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Los supervivientes secretos de Mozambique: descubriendo pangolines y dugongos en la naturaleza

“Mozambique es uno de los destinos más subestimados y emocionantes. Es un lugar donde se puede experimentar la naturaleza salvaje en su estado puro. Por ejemplo, Gorongosa es tres veces y media el tamaño de la Maasai Mara y, sin embargo, ¡solo tiene 32 camas comerciales! Ese tipo de exclusividad es rara, y hay una observación de fauna realmente buena. Es un lugar especialmente bueno para ver perros salvajes, que son los depredadores dominantes aquí”, comparte Suzanne Bayly, directora general de Classic Portfolio.

Para los viajeros que valoran algo más que la comodidad y la exclusividad, compartimos dos experiencias de viaje regenerativo en Mozambique, seleccionadas por Classic Portfolio. El viaje regenerativo tiene como objetivo mejorar activamente los lugares que visitamos. Es una filosofía de dejar un destino mejor de lo que se encontró: restaurar ecosistemas, elevar a las comunidades locales y ofrecerle a usted, el viajero, la oportunidad de dejar un legado positivo.

Encuentro con pangolines en el Parque Nacional de Gorongosa
El Parque Nacional de Gorongosa, en el centro de Mozambique, ha experimentado una de las recuperaciones de conservación más inspiradoras de África. La guerra civil de Mozambique y la caza furtiva resultante causaron estragos en esta zona, pero desde 2004, un proyecto de restauración concentrado ha dado como resultado un magnífico resurgimiento de las poblaciones de fauna.

Quizás uno de los símbolos más conmovedores de ese resurgimiento es la presencia de pangolines, los tímidos mamíferos escamosos, que también se encuentran, desafortunadamente, entre los animales más traficados del mundo. En los últimos años, los equipos de conservación han rescatado y rehabilitado a más de 150 pangolines y los han reintroducido en hábitats salvajes seguros en Gorongosa.

Si visita el parque durante cinco noches o más, tendrá la oportunidad de unirse al Proyecto Pangolín en la caminata matutina de búsqueda de alimento. Un equipo de veterinarios y guardabosques lleva a los pangolines, que están en proceso de rehabilitación, a diferentes partes del parque cada día. Los pangolines son nocturnos y notoriamente esquivos, pero a través del Proyecto Pangolín, puede pasar una hora caminando junto a ellos. Aunque no puede tocar a los pangolines, será testigo de algo increíblemente raro en la naturaleza y disfrutará de excepcionales oportunidades fotográficas mientras se alimentan y exploran.

Guías profundamente versados en el comportamiento, la ecología y la conservación de los pangolines compartirán la historia de su trabajo de rescate, sus perspectivas de supervivencia y los esfuerzos de restauración más amplios del parque. A través de su visita, usted apoya las patrullas de guardabosques, la protección del hábitat y el trabajo de rehabilitación en curso. En términos de viaje regenerativo: no es solo un espectador, es un contribuyente.

Avistamiento de dugongos en las islas Bazaruto
Si Gorongosa es un testimonio de la restauración de los territorios terrestres de África, el paisaje marino turquesa del archipiélago de Bazaruto, frente a Mozambique, cuenta una historia similar para el océano. El área marina protegida se encuentra entre los últimos bastiones viables para un mamífero marino raro y vulnerable, el dugongo, también conocido como la “vaca marina”. Los dugongos dependen completamente de las praderas marinas para alimentarse y la conservación de estas praderas que se extienden desde las islas del norte del archipiélago de Bazaruto hasta el sur, alrededor de Azura Benguerra, es una parte crítica para asegurar su supervivencia.

“He estado yendo al archipiélago de Bazaruto desde los años 90 y durante años fue como si el dugongo fuera una criatura mítica, como un unicornio. No los había visto. Sin embargo, desde 2016, he visto dugongos cada año cuando regreso. Y aunque nunca he visto una cría, recientemente, el propietario de Azuru Benguerra Island estaba en Peri Peri Beach y ¡avistó una cría de dugongo en el agua!”, comparte Suzanne.

“Otro proyecto de conservación emocionante es el proyecto de restauración de caballitos de mar, que tiene lugar en las mismas praderas marinas. Se colocan pequeñas banderas en las áreas donde se han avistado caballitos de mar y luego, con la marea baja, se puede vadear en agua que llega hasta los muslos y ¡ver los caballitos de mar!”

En las últimas décadas, las prácticas de pesca insostenibles, la destrucción del hábitat y la pérdida de praderas marinas han diezmado las poblaciones de dugongos a lo largo de gran parte de la costa de África Oriental. Sin embargo, gracias a los esfuerzos de gestión de African Parks, que cogestiona la reserva marina, y a los esfuerzos concertados de aplicación de la ley de conservación que incluyen patrullas regulares, participación comunitaria y monitoreo, el archipiélago de Bazaruto sigue siendo un refugio marino.

En 2024, se lanzó un proyecto pionero de marcado por satélite para monitorear los movimientos de los dugongos, sus zonas de alimentación y corredores migratorios, lo cual es un paso crítico para asegurar su supervivencia.

Los huéspedes que se alojen en Azura Benguerra (y otros lugares de lujo en Bazaruto) pueden buscar al tímido y esquivo dugongo desde barcos o kayaks. En las tranquilas praderas marinas de Benguerra o Santa Carolina, es posible que vea uno flotando pacíficamente por el agua clara. Los avistamientos son raros, pero ver un dugongo en la naturaleza es un verdadero privilegio. Al elegir alojamientos en áreas protegidas y operadores responsables, usted apoya la conservación marina, ayuda a las comunidades locales y desempeña un pequeño papel en la salvaguarda del futuro de esta inusual criatura.

Tanto el programa de rescate y liberación de pangolines de Gorongosa como los esfuerzos de protección de dugongos de Bazaruto son iniciativas activas y continuas que encarnan el viaje regenerativo. Cuando elige estos alojamientos, su estancia apoya directamente la restauración real y el viaje de lujo se convierte en administración en lugar de consumismo.

¿Qué mejor manera de relajarse y rejuvenecer que disfrutando de un viaje regenerativo que le permite ir más allá de admirar la belleza de África para protegerla activamente? Y si Mozambique le llama, un viaje de safari y playa podría ser la forma más significativa de responder. Si es así, nos encantaría ayudarle a planificar un viaje como este, asegurando una logística impecable y unas vacaciones hechas a medida para satisfacer sus necesidades. Responda a este correo electrónico y estaremos encantados de responder a cualquier pregunta que tenga.

Porque el verdadero lujo en 2026 no se tratará solo de lo suaves que sean las sábanas o lo azul que sea el mar. Se tratará de lo que deje atrás.

Feliz viaje,

El equipo de Leopard

P.D. Lea ‘Descubriendo Mozambique: Una aventura familiar en el paraíso’ en nuestro blog o vea ‘Zanzíbar vs Bazaruto, ¿cuál es mejor?’ en nuestro canal de YouTube.

P.P.D. Vea el Proyecto Pangolín en acción.

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    Helen moved to South Africa in the early ’80s and after leaving school, she entered the travel industry. She travelled to many countries for business research and later became a specialist in travel to South America, which she visited numerous times.

    Her husband’s work required the family to settle in the little town of Mtunzini, a beautiful spot on the north coast of KwaZulu-Natal, where she took a job in the finance department at the local school. This began a chapter in Helen’s life that prepared her for corporate finance. Later, Helen worked as an imports and exports administrator and then as treasurer for a large multinational company in Johannesburg while undertaking post-graduate studies in Corporate Governance and Administration.

    When she and her family moved back to Durban, Helen worked as a bursar of a large private school. She was delighted to be living near the ocean again and couldn’t resist getting her open-water diving certificate, as her son was a scuba diving instructor. Helen’s love of adventure and creation has been a constant theme throughout her life.

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    She first worked in the United States, where she has family, then moved to England to complete a Master’s in International Marketing, and later to Oceania, where she tried “WWOOFing” — working on a farm in exchange for room and board. Along the way, she met a great love in Paris, who would later become her husband, and this brought her back to France to find work and start a family.

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    As she grew up, Diana became aware of the big, wide world outside of the African countries she knew so well, and she took her first solo overseas trip at age 14 to London to visit her father’s family. From that moment she became fascinated with experiencing the world beyond what she knew. Diana has since travelled extensively through Africa, Europe, America and Asia.

    Diana is married to a Frenchman and has two young kids, who are simultaneously developing a love for biltong & braai’s, and baguettes & brie. After 16 years gaining valuable experience working for big corporates in South Africa, Diana decided to follow her passion for travel and start Leopard. Diana has had the privilege of planning holidays for American celebrities, European royalty and high-net-worth individuals as well as regular folks who want to do a trip of a lifetime to Africa.

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