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WWF Goals

  • By 2020 priority landscapes and seascapes are conserved through networks of protected areas.
  • By 2020 mitigation and adaptation strategies for climate change are under implementation.
  • By 2025 at least 80% of the timber and fisheries products are sourced from sites and producers that practice legal and sustainable management.
  • By 2025 key habitats and species are conserved, continuing to provide goods and services to more than 20 million people.

Facts & Figures

  • The coast of East Africa stretches 4,600km from southern Somalia to the Natal shores of South Africa.
  • The East Africa coast supports rich wildlife populations of which 60-70% are found only in the Indo-Pacific and 15% are found no where else in the world. 
  • This includes: 3,000 species of molluscs; 1,500 species of fish; 1,000 species of seaweeds; 300 species of crabs; 200 coral species; 100 species of sea cucumbers; 50 species of starfishes; and 35 species of marine mammals.

East African Coast

From coastal forests and savannah woodlands to mangroves and coral reefs, East Africa's coastline is one of the continent’s most biologically diverse areas. WWF is working to conserve these important habitats, which are home to abundant wildlife and sustains the livelihoods of millions of people.

The coasts of Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique offer a rich mosaic of coral reefs, mangroves, lowland forests and savannah woodlands.

On shore, one finds elephants, black rhinos and red colobus monkeys. At sea, one finds whales, marine turtles, dugongs and large fish populations.

Though many pristine areas remain intact, overfishing, unchecked development, demand for timber and the rapid increase in coastal populations are having a significant impact on the region.

Useful Links

Coastal conservation

WWF is working with partners at the local, national and regional level to secure a healthy environment along the coast of East Africa.

This will be achieved by:
  • helping coastal communities sustainably manage natural resources for their own benefit
  • strengthening national legislation and management systems for sustainable fisheries and logging operations
  • improving habitat and species conservation
  • developing effective marine protected areas
Starfish, Bazaruto Island, Mozambique.<BR>

Bazaruto Archipelago

Once abundant in Tanzanian waters, dugong populations have declined dramatically by over 90 per cent in the past 30 years.
Bazaruto Archipelago, a group of five islands off the southern coast of Mozambique, is a marine protected area. The warm shallow waters between the archipelago and the mainland support the most important population of dugongs in the Western Indian Ocean. Dolphins and whales are found in deeper waters and several marine turtles breed on the islands pristine beaches.

In an effort to reduce threats to Bazaruto’s fragile environment, WWF is working with community organizations, including fishermen associations, to actively participate in the protection, management and sustainable use of the area’s natural resources.

Where is the East African coast?

The East African coast is highlighted in blue.


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