輕松英語閱讀：尋找熱帶雨林

You may have thought that the age of exploration was over. But you would be wrong. The world is a big place and even in this modern age we are still finding hidden corners–places untouched by humans.

Thanks to our modern age exploring has become a lot easier. In 2005, a scientist at London’s Kew Gardens discovered a rainforest, but he didn't have to travel halfway around the world to do it. He didn't even have to leave his desk.

Mozambique Rainforest

Dr. Julian Bayliss, a conservation scientist, was using Google Earth to search for rainforests in Africa. One day, he discovered a large area of lush forest on a peak called Mount Mabu in Mozambique. In fact, at 27 square miles, it turned out to be the largest medium-altitude rainforest in Africa. Moreover, he discovered the area had never been studied before.

Next, Kew Gardens sent a research team to Mount Mabu. What they discovered was beyond their wildest expectations. The forest was full of endangered species of birds, orchids, trees, large animals such as monkeys, and antelopes and many kinds of insects. They even found completely unknown species on the first visit.

Mount Mabu Map

Since its discovery, the government of Mozambique has worked to protect the ‘Google Forest’ as it is sometimes called. For one thing, commercial logging is banned in the area and it has been made into a national park.