Endemic plant species of Mkingu Nature Reserve in Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania

Mkingu Nature Reserve, in the South Nguru Mountains, is an area of dense mountain forest with dramatic viewpoints. Mkingu Nature Reserve is the largest forest remaining in the South Nguru Mountains. The forest is home to many plant and animal species including Black-and-white colobus monkeys, Mountain galagos and Black-and-rufous elephant-shrews. Some of the plants and animals that are found in Mkingu are unique to this forest never having been recorded elsewhere including 19 plant taxa. There are seven vertebrate species that are unique to the South Nguru Mountains. Between 2007 and 2013, six new amphibian species were recorded from the South Nguru Mountains. For bird watchers, the reserve offers a chance to see 215 bird species including a rare chance to see Moreau’s sunbird and Banded green sunbird. The South Nguru Landscape is the main water catchment area for the Wami River. This river provides water to Chalinze Town, the Mtibwa sugar plantation and many villages in Morogoro and Coast Region.