Hara Mangrove Forest:
Recent satellite images have revealed a major environmental threat to Hara mangrove forest due to an oil spill off Qeshm’s southern coast.
- Hara Mangrove Forest are a vital ecological treasure of the Persian Gulf, spanning the Strait of Hormuz.
- These mangrove forests consist mainly of grey mangrove trees (Avicennia marina).
- They have a special filtration system in their roots that allows them to thrive in saline conditions.
- The forests are designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
- The same roots also protect the coast against erosion and are voluminous carbon sinks, sequestering significantly more carbon than terrestrial forests.
- They serve as an important nursery for marine life as they shelter shrimp, crabs, and numerous fish species that sustain the region’s fisheries.
- The Hara forests’ canopy is also a major migratory hub for birds like the great stone-curlew and various herons.
- The mangroves are the backbone of the sustainable tourism programmes of Qeshm, an Iranian island in the Persian Gulf, and draw visitors to their labyrinthine waterways.
