Parc Naturel des Mangroves du Fleuve Cacheu (PNTC)

The Parc Naturel des Mangroves du Fleuve Cacheu (PNTC) is an outstanding representative intertidal forested wetland considered as the largest area of mangrove forest in West Africa. Surrounding the tidal Rio Cacheu which gave its name to the park, PNTC is a safe haven for over 248 bird species including the black crowned-crane (Balearica pavonina), greater flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus), lesser flamingo (Phoeniconaias minor), pink-backed pelican (Pelecanus rufescens), royal tern (Sterna maxima) and the African fish-eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer). Aside from its very rich and varied avifauna, PNTC has a remarkable landscape characterized by a mosaic of forests, palm groves and savannah, which provide food and refuge for many protected or rare species such as the hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius), West African manatee (Trichechus senegalensis), common bottlenose (Tursiops truncates) and humpback dolphins (Sousa teuszii), African clawless otter (Aonyx capensis), Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) and the dwarf crocodile (Osteolaemus tetraspis). Six of the world’s 50 mangrove species have been recorded in PNTC, namely Avicennia germinans, Rhizophora racemosa, Rhizophora mangle, Rhizophora harrisonii, Laguncularia racemosa and Conocarpus erectus. Their density offers an ideal spawning and nursery habitat for a significant population of fish and shellfish. Aside from its natural beauty and rich biodiversity, PNTC has a significant cultural value for the numerous ethnic groups living within its borders which have practiced agriculture and artisanal fishing for generations.

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