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Four species of sea turtles are common along the Cameroon coast: Leatherback
turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), Green turtle (Chelonia mydas), Olive ridley
(Lepidochelys olivacea) and Hawsksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata). But, just Green
turtle and Hawskbill are common on mangroves (Ayissi and Jiofack 2014). These
turtle species utilize mangrove areas for foraging and breeding purposes due to the
richness and diversity of plankton and benthic food resources.
Few crocodile species exist in mangroves, estuarine, and adjacent rivers (Rajpar
and Zakaria 2014), but the presence of species such as Crocodilus niloticus and
Ostealaemus tetrapis all classified like species in danger by IUCN is surmised. A
wide array of animals such as birds, fishes and mammals are prey of these crocodile
species. Other reptiles founded are snakes and mangrove monitor lizard (Varanus
niloticus).
The mangrove habitat plays a host role to a moderate number of bird species
around the globe. Hundreds of bird species migrate to the mangrove forest for feeding, roosting, nesting and breeding, certain species are dependent on the mangrove
ecosystem and they also play a vital role in maintaining the mangrove ecosystem
through several activities mainly those of pollinator, seed disperser, and pollution
regulation providing food for other animal predators and also contributing to nutrient recycling processes. However, few animals have been reported to feed on mangrove trees directly, whereas other parts of the mangrove, like dead leaves, stems
and roots (Rohit et al. 2016).
Van der Waarde (2007) have found 300 birds along Cameroon coast among
which less than a hundred of species are present in mangrove areas (Table 3.3). The
water birds reported were categorised into four groups:
– Cormorants to Ibises which counted Little Egret, Grey Heron, Great Egret, African
Openbill storks, White pelican, Pink-backed Pelican (Pelecanus rufescens),
Fig. 3.8 Periophtalmus papilio, the most characteristic mangrove fish
3 Impact of Urbanization on the Evolution of Mangrove Ecosystems…
Four species of sea turtles are common along the Cameroon coast: Leatherback
turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), Green turtle (Chelonia mydas), Olive ridley
(Lepidochelys olivacea) and Hawsksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata). But, just Green
turtle and Hawskbill are common on mangroves (Ayissi and Jiofack 2014). These
turtle species utilize mangrove areas for foraging and breeding purposes due to the
richness and diversity of plankton and benthic food resources.
Few crocodile species exist in mangroves, estuarine, and adjacent rivers (Rajpar
and Zakaria 2014), but the presence of species such as Crocodilus niloticus and
Ostealaemus tetrapis all classified like species in danger by IUCN is surmised. A
wide array of animals such as birds, fishes and mammals are prey of these crocodile
species. Other reptiles founded are snakes and mangrove monitor lizard (Varanus
niloticus).
The mangrove habitat plays a host role to a moderate number of bird species
around the globe. Hundreds of bird species migrate to the mangrove forest for feeding, roosting, nesting and breeding, certain species are dependent on the mangrove
ecosystem and they also play a vital role in maintaining the mangrove ecosystem
through several activities mainly those of pollinator, seed disperser, and pollution
regulation providing food for other animal predators and also contributing to nutrient recycling processes. However, few animals have been reported to feed on mangrove trees directly, whereas other parts of the mangrove, like dead leaves, stems
and roots (Rohit et al. 2016).
Van der Waarde (2007) have found 300 birds along Cameroon coast among
which less than a hundred of species are present in mangrove areas (Table 3.3). The
water birds reported were categorised into four groups:
– Cormorants to Ibises which counted Little Egret, Grey Heron, Great Egret, African
Openbill storks, White pelican, Pink-backed Pelican (Pelecanus rufescens),
Fig. 3.8 Periophtalmus papilio, the most characteristic mangrove fish
3 Impact of Urbanization on the Evolution of Mangrove Ecosystems…