Nosy Faly, near Nosy Be, off the northern coast of Madagascar Photograph by Wildzone   Southern Africa: East and west coasts of Madagascar Mangroves   2,100 square miles (5,500 square kilometers) -- about the size of Delaware Vulnerable

· Fishing Paradise
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
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Fishing Paradise

For many species of birds in Madagascar, such as the Sakalava rail and the gray heron, the Madagascar Mangroves ecoregion is a fishing paradise. In this rich and diverse ecoregion, enormous quantities of fish and invertebrates swim freely among the finger-like roots of the mangrove trees. These in turn provide an abundance of food for animals such as crocodiles, sharks, and aquatic and wading birds. Many of the fish and bird species here, and all of the amphibian species associated with this ecoregion, can be found nowhere else in the world. Not only are these mangroves centers of biodiversity, but they also perform many important ecological roles. They filter nutrients, stabilize lagoon shores, act as a nursery for commercially important fish, help in the continuous formation of soil, and serve as an important location for many migratory birds.

Special Features

The Madagascar Mangroves ecoregion faces a wider range of climatic conditions than the interior of Madagascar. The mangroves sit low on the coast and are exposed to wide variations in tides. They have a constant supply of fresh water from numerous rivers that also deposit sediment along the coast. And they are protected from ocean swells by coral reefs. The mangroves receive varying amounts of rain, but most of the rain falls in the wet season, between November and April. There are six species of mangrove trees in this ecoregion.

	Two-thirds of the fish populations worldwide depend on mangrove ecosystems during one or more stages of their lives.

Wild Side

The Madagascar Mangroves are bustling with life, from mangrove trees dripping with colorful epiphytes and ferns, to crabs and crocodiles. Madagascar bee-eaters are colorful birds that hop about in the tops of tall trees, while, in the shallow waters below, majestic birds such as African spoonbills and great white egrets wade among the free-floating plants, feeding on the mangroves’ abundant fish. Madagascar kingfishers perch quietly on branches hanging low over the turbid waters. Nine-foot- (2.7 m) long, torpedo-shaped dugongs swim gracefully through the water feeding on sea grasses. Green turtles and hawksbill turtles nest along the shores, while Nile crocodiles and predatory fish such as rays, sharks, and sawfish move about noiselessly among the stilt roots searching for prey.

Cause for Concern

Madagascar’s mangroves are threatened by development of urban areas, overfishing, and erosion caused by tree-felling in the highlands. Some areas have been converted to rice farming and salt production, and the clearing of mangroves for the development of shrimp aquaculture is increasing in the ecoregion. In order to adequately protect the biodiversity of this ecoregion, these activities will need to be well managed, and more protected areas such as parks and marine reserves will need to be established.

For more information on this ecoregion, go to the World Wildlife Fund Scientific Report.