Satellite view of the mangroves near the mouth of the Amazon River, Brazil Photograph by USGS   Northeastern Brazil Mangroves   1,700 square miles (4,400 square kilometers) -- about the size of Delaware Relatively Stable/Intact

· At the Mouth of the Amazon
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
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At the Mouth of the Amazon

The Pará Mangroves are in a transition zone at the mouth of the Amazon River and include pure mangrove stands with species associated with the Amazon floodplain. But like other mangrove ecoregions, these trees are exceptionally well developed and very tall, reaching nearly 150 feet (45 meters) in height.

Special Features

The terrain of this tropical ecoregion is relatively flat and is composed of fine-grained clay and sediment deposited by the Amazon River. These deposits form hundreds of islands and mudflats that are continuously stabilized by the roots of mangroves. These mangroves are sustained by high rainfall, which averages around 98 inches (2,500 mm) a year, and by the Amazon River system itself. Although well developed, the distribution of mangroves in this ecoregion is somewhat restricted by the presence of freshwater species, which include typical Amazon freshwater hardwoods. Lianas and palms are common in these areas as well.

	Out of all the manatee species and subspecies, the Amazon manatee is the smallest. It is gray-brown like other species, but it also has white or pink patches on its chest. And unlike other manatees that have fingernails on the ends of their flippers (similar to the toenails of an elephant), the Amazon species has no fingernails.

Wild Side

Among the most distinctive mammals found in this ecoregion are two types of endangered manatees—the Caribbean manatee and the Amazon manatee. Other mammals include the bearded saki monkey, brown capuchin monkey, crab-eating fox, ocelot, otter, jaguar, and puma. Birds are plentiful and are represented by a variety of colorful species. Heron species include the white-necked, striated, little blue, and black-crowned night heron. Kingfishers, wood rails, ibises, egrets, wood storks, ducks, and even the American flamingo can be found here as well. There are also several species of crustaceans, including the arboreal crab.

Cause for Concern

This region contains 28 percent of all the mangroves in Brazil. The 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, firewood, and charcoal, and their bark is used as 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.