Mangroves

Mangroves contribute to the total ecology of Antigua. These salt-water plants serve as nurseries for many tropical fish and provide habitat for numerous migrating and resident birds. Mangrove estuaries also are a natural filtration system, accumulating sediments eroded from the land. In addition, they act as protective barriers against hurricanes and tidal surges. The death of the mangroves (shown in the banner above) occurred after construction of resorts that blocked the natural tidal exchange with the ocean.