Imagine a forest that only grows in the ocean, and you will have envisioned a mangrove! The tree species in such forests live in the intertidal or brackish water zone. That’s the point where the ocean’s salt water and land-based river freshwater mix. The soil in these areas are waterlogged and full of clay, making it difficult for many animals and plants to survive here. Those that do are pretty bizarre!
To adapt to the soil conditions, mangrove tree species have two kinds of roots. Just like other plants, they have roots that hold them in the soil. Unlike most land-based plants, though, mangroves also have roots that shoot out of the earth and into the sky like many tiny spikes. These roots are called pneumatophores. They help them pull oxygen out of the air for the plants so they can balance the high level of salt in their system.
One of my favorite spots to hang out in the evening in Kendari is the town mangrove park. It’s a boardwalk through a mangrove thicket. The spot is located off a busy road that rings a bay.
One awesome creature I spotted in the park is the Dusky-gilled mudskipper (Periophthalmus novemradiatus). These finger-length fish are pretty funny looking. Their eyes jut out of the top of their head as if they were frogs.
