Marine Megafauna Use Coastal Wetlands

When we think of mangrove forests, seagrass meadows and saltmarshes, we don’t immediately think of shark habitats. But the first global review of links between large marine animals (megafauna) and coastal wetlands is challenging this view. Mangrove forests, seagrass meadows and saltmarshes support rich biodiversity, underpin the livelihoods of more than a billion people worldwide, store carbon, and protect us from extreme weather events. We know marine megafauna also use these habitats to live, feed and breed. Green turtles and manatees, for instance, are known to eat seagrass, dolphins hunt in mangroves, and bonnethead sharks consume and digest seagrass. Dugongs, porpoises, crocodiles, alligators, seals, otters and minks also use coastal wetlands. Until now, we’ve underestimated how important these areas are for large, charismatic and ecologically important marine animals.