Deep in the caves of Mozambique's Gorongosa National Park, molecular biologist Raúl da Silva Armando Chomela studies bat droppings, or guano, which he describes as far more than waste. 'If I had to describe it in one word, I’d say “ecosystem”,' he says. Guano, formed from bat and bird faeces over time, supports cave-dwelling beetles, frogs and salamanders, and hosts unique microbiomes adapted to life without sunlight.
Gorongosa, a 4,000 sq km park in central Mozambique, is one of Africa's most biodiverse regions. Its 30-plus caves, including the Inhaminga caves, house 11 bat species with a population of 250,000. Chomela, 28, a PhD student at the University of Porto, leads genetic research at the EO Wilson Laboratory, focusing on how bats and their guano affect the ecosystem.
The park's history is marked by conflict. Established in 1960 under Portuguese colonial rule, it suffered during Mozambique's civil war (1977-1992), when Renamo guerrillas decimated wildlife, killing 95% of large animals including nearly all 5,500 hippos. Post-war conservation efforts, including the Paleo-Primate Project (PPP) launched in 2018 by Oxford University and Gorongosa, have helped restore biodiversity.
PPP director Susana Carvalho notes that the Gorongosa Restoration Project is the region's largest employer. Chomela's research uses environmental DNA and metabarcoding to study bat diets and guano composition. Bats feed on insects, including malaria-carrying mosquitoes and crop pests, benefiting both wildlife and local agriculture.
Chomela regularly navigates tight, dark caves, wearing protective gear to avoid inhaling harmful particles. His work aims to understand how economic activities and climate change impact Gorongosa's caves, highlighting guano's critical role in maintaining these fragile ecosystems.
