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  • RESEARCH BRIEFINGS

Impact of a catastrophic tropical cyclone on large African mammals

In 2019, Cyclone Idai caused devastating flooding in Mozambique’s Gorongosa National Park when ecological studies of mammals were already under way. Small-bodied species and those in low-lying areas were affected most, suggesting that animals’ sensitivity to extreme weather depends on traits such as body size and habitat use.

This is a summary of: Walker, R. H. et al. Trait-based sensitivity of large mammals to a catastrophic tropical cyclone. Nature https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-06722-0 (2023).

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doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-023-03370-2

‘Expert opinion’ is published under a CC BY 4.0 licence.

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