Satellite view of the Maranhao mangroves, Brazil Photograph by USGS   Northeastern Brazil Mangroves   4,400 square miles (11,300 square kilometers) -- about the size of Connecticut Vulnerable

· Tall and Dense
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
More Photos

Tall and Dense

The mangroves of the Maranhão ecoregion are the most extensive in Brazil--and among the tallest in the world, reaching nearly 150 feet (45 meters) high. These dense coastal forests harbor a broad cross-section of wildlife species.

Special Features

This ecoregion can be divided into eastern and western portions. In the east, extensive sand dunes, called "restingas," are interspersed with mangroves along the mouths of rivers and bays. The western part consists of hundreds of islands and mudflats in which numerous rivers have deposited fine-grained sediment. Because of flat topography and high tidal ranges, salt waters and mangroves can be found up to 25 miles (40 km) inland. Precipitation is also high, averaging 98 inches (2,500 mm) a year but sometimes reaching levels of more than 157 inches or 13 feet! (4,000 mm or 4 m).

	Also known as the black-capped capuchin, the brown capuchin monkey is well-adapted to life in the trees. It has long limbs compared to its trunk, and strong teeth that make it easier for it to bite into nuts.

Wild Side

The mangroves of Maranhão are one of the most important areas for shorebirds in South America. About 200,000 birds were counted in recent studies, representing 50 percent of Brazil’s total population of shorebirds. These are feeding grounds for herons, spoonbills, ducks, egrets, ibises, cormorants, and flamingoes. Among the most majestic species are the roseate spoonbill, great egret, white-necked heron, wood stork, magnificent frigate bird, snowy egret, and neotropical cormorant. Wood rails, clapper rails, sandpipers, and kingfishers can be found along the riverbanks as well. Mammals range from the bearded saki monkey, howler monkey, and brown capuchin monkey to ocelots, little spotted cats, and pumas. Otters and Caribbean manatees can be seen swimming in the water, where you might also find loggerhead and green turtles.

Cause for Concern

This region contains about a third of all the mangroves in Brazil. These forests are largely intact because of low population density and poor accessibility. However, these mangroves are important to the local fishing industry, particularly for their abundance of crabs. Mangroves are also used as timber for the construction of boats and houses, and their barks are a source of dye for ship sails. In some areas, mangroves have been converted to rice cultivation or to residential and industrial development, which has also led to the discharge of domestic and industrial wastes into the natural environment.

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