The Wire

The Great Barrier Reef has been well documented as global warming’s first victim, with rising sea temperatures causing widespread bleaching.

But great range of coastal mangroves stretching 700 kilometers across the Gulf of Carpentaria has been hit equally hard.  A long  dry season is largely to blame for the sudden deterioration of the mangrove ecosystem.

Often referred to as the ‘ugly duckling’ of the Australian landscape, mangroves play a crucial role in preventing shorelines from eroding and filter land water travelling to the sea.  The rapid decline of mangrove ecosystems will have widespread consequences for local flora and fauna.