‘Madagascar mangrove ecosystem’ from the book ‘All About Sawfishes’

The Science

Largetooth sawfish (Pristis pristis) are born in rivers and inhabit mangrove and freshwater habitats for several years, before moving into the ocean. This illustration shows the extraordinary biodiversity - birds, juvenile fishes, chameleons, lemurs and much more -supported by mangrove habitats in Madagascar. Healthy mangroves also protect coastal communities by acting as barriers to storm surges, and are an important source of food and other resources for these communities. The illustration demonstrates how replanting and protecting mangroves can protect Critically Endangered species like sawfishes, as well as many other plant and animal species. The involvement of local communities in protecting these habitats is key. More about the valuable work being done in Madagascar to replenish and protect mangroves can be found here.

The Artist

Alexis Aronson is a self taught illustrator-artist based in the Cederberg Mountains, South Africa. She is a passionate observer and lover of the natural world, and all its creatures. She enjoys collaborating with creators whose projects raise interest in and awareness of nature, ecosystems and life on earth: its value, and our place within it. She works in a combination of watercolours, natural pigments, and colour pencils on paper. Instagram: @alexisaronson

The Writer

Ruth Leeney is a marine biologist and writer. She founded Protect Africa’s Sawfishes in 2012, to find out where in Africa (and beyond) sawfishes still exist, and to develop realistic strategies for protecting them. She is passionate about designing inclusive, creative communication and education tools to help protect the oceans and their many inhabitants, and to share the many ways in which communities around the world are working to bring about positive change.

Copyright statement. This work is published under the CC BY-NC-SA license