Satellite view of the mangroves along the shore of the Gulf of Tehuantepec, on the border of Mexico and Guatemala Photograph by USGS   Southern North America: On the Pacific coast of southern Mexico Mangroves   1,000 square miles (2,700 square kilometers) -- about the size of Rhode Island Relatively Stable/Intact

· Massive Mangroves
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
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Massive Mangroves

The Tehuantepec-El Manchón Mangroves contain the tallest mangroves in Mexico with trees reaching as high as 80 feet (25 m). Among these majestic trees lives an incredible diversity of plants, birds, fish, and crustaceans. What makes mangrove trees unique is their ability to remove excess salt from the water in which they live--enabling them to live their entire lives in a saltwater environment. A large community of invertebrates feeds on the enormous deposits of organic matter at the base of these mangrove trees. Every year, thousands of migrant birds arrive from colder regions in Canada and the United States to spend the winter here and feed on the abundant fish and invertebrates, which also seek shelter among the mangrove trees.

Special Features

With an average rainfall of 100 to 120 inches (2500 to 3000 mm) per year, this ecoregion is in one of the wettest areas in Mexico. The abundant summer rains drench the region’s deep clay-sand soils, which are rich with organic matter and support an amazing diversity of mangrove and fruit trees.

	Roseate spoonbills get their names from the irregular shape of their bills, which they use to sweep from side to side in the mud to catch small red shrimp. The shrimp give the birds their rosy color.

Wild Side

The laughing voice of a wading bird called a sungrebe welcomes you to the Tehuantepec-El Manchón mangroves. In this ecoregion, there are a variety of crocodiles, turtles, and a gar known locally as "pejelagarto." Roseate spoonbills sift through the mud with their spoon-like bills, wood storks search for fish in the abundant waters, and beautiful white pelicans soar overhead. Yellow mangrove trees are found only in Equador, Costa Rica, and here in Mexico.

Cause for Concern

The mangroves of this ecoregion have been gradually eliminated to provide wood for humans. The human population in the region is growing at a quick pace, and scientists fear that the need for more space for humans will further displace mangrove communities and eventually cause them to disappear entirely. Economic and social problems have already forced villagers to overexploit animal species including several marine and aquatic turtles, as well as iguanas--all of which lay their eggs in the sand along nearby beaches. In addition, water pollution caused by humans threatens the survival of many aquatic species.

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