Satellite view of the northwest coast of Colombia Photograph by USGS   Northern South America: Colombia, Venezuela Mangroves   1,200 square miles (3,200 square kilometers) -- about half the size of Delaware Critical/Endangered

· At the End of the Caribbean
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
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At the End of the Caribbean

Located where Central and South America meet, the Magdalena Santa Marta Mangroves ecoregion stretches down the Caribbean coastline in northern Colombia to the border with Venezuela. The mangroves line clear Carib waters at the southern end of the Caribbean and are characterized by abundant marine life.

Special Features

The eastern portions of this ecoregion receive freshwater from the Rio Magdalena, which drains the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta Mountains. The western portion is fed by rivers flowing from the Andes Mountains. All mangroves provide excellent habitat for marine, freshwater, and terrestrial animals, and these mangroves are no exception. Here, a system of more than 20 swamps and low tropical lagoons are interconnected by canals and surrounded by mangroves, sustaining a rich and varied biota.

	The three-toed sloth has adapted to survive on tree leaves, a readily available but low-nutrient food. Because leaves are so low in nutrients, the sloth has a low metabolic rate and moves very slowly.

Wild Side

A bewildering variety of species depend on these mangroves for resources, including lobster, crab, squid, migratory birds, ibises, and ducks. Reptiles found here include the coral snake, boa constrictor, caiman, and green iguana. You might find a three-toed sloth slowly making its way through the canopy in search of fresh leaves, while otters navigate the rivers and manatees browse on seagrass beds offshore. Other mammals found here include ocelots, jaguarundis, and howler monkeys.

Cause for Concern

This ecoregion has been severely impacted by humans. Threats include highway construction, canal and dike construction, water diversion, and shifts in the natural balance of hydrological control. The entire ecoregion is affected by increasing pollution and degradation of watersheds. Rivers here are loaded with sediments from deforestation, pollutants, and toxins, which directly affect riverine forests and mangroves.

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