THE Gorongosa is being suffocated Slowly. Illegal mahogany-felling operationsin and around this timber-rich nationalpark of Mozambique is threatening todevastate the region's fragile ecology.There are about 7 timber interests cutting in the area, some licensed by thegovernment and some not; despite thevisible evidence of largescalt uncontrolled logging, government sources areat a loss as to the number of legal concessions granted in the area.The government is keen to rehabilitate Gorongosa. But this might turn outto be an unwelcome move: infrastructural development in the area, includingthe reopening of many roads inside thepark, will only fuel the unchecked deforestation. (ips)