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Funzi River and the Mangrove Swamps.
Pinewood village "off the beat" options.
See our watersports section.
After an early breakfast, depart for the Mangrove
swamps at the mouth of the Funzi River collected by an Arabian dhow from
Pinewood Village Beach and set sail for Funzi river approximately ¾
hour away.
The Mangrove swamps at the mouth of the Funzi river
(a bit like the Everglades in Florida ! ) Mangrove forests are an important,
if not critical habitat for a variety of terrestrial and aquatic plants
and animals many of which may in turn play an important part in coastal
economics.
The terrestrial fauna includes many species of birds,
reptiles including crocodiles, mammals (pigs and monkeys) and insects,
while the terrestrial flora mainly comprise fungi, lichens and mistletoes.
Very large crocodiles are often evident. Frequent marks of buffalo and
other large mammals are also commonly found in these mangroves. Other smaller
mammals that are known to inhabit mangroves are baboons, duiker, rodents
and fruit bats.
Bird life is rich and varied in most mangrove forests
as many birds depend on the mangrove ecosystem for their existence, but
even larger numbers roost on the mangroves and feed on the rich fish resources
offshore. Other birds use the mangrove forests as resting and feeding stations
as they migrate from and to Africa.
Spend the morning exploring by canoe, watching crocodiles
and avoiding leeches! Return to the lagoon for a picnic lunch and an afternoon
of snorkelling and further exploration.
Back to Pinewood for a traditional Swahili buffer
supper and overnight.
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