Mangrove swamps are located in flat coastal areas where the ocean tides wash saltwater high into the mouths of rivers which are bringing nutrient-rich soil down to the coast.

For mangroves to thrive, there needs to be some natural feature such as coral reefs to shelter the coast from ocean storms and monsoons.

In Madagascar, they are mostly found on the more sheltered west coast along the Mozambique Channel, where they stretch along roughly 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) of coastline.

Birds include the African spoonbill, great egret, sakalava rail and grey heron.

The many fish found in the waters include the families Mugilidae, Serranidae, Carangidae, Gerridae, Hemiramphidae, Plectorhinchinae, and Elopidae.