February 20, 2009--A pygmy chameleon (above) is part of the incredibly diverse array of plants and animals found during an expedition to northern Mozambique's Mount Mabu in fall 2008.

Three new species of butterfly, a new type of adder, and many exotic plants were discovered in the southeast African country.

A two-decade civil war in Mozambique that damaged roads and buildings likely protected the pristine forest from exploitation, researchers say.

"This is potentially the biggest area of medium-altitude forest I'm aware of in southern Africa, yet it was not on the map," said expedition leader Jonathan Timberlake, a botanist with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

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