A pair of brown pelicans and their chick have taken up residence in this mangrove tree. Many other kinds of birds also nest, roost, and feed in mangroves. And they’re not alone. Mangroves buzz with insects. Ants, spiders, moths, termites, and scorpions feed and nest in hollowed twigs. Snakes and lizards crawl along tree limbs. Frogs cling to bark and leaves. Crocodiles laze in the salt water. There are about 70 species of mangroves, ranging from sprawling shrubs to trees that stand 60 meters (200 feet) high and provide habitats for organisms large and small. All are adapted to living in shallow seawater. Some can live in places nearly three times saltier than the sea. As a whole, mangroves are among the most productive and biologically complex ecosystems on Earth.
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