrounding areas contain more than 30 caves in an underground network spanning around 183 square kilometres, situated within a 4,000-square-kilometre protected area that ranks among the most biodiverse in Africa.
More than 100 species of bats identified in Gorongosa live in these caves, although there is still no exact count of those using these cavities. In one of the most studied caves, Tombo Aphale 5, there are said to be more than 10,000 bats, according to Chomela.
“Guano is far more than just bat droppings,” says the researcher in the article published by the British newspaper. “If I had to describe it in one word, I’d say ‘ecosystem’.”
According to the research, the guano accumulated over time is not merely organic waste. It is a rich substance that supports beetles, frogs, salamanders and microbiomes adapted to very specific conditions of humidity, temperature and absence of light. The very environmental balance within the caves depends on this composition.
The study also has a practical dimension for neighbouring communities. In nearby rural communities, guano collection is one of the few regular ways of earning cash, as it is used as an agricultural fertiliser rich in nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium for crops such as sorghum, beans and maize. Chomela estimates that collectors earn, on average, 200 meticais for every 50 kilos sold.
But the central warning of the research is that uncontrolled extraction could destroy the resource itself. Bat Conservation International has already stated that it has begun working with Gorongosa National Park and local operators to establish guidelines for sustainable extraction, following concerns raised in 2023 about the increase in guano production.
“When they see the guano, they see money. But guano is what guarantees stable environmental conditions in caves,” says Chomela. “Overharvesting will compromise the composition of a cave, rendering it sterile.”
The team is using environmental DNA and metabarcoding techniques to understand the bats’ diet, sex ratio and the presence of parasites and pathogens. One of the objectives is to demonstrate, on a scientific basis, that these animals help control insects and agricultural pests, including malaria-carrying mosquitoes, thereby reinforcing the value of their conservation to local communities.
Photos: The Guardian/Gorongosa
