Why Sky Islands?

A Sky Island is a mountain that has exceptionally high biodiversity in an exceptionally small area. Legado’s mission is to preserve these Sky Islands by working hand-in-hand with the people who call them home.

In Mozambique, Sky Islands account for only 0.3% of the landmass but have:

Over 20% of all of Mozambique’s birds

20% of its herpetological biodiversity

Nearly 60% of Mozambique’s butterfly species

25% of the country’s plant diversity

Sky Islands are also critical for seeding clouds and producing rain.

Sky Islands capture 40% more dry season rainfall, per area, than non-Sky Islands — providing a critical water tower effect in drought-prone countries like Mozambique. Watch our 3-min VR film tracking water from the rainforests on top of Mount Namuli all the way to the Indian Ocean — 200 miles away.

The water that Sky Islands capture is pivotal for Indigenous communities at the source and downstream. That means that Mount Namuli’s 12,000 people are the guardians for a water source which supports more than 1 Million of their fellow Mozambicans.

Choose a Sky Island below to learn more: