Western Indian Ocean
- West Indian Ocean Photo
- ©Tim McClanahan
The Western Indian Ocean borders Africa’s east coast, and includes the tropical waters off Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, South Africa, and the islands of Madagascar, Comoros, Seychelles, Mauritius, and Reunion. Madagascar’s seas provide the most important breeding spot for humpback whales in the Eastern Hemisphere, along with habitat for 13 species of sharks. Coral reefs along the coastline of Kenya, Tanzania, and northern Mozambique form one of the planet’s largest fringing reefs and support large tropical fish populations, dugongs, and sea turtles. WCS scientists believe that the region includes “super reefs” that may be able to withstand rising ocean temperatures brought on by global climate change if their fisheries resources are properly managed.
Kenya, which straddles the equator between the Indian Ocean and Lake
Victoria, may be better known for its lions and giraffes, but the country also has six reserves designed specifically
to protect its important marine environments. These include mangroves, coastal wetlands, lagoons, and coral reefs.
Madagascar's long
coastline (3,100 miles) and “upstream” location from eastern and
southern Africa make its aquatic ecosystems among the region’s greatest
conservation priorities. The island nation
sits in the Indian Ocean, and its coastal waters support humpbacks, dugongs, sea turtles, and sharks.