From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia East African mangroves
East African mangroves
The East African mangroves are an ecoregion consisting fauna that shelter in the coral. The swamps are also im-
of mangrove swamps along the Indian Ocean coast of portant feeding grounds for large numbers of migratory
East Africa in southern Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya birds such as Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea), Little
and southern Somalia. Stint (Calidris minuta) and Caspian tern (Hydroprogne
caspia), waterbirds such as Crab-plover (Dromas ardeola),
Location and description Yellow-billed Stork and Malachite kingfisher, and
seabirds such as Roseate Tern (Sterna dougallii).
The ecoregion consists of two large areas of mangove in
the deltas of the Zambezi in Mozambique and the Rufiji
River in Tanzania, which can extend as far as 50 km in-
Threats and preservation
land, as well as smaller areas along the coast. This coast The mangroves have been harvested for timber for cen-
experience two monsoon seasons each year, strong ocean turies by traders from the nearby Arabian Peninsula. All
currents and rising seas up to 5.6m in Mozambique. Rain- along the coast mangrove swamps have been cleared, not
fall is high especially in southern Kenya and northern only for timber but for urban areas, salt panning and
Tanzania.[1] agriculture including rice growing and shrimp cultiva-
tion. The habitat is further diminished by pollution of
Flora rivers from urban and industrial waste and agrochem-
icals. Urban areas near the mangroves include: the
The mangroves include tall trees, up to 30m. Compared Swahili town of Lamu, the beach town of Malindi and the
to Central African mangroves of West Africa mangroves large port city of Mombasa in Kenya; the port of Tanga
of East Africa have a greater variety of vegetation with in Tanzania; and Quelimane, the large city of Beira (fa-
two distinctive types: the mangroves on the coast itself mous for its prawns), Inhassoro and Vilankulo (the ports
such as the birdwatching site Mida Creek near the for Bazaruto), and Maxixe in Mozambique.
Arabuko Sokoke National Park and the town of Watamu, Protected areas include Watamu Marine National
and the Lamu Archipelago both in Kenya, which are fed Park and Ras Tenewi Marine National Park in Kenya;
by constant streams of fresh water; and the mangroves Mafia Island Marine Park, Jozani Chwaka Bay National
in river inlets where more salt accumulates in the water. Park and Saadani National Park in Tanzania; and the
East African mangrove species are similar to those found Bazaruto Archipelago, Inhaca and Portuguese Island,
on other coasts around the Indian Ocean. The Bazaruto Marromeu Game Reserve, and Pomene Reserve in
Archipelago is an example of offshore mangroves shel- Mozambique. Also some areas of mangrove in Kenya and
tered by coral and intermingled with a mixture of shore- Tanzania are managed as forest reserves.
line habitats such as grassy sand dunes and rockpools.
References
Fauna [1] http://www.worldwildlife.org/wildworld/profiles/
The mangroves are an important habitat for a variety of terrestrial/at/at1402_full.html
wildlife from fish crustaceans and molluscs in the wa-
ters to snakes and monkeys such as Sykes’ Monkey in
the trees and animals including antelopes, elephants and
External links
African Buffalo who come to graze on the fringes of the • East African mangroves (World Wildlife Fund)
swamps. Larger animals that feed in the swamp waters
include hippopotamus, green turtle (Chelonia mydas),
hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), and olive ridley
(Lepidochelys olivacea) turtles, porpoises and important
populations of the endangered dugong. Located along-
side coral reefs, these mangroves are sheltered by the
coral from ocean tides and storms, and the swamps pro-
vide food for the many fish, shrimps and other marine
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia East African mangroves
Categories:
• Afrotropic
• Mangrove ecoregions
• Ecoregions of Kenya
• Ecoregions of Mozambique
• Ecoregions of Somalia
• Ecoregions of Tanzania
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