Duport Swamps

Duport Swamps

Liberia's coastal area is characterized by swamps and mangrove forests. This area is also home to the Duport Swamps. Most of the area receives about 4000 mm of rainfall annually. These coastal swamps and lagoons are home to flamingos, as well as resident species such as the Black-Collared Lovebird, the Blue-Headed Wood-Dove, the White-Breasted Guineafowl and the White-Necked Rockfowl. The Nile Crocodile and the Pygmy Crocodile are found in the swamps here, but are rare. Such wetlands provide many contributions to Liberia's national economy. Mangrove wetlands, for example, provide good breeding grounds for many fish and other aquatic organisms that make up Liberia's fisheries sector. The wetlands also function as nature's own water filtration system, providing clean water for communities across the country. When well-managed, wetlands attract a wide variety of wildlife and, as their plants are mostly evergreen year-round, they are important carbon sinks that help mitigate climate change.