The Saloum Delta Landscape

The Saloum Delta, located on Senegal’s Atlantic coast, is one of West Africa’s most biodiverse wetland systems and a designated UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Spanning over 180,000 hectares, the delta is a rich mosaic of mangrove forests, tidal channels, mudflats, seagrass beds, and coastal wetlands. It sustains extraordinary biodiversity while underpinning the livelihoods of more than 150,000 people. Its location at the transition between dry Sahelian zones and humid coastal ecosystems makes it a hotspot of ecological, cultural, and economic importance.

The Saloum Delta supports over 200 bird species and is a critical stopover for hundreds of thousands of migratory waterbirds along the East Atlantic Flyway. Its habitats shelter endangered species like the West African manatee, Atlantic humpback dolphin, and green, leatherback, and loggerhead sea turtles. Seagrass meadows and tidal mudflats further enhance its ecological richness, making the delta a biodiversity hub of global relevance.

The delta’s mangrove forests are the foundation of local livelihoods. They sustain fisheries, oyster harvesting, honey production, salt extraction, and small-scale agriculture, providing food, income, and raw materials for thousands of households. According to a study by Wetlands International Africa and the IISD, the ecosystem services provided by mangroves in the Saloum Delta are worth an estimated €1.5 billion over a decade, a tangible measure of their economic value.

The Saloum Delta’s mangroves are among West Africa’s most important blue carbon ecosystems, playing a vital role in global climate regulation. Covering over 180,000 hectares, they store exceptionally high carbon stocks and continue to sequester hundreds of thousands of tonnes of CO₂ annually. With some of the highest carbon densities in the region, holding up to five times more carbon per hectare than most terrestrial forests, these mangroves are critical natural assets. Protecting and restoring them could raise total carbon stocks to nearly 277 million tonnes by 2026, positioning the Saloum Delta as a key contributor to both Senegal’s national climate targets and global mitigation goals.

Despite its importance, the Saloum Delta faces mounting pressures. Overfishing, mangrove harvesting, and unsustainable timber use threaten key habitats, while offshore oil and gas exploration around Sangomar and large-scale infrastructure developments—including hotels, roads, and ports—put additional stress on fragile ecosystems. Compounding these threats, declining freshwater inflows, saltwater intrusion, and climate change (including sea-level rise and projected rainfall decreases of up to 30% by 2045) risk further degrading the delta’s ecological balance and the services it provides.

The Saloum Delta is already recognized under multiple protection frameworks, including as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and through two Ramsar sites (Palmarin and the Saloum Delta National Park). These designations, combined with the high blue carbon value of the mangroves, create an opportunity to attract climate finance, strengthen community-based management, and scale up restoration. Integrating scientific data with local knowledge will be key to safeguarding biodiversity, enhancing climate resilience, and securing livelihoods for future generations.