The mangroves provide additional safety from land-bound predators. Few predators can negotiate the unstable mud and slippery, poky mangrove roots. The thicket of mangrove branches and leaves also provide shelter from strong coastal winds. Mangroves are thus are ideal nesting sites for birds, within easy reach of the rich buffet in the water and mud but protected from large predators. Many birds have developed special beaks, feet and behaviour to specialise in one item of the buffet.
Mangroves also provide food for migrating birds.
Indonesian mangroves are visited by millions of migrating birds that travel from Australia and the Pacific Islands to China and Siberia. Mangrove trees special adaptations of mangrove trees Role and threats to mangroves Other animals that find shelter in the branches and are adapted to mangroves include bats , Proboscis Monkeys , snakes, otters, the Fishing Cat . As many as 200,000 fruit bats may roost in a mangrove. Some small fruit bats roost in mangroves on offshore islands where it's safe from predators and commute daily to the mainland to feed. Copyright Singapore Zoological Gardens Docents 2000.