A strong tidal current pulled at me as I photographed this mangrove tree through the water.
Life in the Lagoon Nestled between the islands is a lagoon. It fi lls
an area that’s about the size of Manhattan, New York. Twice a day, the water in the lagoon rises and falls with the ocean tides. At high tide, a great variety of fi sh, including sharks, swim in from the ocean. T ey patrol the lagoon’s shallow waters. As the tide goes out, these animals swim back to the ocean. At low tide, much of the lagoon empties out, exposing a rocky bottom and tidal pools. T ese are fi lled with seaweed, sea stars, snails, and shellfi sh. Meadows of sea grass carpet the shores of
the lagoon and the edges of the channels that lead to the ocean. T ese underwater meadows serve as nurseries for fi sh and shellfi sh. T ey are also home to the endangered dugong, a slow-moving marine mammal that is related to the manatee. T e endangered green sea turtle visits the lagoon to graze on sea grass, too. Each year, more than 2,000 female green sea turtles pull themselves onto the island’s sandy beaches to lay their eggs.
Mangrove Forests T e mudfl ats that line the lagoon support
dense thickets of mangrove trees. Mangroves are among the toughest trees in the world as they are able to tolerate the ever-changing conditions at the edge of the sea. Twice a day, the tide covers their roots and lower branches with saltwater. Waves beat against their trunks. T e mangroves are able to survive because their long, stilt-like roots anchor them fi rmly in the mud. Above the water, the leafy branches of the
mangroves are home to colonies of nesting birds, including herons and egrets. Under the water, the trees’ tangled roots provide a safe place for small fi sh to hide from predators, such as barracudas. Black-tail snappers and other reef fi sh lay
their eggs among the roots. T e root maze also serves as a hiding place for the tiny juvenile fi sh that hatch from the eggs. But watch out! T is underwater world is also a hunting ground for small, black-tip reef sharks.
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